The end to the ban on drugs

Sofía Lossley Matamoros

slossley99@gmail.com

Historically, one of the biggest problems that the Latin American region suffers is the illicit
drug trafficking, organized crime promoted by the activity and the systematic violence it
provokes. While some countries such as Uruguay have established more liberal measures,
the reality is that there is still a great aversion against the step of legalizing drugs and
governments insist on continuing with the same strategies against the consumption of
psychoactive drugs and cartels, which clearly have not worked. In this way, it is interesting
to find that several of the narcotics that are illegal in most countries were once used for trivial
issues, such as the debut of cocaine to relieve a toothache in children, the heroin-based
Bayer’s aspirins or the multiple opiate-derived drugs that did not present themselves as a
greater danger. With the passage of time, strange cases began to be noticed in patients and
little by little science and medicine were discovering the harmful health effects that these
components caused when they were consumed without prior control, but its restriction, as it
is conceived today, it was mainly due to the influence of the economy and cultural prejudices
more than the addiction itself (Castle).

According to records of the past, when Spanish settlers arrived in America, some of the
psychoactive substances of the region, such as tobacco, ololiuqui, and peyote, were literally
demonized because of the influence of Christianity that was opposed to the use of such drugs.
In this way, the use of these substances was regulated between Spaniards and the first
repercussions were established for the breach of this "law", while the indigenous were not
imposed the same measure given that they were considered inferior and savage, therefore,
since then the first prejudices and apprehensions were created against the use of certain drugs
and exceptions based on superficial criteria (Guevara, et al.).
Likewise, there is the example of the United States, since the influence of certain North
American positions in the southern regions is undeniable. In this way, prohibitionist
movements pushed the first federal law that regulated drugs, in this case, specific opium-
based products, through the Harrison Act of 1914, which was implemented mainly because
among the Americans began to emerge a social and economic resentment against the Chinese
immigrants who were employed for their cheap labor and who used to use opioids for
recreational purposes. Next, the cocaine went through the same path, being made illegal
given the segregationist and slavery tensions that there were between blacks and whites,
being the first ones who consumed the most.
The action caused Latin America to take a position that followed the same line of
criminalization. In this way, several drugs were made illegal given the public perspective that
had been formed against them and was used to trade on the black market and by mafias called
cartels, generating an approximate dividend that exceeds the "320,000 million dollars per
year" (IGADI). Consequently, since then the region has been submerged in the most lasting
war that still continues today with the same force, being the battle against drug trafficking.
In the social field, this conflict has promoted violence between gangs and civilians, hired
killers and the introduction of narcos (drug dealers) into politics, which has led to impunity
and corruption. One of the clearest examples is Mexico, where the fight against drug
trafficking has become extremely violent, generating unjust deaths and a massacre among
the cartels that fight to control the market.

Next, the northern triangle presents similar circumstances. Guatemala is one of the countries
with the highest crime rate in the world. "Official reports indicated that in 2015 at least 5,681
people were murdered in Guatemala" due "especially to the dominance exercised by the
organizations of illegal drug trafficking, extortion, and robberies. These high rates oblige the
various governments to commit large public funds to fight crime, instead of directing those
sums to investments in education, health, among others," said Jimena Blanco, head of the
research team in Latin America (BBC World). And they contribute to the underdevelopment
in which the region is stagnating.

Also, Honduras has reached one of the highest homicide rates, estimated at 82.1 murders per
100,000 population. The country is completely unsafe for those who advocate for security
and human rights, as well as for politicians and jurists who refuse to fall into corruption.

In the economic sector, illicit enrichment, money laundering, and evasion and tax fraud have
generated an asset deviation which is estimated to represent "between 15% and 20% of the
global business, which makes an important item in international finance "(Pontón 148) where
Mexico is in second place in representation level. These amounts indicate that the "laundering
of money from drug trafficking could mean the public investment budget of any developing
country with an average population" (Portón 149). That is why drug trafficking is the engine
of regional criminal organizations.

These factors should be of sufficient importance for the prohibitionist governments to

demonstrate the real threat that is drug trafficking and everything that has robbed Latin
Americans, going from human capital and peace to large sums of money, and the need to
take a different course.

Currently, the leadership of Uruguay in this matter is unquestionable, with a clear and concise
legislation the production of marijuana for recreational consumption was approved and the
implementation of 30 official pharmacies where the quality of the product is assured at a
lower price than in the black market. In addition, it is mandatory to register to buy marijuana
and there is a legal limit to control consumption and addiction, and everything is done
completely anonymously. As a result, the narco was robbed of a business that in Uruguay
meant a value of 30 million dollars, which is now invested in matters of public interest, while
investigations into the different uses of marijuana as an alternative means have been exploited
by companies of different types. (De Andrade) Also, there have been no security problems
regarding the centers where the drug is produced and society has reported that there are no
cases of violence related to the use of marijuana. As a result, this alternative strategy
promoted to the same Uruguayans is intended to grow more ambitiously and encompass other
psychoactive in the future.

On the other hand, the actions of Chile are also highlighted, which in 2015 legalized
therapeutic and recreational marijuana; following with Puerto Rico, which emphasizes more
the medicinal use of cannabis. And, although these efforts are concentrated, for now, only on
marijuana, they show that the illegalization of drugs is possible in a responsible manner and,
although it only covers marijuana, for now, it provides a more concrete perspective on what
these measures imply.

Likewise, we can conclude that, on a more general scale, the benefits of legalizing drugs are
summarized in the following points: to take away the business and the source of income from
drug trafficking and the criminal associations that profit from it, thereby also reducing
violence between the cartels and crime rates. The price of drugs would be lower, the
manufacture and consumption of psychoactive drugs would be under regulation, and thus a
more rigorous control over addictions could also be applied. It would stop wasting money in
the war on drugs, which could be reinvested in matters of public interest to promote social
development and projects that benefit the nation. And finally, a freer society would be
confirmed with the power of individual and informed decision on what each one decides to
consume, independently of the general or bureaucratic popular criterion.

Bibliographic references
BBC Mundo. “Cuáles son los 6 países de América Latina que están entre los 13 con peores
índices de criminalidad en el mundo”. Redacción. bbc.com. 2016.

BRECHER, EDWARD. 1986. 'Drug Laws and Drug Law Enforcement: A Review and
Evaluation Based on 111 Years of Experience,' Drugs and Society1:1.
CASTILLO, TESSIE. “The Real Reason Heroin, Cocaine and Other Drugs Are Really
Illegal”. Huffington Post. huffingtonpost.com. 2017. 2018
CHERNICK MARC (1992). La guerra de los Estados Unidos contra las drogas. Cuadernos
de Nuestra América, IX, 80-86.
FLOREZ, ANGELO. “A tres años de la legalización de la marihuana en Uruguay: avances
y retos”. 2016. Panam Post. es.panampost.com

SWSA GREENWOOD. Arin. Capital City Care, D.C. Medical Marijuana Dispensary,
Receives Licence. 2017. Fotografía. Huffington Post.huffingtonpost.co.

GUEVARA, et al. “Porqué algunas drogas son ilegales y otras legales”. Drogas, Política y
Cultura Perspectivas Brasil – Mexico.drogasmexicobra-sil.mx

HARRISON, LANA D., MICHAEL BACKENHEIMER AND JAMES A. INCIARDI

(1995), Cannabis use in the United States: Implications for policy. In: Peter Cohen & Arjan
Sas (Eds) (1996), Cannabisbeleid in Duitsland, Frankrijk en de Verenigde Staten.
Amsterdam, Centrum voor Drugsonderzoek, Universiteit van Amsterdam. pp. 237-247.©
Copyright 1995, 1996 Centrum voor Drugsonderzoek, Universiteit van Amsterdam.

National Commission On Marihuana And Drug Abuse. 1972.Marihuana: A Signal of

Misunderstanding. Washington, D.C.: National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse.

OROZCO, VICTOR. Debate Clasista: Legalizar la droga. 2011. Caricatura. Socialismo

Revolucionario México. socialismorevolucionariomexico.-blogspot.com.

PORTÓN, DANIEL. “La economía del narcotráfico y su dinámica en América Latina”. 148
– 149. 2013

Republica.com. “Las Drogas son Ilegales porque son dañinas, no son dañinas por ser
ilegales”. 2012. La República. republica.com.uy. 2018

U.S. News and World Report.1970. 'What Everyone Needs to Know About Drugs.'
Washington, D.C.: U.S. News and World.