Cannabis
Colombia Calls Out US For Being Hypocritical About Drug War
After a recent visit to New York, and smelling weed in the streets; Colombia President calls out the US for being hypocritical over drug war, while introducing new drug policy.
What did Colombia’s President say
This current story is related to the release of a new drug plan by Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Colombia and the US have a strained history, mainly because of the war on drugs which the US waged, not on its own people, but on Colombia; an entirely different country with its own laws. Now, as the tide of public opinion changes concerning drugs like marijuana, Petro is going hard at the US for its hypocritical behavior about the ever-present drug war.
Petro spoke of a recent trip to New York, in which he could smell marijuana in the streets of the city. While he didn’t technically have a problem with this, he commented that it was “enormous hypocrisy” to allow such sales in a country that not only holds cannabis as illegal; but which killed so many Colombians in a useless war on drugs, just to allow legal sales of its own.
In a recent speech, with translation through Marijuana Moment, Petro got to the heart of the idea of weed; going from a crop to wage wars over, to one being sold which earns the government profit via taxes. He said, “Marijuana is sold today in Times Square. It smelled on all the streets, all the way around the corner, and they sold it…like any other product. I suppose they charge taxes and that New York City or the state of New York lives partially from them.”
He continued, speaking about the damage of this so-called war, “That’s where the war on drugs began. How many people have been imprisoned? How many people have died? Because undoubtedly illegality brought violence.”
This is interesting because the US rarely answers for its bad behavior; particularly what its done in countries like Colombia. Whereas the US tore apart Colombia over drugs like cocaine and marijuana; it likes to ignore this now. No apology made, no damages paid. The US acts like it didn’t do anything, even as it still pressures countries like Colombia to end drug trades, and even as it hypocritically allows the taxation of products that it has gone into other countries to kill people over.
Petro’s new drug policy plan
The whole reason this statement on US hypocritical behavior concerning the drug war, came out; is because Petro is introducing a new plan for Colombia. And one for which he probably doesn’t want the US trying to intervene in any way. By so publicly calling the US out for its hypocrisy, he might even be able to shame the US into trying to get involved.
Petro’s new plan would seek to reduce the cocaine production in Colombia by 43%. This is separate from a coca industry, however. In conjunction, Petro wants to legalize an adult-use market for cannabis, as well as promote the coca leaf for non-psychoactive purposes. The plan specifically targets limiting the environmental issues of drug production and trafficking, and to reduce drug trade violence, in part by lessening criminal enforcement.
The plan is meant to help with the mass poverty of the country, and the continued cycle that exists for families in the industry; as well as to minimize criminal prosecution for these families which produce drugs. The hope is that this also reduces the general violence from these trades. Said Petro in his October 3rd speech, “We want a prosperous peasant economy that allows—as I said in my campaign speeches—any daughter or any son of the peasant to study medicine, mathematics or philosophy. That is the goal.”
In the last couple years, Colombia attempted to pass a cannabis legalization, and a cocaine legalization bill; neither went through. The latter would have required the government to buy all crops, essentially ending the more expensive crop elimination programs. If this sounds impossible, consider that both Bolivia and Peru have legal coca industries, and the latter allows legal cocaine up to two grams. These two countries rank as two of the lower crime-rate countries of Latin America. Petro’s current plan involves a two-year program to initiate legal cannabis. In July, the country’s legislature approved this reform.
Petro in general takes an anti-drug war stance. He has compared the war on drugs, to a “genocide;” and pointed out that Colombia and Mexico have faced the brunt of this. At a recent Latin American and Caribbean Conference on Drugs; 19 countries including Colombia, came to the conclusion that “the expected results have not been obtained when combating the world drug problem, leaving in many cases the underlying problems to be solved and exploiting and exacerbating vulnerabilities of our territories and societies.”
What else did Petro say about effects of war on drugs?
In his speech, Petro said a lot of things that couldn’t be said in earlier years, for fear of US retaliation. Now, with changing times, these ideas are possible to openly state. He pointed out that “Drug trafficking was not born in Colombian blood. They built it for us,” and that it is more a result of the country being poor; and providing the ability for low cost production of illicit drugs.
In terms of the countries that exploited this, he said such countries “never wanted to develop a policy of prevention or regulation or mitigation of harm among consumers,” and that it was an “easy policy” to blame the poor countries that were being used for production, like Colombia. He explained how this promoted “xenophobic and racist complexes” in other populations, geared at places like Colombia.
He said countries like Colombia took all the blame, as if the countries themselves had set it up to be drug traffickers. He said it was easier for big foreign powers to do this, than to question why their populations wanted drugs so bad. This is similar now to the issue of fentanyl in America, with nearly all blame going to countries like Mexico; and a complete dissociation in corporate news, from the fact this issue started and continues, as a legal production, and legal prescription, issue.
Petro made the excruciatingly effective point that coca was grown for thousands of years, and during all those years, no one dreamed of making it into cocaine. In fact, cocaine is technically a pharmaceutical product, first produced in a German laboratory in 1859. It’s not like Colombia ever cared about the idea of cocaine, until it became desired by outside populations.
How bad has this drug war been for Colombia?
Colombia has a very good point when calling out the US for being hypocritical concerning the drug war. You’d think any country that worked as hard as the US did to invade other countries and influence their basic agriculture, would stand by its word. Technically, the federal government has to a degree. But then, the federal government does collect a lot of money via section 280E of the tax code, and it has since legal markets began. For a country that caused so much damage internationally over weed, it is striking how extremely hypocritical it is for someone like Petro, to smell weed in the streets of New York City.
Its hard to find any numbers out of the US, on the real damage of the drug war to a country like Colombia. While some articles make it sound like this is a shady issue of Colombia not reporting, this makes as much sense as the drug war to begin with. America caused a lot of damage, and a massive amount of unnecessary deaths; if information isn’t being given, its likely to cover the awfulness of US actions.
This is exemplified by a statement by DEA head of intelligence in Colombia, Elizabeth Zili, from 2016. She said in reference to the overall death toll, “I really couldn’t give you a number, but it was extremely high. We never totally trusted the statistics we were getting from the [Colombian] government. One never does, no matter where you are.” But… why would Colombia not want to release statistics of US killings in Colombia? Or be shady about it? It makes way more sense that the US wants to hide as much evidence as possible of its crimes against humanity, by making it sound like no numbers exist.
Colombia, in fact, does have numbers via it’s Truth Commission. The Commission estimates (via Reuters) that between 1985 and 2018 over 450,000 died, with over 121,000 going missing between 1985 and 2016. It posits over 55,770 were kidnapped, and thousands more were raped, and tortured. It estimates over 7.7 million were displaced from their homes. So there actually are numbers – they just don’t make the US look very good. On the topic of ending useless drug wars, Latin American countries are not the only ones pushing for this. Which is evidenced recently by pleas from Scotland, to also end these silly endeavors.
Conclusion
After years of abysmal treatment by the US under the guise of a drug war, its nice to see Colombia able to call out the US for its hypocritical behavior. Behavior that shows the US is not against drugs; something we already know from the massive pharmaceutical market of opioids, benzodiazepines, and a huge range of mind-altering drugs…all government approved.
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The holiday season is a special time of year with a combination of Christmas, Hannakuh, and more are the modern hoildays descended from pagan holidays. Food, celebrations, gifts and a hint of something magical are all part of the holidays. With Christmas, the three wise men bring gifts to the baby Jesus being steered by a star. As we head into the last part of the season, why not think of the perfect gift to give or for yourself. We have three wise men give marijuana strain gift suggestions to share with our readers.
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Terran Cooper, one of the rising stars of the industry and a part of the firm Falcon Rappaport & Berman who works in the cannabis industry. New York based, he says while there are several great strains, he has two to share for the holiday season.
One of my favorite day time strains, Pineapple Express has skyrocketed in popularity following the 2008 film by the same name. This strain is one of the more energetic strains that I’ve come across, allowing for a nice balance between productivity and relaxation this holiday season. Its joyful and uplifting effects may pair nicely with last minute holiday tasks in addition to any festivities. Though infrequent consumers beware – its relatively high THC content means that a little can go a long way.
Andrew Laub, managing partner of Keneh Ventures and CEO of Cannabition, is a leader in the industry and shared his favorites. Golden Goat is my secret to finding joy in any moment, especially during the holiday season. Its tropical, citrusy flavor is bright and uplifting, just like its effects. I love how it gives me an energized, creative boost without feeling overwhelming, making it perfect for everything from decorating the house to hosting friends. It’s my reminder to savor the fun and chaos of the holidays.
Granddaddy Purple is like my personal escape when the holiday rush gets overwhelming. I love its rich, grape-like flavor and how it helps me unwind at the end of a busy day. Whether I’m binge-watching holiday movies or enjoying quiet time by the fireplace, this strain makes everything feel a little cozier and more magical.
Sour Diesel is my motivation when there’s too much to do and not enough time. Its energizing, citrusy aroma wakes me up, and its focus-boosting effects help me tackle long to-do lists with ease. I love using it to power through holiday prep, whether I’m wrapping gifts, planning meals, or brainstorming creative ways to make the season special.
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Online cannabis influencer Miguel a.k.a Miggy420 (@miggy420) believes consumption of cannabis is a personal experience with everyone being different. He sees the endocannabinoid system as unique as snowflakes in winter. Some smoke to wash away ills, others to wash away the ills of society. He shared his two favorites.
Vin Diesel Diesel is a sativa grown by Dewey’s Cultivars. Her beauty matches her taste with gassy hits reminiscent of early 2000 diesel strains I would buy in the traditional market. These growers come with a biochemical background and it shows with this plant, pure bliss – and this is coming from someone who prefers indicas.
If you’re looking for something post family events i.e you just realized the debt you incurred for the little ones or you’re just happy your conspiracy Uncle is gone, I recommend Gelato Cake by Agro Couture. This indica dominant hybrid will have your mind drifting away and able to focus on what it is you really wanted to do, hot box your bedroom and binge watch YouTube.
Enjoy these suggestions and may everyone have a great holiday season.
In another positive reason for cannabis legalization – teen use continues to drop.
One of the great arguments against marijuana legalization is it will lead to more youth partaking. This argument is brought out, despite teen alcohol use continuing to be a problem. Now, a new study shows teen marijuana is continuing to decline, coinciding with the increasing legalization of cannabis for adult use across the United States. This trend contradicts predictions made by opponents of legalization, who argued that easier access would lead to increased youth consumption.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported an 18% decrease in the percentage of 12- to 17-year-olds who had ever tried marijuana from 2014 to 2023. Additionally, current marijuana use among this age group fell by 19%. Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavioral Survey found a 26% reduction in the percentage of high schoolers identifying as current cannabis consumers between 2013 and 2023.
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- Regulated markets: Licensed dispensaries require proof of age, making it more difficult for teenagers to obtain marijuana.
- Effective ID policies: Studies show high compliance rates among licensed cannabis retailers in checking customer IDs.
- Shifting perceptions: There has been a significant drop in youth perceptions that cannabis is easy to access, despite the widening adult-use marketplace.
The trend is not limited to the United States. A Canadian study found high school students reported more difficulty accessing marijuana since the country legalized it nationwide in 2019
These findings support the argument that regulated marijuana markets for adults, with appropriate safeguards, can effectively deter youth access and use. The data suggests that legalization policies can be implemented in a manner that provides regulated access for adults while simultaneously limiting youth access and misuse.
As more states consider legalizing marijuana, this evidence can inform policymakers and public health officials in developing effective strategies to protect youth while allowing adult use. The ongoing decline in teen marijuana use demonstrates that legalization, when properly implemented, does not necessarily lead to increased adolescent consumption and may even contribute to its reduction.
Roughly 25% of people are planning to give cannabis as a holiday gift….here are some practical suggestions to make it a success.
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While giving alcohol is a long tradition, giving cannabis is does have some variances. To start, so far most can’t grab it out of personal stock or fish it out of Christmas gifts already given for the year. While Costco, groceries stores and Total Wine are the booze top sellers, it can be also purchased in bodegas, gas stations and other locations. Cannabis still has to be purchased at specialized dispensaries.
First, plan ahead when you shop. The good news is most dispensaries keep hours similar to a grocery store – open by 9 am and closing around or after 10 pm. This makes dashing in for a last minute gift or squeezing it in during the day easy. Remember to bring cash, have a plan and chill out.
The good news isyou can’t seem to be “cheap” giving weed. Most edibles are in a small price range, whereas wine bought at a grocery stores can go for $6-$100. And the quality of the wine can vary greatly. Most edibles, including gummies, are within the same price point and potency while caring on quality. Wana Brands, one of the nation’s leading gummy makers, hits the mid spot on price. Also, unless you are doing a hefty gift basket, you are can give one or two items as a trail.
Never overestimate someone’s usage. Think about the recipient’s experience level and preferences when selecting cannabis gifts. For most, consider starting with low-dose or CBD-dominant products. Gummies, vapes, oil, or gift cards are all popular choices. Also, ask the budtender what the best sellers for mid level consumers.
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