Colombia is one of the Latin American countries with a lot of back and forth in the discussion about marijuana regulation. The issue has been debated eight times in Congress, but with no concrete results.

Last week, the First Committee of the House of Representatives approved a constitutional reform project that would allow adult use of cannabis. However, this was only the first of eight necessary steps, and the process is viewed with more caution than hope.

Frustration with Congress

The slowness of the legislative process has caused frustration among users, patients, and even President Gustavo Petro. This Tuesday (26), he once again criticized Congress' inaction regarding cannabis regulation.

Recently, security forces seized over eight tons of illegal marijuana in La Plata, Huila — one of the largest operations in recent years. The episode reinforced the debate about the impact of prohibition on strengthening trafficking.

For Petro, legalization is the most effective way to combat cartel violence. In a recent post, he stated that, "if Congress had legalized cannabis, we wouldn't have gangs of traffickers unnecessarily killing poor Colombians. More Catholic than the Pope, cannabis is legal in most of the world, and the United Nations has deemed it harmless to human health."

This is not the first time the Colombian president has taken a stand. In 2023, he had already declared that "repealing the cannabis legalization law only increases drug trafficking profits and its violence." Petro also criticized U.S. policies and spoke out against the so-called War on Drugs, advocating for human rights-centered alternatives.

Political Obstacles

Despite presidential pressure, legislative leadership seems resistant to change. While Petro tries to reinforce the debate with arguments and evidence, Congress maintains its stance of ignoring regulation proposals.

For the president, insistence on the prohibitionist model only strengthens organized crime. According to experts, marijuana legalization would be one of the most effective ways to protect the population and reduce violence.
 

With information from El Planteo