Expocannabis Uruguay Founder Fears Change in Human Rights Policies with Lacalle Pou
President-elect is in favor of the issue, but critical of sales in pharmacies; Mercedes de León warned Sechat that "eliminating this option would send 70% of users back to drug trafficking"
The victory of center-right candidate Lacalle Pou (National Party) in the Uruguayan elections ended 14 years of left-wing governments of the Broad Front. During this period, some individual rights policies were implemented. In 2013, marijuana was legalized in the country, in a pioneering experience in the world. Therefore, even though the politician is in favor of the agenda, the change in power is viewed cautiously by the Cannabis sector.
Lacalle Pou is a 46-year-old young politician, liberal both in economic terms and also in customs. He is the author of the first bill for the regulation of marijuana in the country. He has already ensured that there will be no setback in drug policies, but intends to change sales in pharmacies, which currently face a serious problem with distribution.
However, to win in the second round, he allied with five other parties, including the most right-wing party in Uruguay, called Cabildo Abierto, whose leader, Manin Ríos, ran for president and obtained 10% of the votes. It is this approach to a more radical right that is concerning.
"The medicinal and industrial hemp, I don't think they will be affected, the medicinal issue has an 88% approval," believes Mercedes Ponce de León, founder of Expocannabis Uruguay, an event that will have its 6th edition between December 6 and 8. The activist spoke with the Sechat portal.
"Eliminating pharmacies would send 70% of users back to drug trafficking"
Mercedes agrees that the pharmacy distribution policy has flaws, but points out that the Uruguayan government has just issued three new Cannabis production licenses, precisely to increase production and the number of pharmacies selling the product. This gap in supply is one of the points criticized by Lacalle Pou.
"Regarding pharmacies, which is a more controversial issue, we have 7,000 registered home growers, about 4,000 integrated into approximately 138 clubs, totaling 11,000 people. And in pharmacies, there are over 38,000 registered people. We are talking about 70% of registered users, who prefer to access cannabis through pharmacies. So eliminating this option would send 70% of people back to drug trafficking. It would be absurd".
Mercedes de León also fears a setback in individual rights policies.
"There is a possibility that this ultra-right, military sector might also intervene, not only in the Cannabis issue, but in the entire rights agenda, abortion, transgender rights, could face some obstacles. But it's all speculation," she ponders.
"We hope that this regulation, which is already normalized and is a global trend, continues. Everyone looks at our country as an example. I don't believe in a setback, because it would be a setback for the whole world, not just for Uruguay," concludes the activist.
In October, when Mercedes was in Brazil to promote Expocannabis, the Sechat portal conducted a lengthy interview with the Uruguayan. At that time, she was able to learn about the Brazilian scenario and made an optimistic projection for our country.