Colombia
Colombia’s Constitutional Court today approved the government’s proposal to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cocaine and marijuana for personal use. Anyone caught with less than 20 grams of marijuana or one gram of cocaine for personal use may receive physical or psychological treatment depending on their state of consumption, but may not be prosecuted or detained, the court ruled. Colombia is part of a growing trend in Latin America. Last week, the government of Uruguay announced that it will submit a proposal to legalize marijuana under government-controlled regulation and sale, making it the first country in the world where the state would sell marijuana directly to its citizens. The proposal was drafted by Uruguayan President José Mujica and his staff and requires parliamentary approval before being enacted. Since 1994, cannabis has been decriminalized for possession of small amounts up to 22 gram for personal consumption, however sale and cultivation remains illegal. I plan to research and find laws and limitations on as many drugs as I can but most of the information I have found already talks mainly about cannabis and cocaine which are both very important to focus on because they are two of the most popular drugs in the world. Our group came to an agreement that we are only focusing on cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, and tobacco.
The current legislation being enforced is Law 30, passed in 1986 and known as the National Narcotics Statute. The executive branch presented to Congress in September 2012 a bill for a new National Drugs and Psychoactive Substances Statute that would replace Law 30. In addition, the 2011 Citizen Security Law introduced reforms to the Criminal Code regarding drug-related crimes.
The current legislation being enforced is Law 30, passed in 1986 and known as the National Narcotics Statute. The executive branch presented to Congress in September 2012 a bill for a new National Drugs and Psychoactive Substances Statute that would replace Law 30. In addition, the 2011 Citizen Security Law introduced reforms to the Criminal Code regarding drug-related crimes.