Colombian President Gustavo Petro stirred controversy on Tuesday when he told his cabinet that cocaine is no worse than whisky. During the meeting, he argued that cocaine remains illegal primarily because it is produced in Latin America, while other substances that impact the United States, such as fentanyl, are not subjected to the same regulations.  

 

Petro then put forward a radical proposal to dismantle drug trafficking by legalizing cocaine. “It would be sold like wine,” he stated, suggesting a regulated market could curb the violence associated with the illegal drug trade.  

 

His comments come at a time when Colombia’s Catatumbo region, long plagued by armed conflict and drug trafficking, has been experiencing a surge in violence.

 

The government has accused the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels of launching a series of attacks against former members of the now-demobilized Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as well as civilian community leaders. The Catatumbo region remains a key hub for drug trafficking and organized crime, further complicating the country’s security challenges.

 

Based on a report by The Independent 2025-02-08

 

 

 

I agree.

It makes sense but he'll have lots of opposition. Fighting drugs is just as big a business as selling them. 

That would make the cartels poor! It would also save a lot of lives. The problem is, I think, that huge sums of cash is finding its way into certain politicians pockets! That is why it would be hard to legalize it! 

Sounds more like their leader sold himself out to the drug cartels so the violence will stop. Cocaine is not the same as alcohol. It is highly addictive and when using it causes your body to demand more. It reduce rationality to obtain it as well. Most criminal activity is done so the user can purchase more of the drug. 

 

It kind of makes sense for him to promote the local specialty. He's not as far off as it might sound. The original COCA COLA wasn't called COCA for nothing. In many ways regulation, legalization, and standardization would make things much safer for users. As it is now, you don't know what kind of literal garbage is cut into any street drugs or what the dose really is. and yes that can be very dangerous even fatal. 

 

 

16 minutes ago, thesetat said:

Sounds more like their leader sold himself out to the drug cartels so the violence will stop. Cocaine is not the same as alcohol. It is highly addictive and when using it causes your body to demand more. It reduce rationality to obtain it as well. Most criminal activity is done so the user can purchase more of the drug. 

 

 

If it would be legal then it could be sold in high quality.

One of the problems with illegal drugs is that on the supply chain many people mix it with many other substances, some of them are poisonous. The end customers buy something is some kind of quality mixed with something else. No specifics. It seems that is a big part of the health problems of drugs. If people would use poor cocaine, then that problem would not exist.

 

And if it wasn't illegal then it would not have huge profit margins for criminals. And addicts wouldn't commit lot of crimes to make money to buy the drugs.

 

Is it a good solution to legalize these drugs? No. But listening to experts, like senior police, legalizing would probably be the best option.

Pure and right dosed cocain is not that bad. It is dangerous and bad for your health if it is contaminated and mixed with other drugs, as well alchohol. 

 

And you face seriously mood changes if done to much, to often to long. 

 

 

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

If it would be legal then it could be sold in high quality.

One of the problems with illegal drugs is that on the supply chain many people mix it with many other substances, some of them are poisonous. The end customers buy something is some kind of quality mixed with something else. No specifics. It seems that is a big part of the health problems of drugs. If people would use poor cocaine, then that problem would not exist.

 

And if it wasn't illegal then it would not have huge profit margins for criminals. And addicts wouldn't commit lot of crimes to make money to buy the drugs.

 

Is it a good solution to legalize these drugs? No. But listening to experts, like senior police, legalizing would probably be the best option.

Knowing 10% in the world have mental challenges, it is a potent drug to provoke and trigger their mental well being, or worsen their illnesses. 

I entirely agree. The problem is the activities of the DEA, and the 'war' against drugs generally, has become a business with lots of well paid jobs on offer. The chances of decriminalisation, regulation, control and tax are therefore very slim. 

2 hours ago, thesetat said:

Sounds more like their leader sold himself out to the drug cartels so the violence will stop. Cocaine is not the same as alcohol. It is highly addictive and when using it causes your body to demand more. It reduce rationality to obtain it as well. Most criminal activity is done so the user can purchase more of the drug. 

 

Myself and all of my friends take coke, don't know anyone that's addicted. 

Its a social drug, goes band in hand with weekend beers these days.

Perhaps you're thinking of heroin 

 

14 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Knowing 10% in the world have mental challenges, it is a potent drug to provoke and trigger their mental well being, or worsen their illnesses. 

Just because it was legal doesn't mean everyone would suddenly start talkng it.

Cigarettes are legal not everyone smokes.

 

1 minute ago, frank83628 said:

Just because it was legal doesn't mean everyone would suddenly start talkng it.

Cigarettes are legal not everyone smokes.

 

Well, who is most likely to use, or better say abuse substances that makes you feel elevated, happy and the smartest person earth? 

 

There is a reason why cocain became illegal.

26 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Knowing 10% in the world have mental challenges, it is a potent drug to provoke and trigger their mental well being, or worsen their illnesses. 

 

I don't know if that is true. But that is independent of the fact if the drugs are legal or illegal.

Cocaine, just like alcohol can be taken by many without getting addicted. But just like alcoholics, many succumb to addiction..

The problem I can see is, if they legalise cocaine, criminal gangs would have almost unfettered  access to the main ingredient for making crack, which is far more addictive and dangerous, and other such manufactured cocktails.

3 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Cocaine, just like alcohol can be taken by many without getting addicted. But just like alcoholics, many succumb to addiction..

The problem I can see is, if they legalise cocaine, criminal gangs would have almost unfettered  access to the main ingredient for making crack, which is far more addictive and dangerous, and other such manufactured cocktails.

Crack is cocaine. Same drug. For you chemists, crack is a base and powdered cocaine is a salt. Outlawing crack would be like outlawing whiskey. 

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

I don't know if that is true. But that is independent of the fact if the drugs are legal or illegal.

The numbers is fluctuating a bit from country to country, but all reports shows individually there is an high percentage who struggles with mental health issues, and many more who experience mental health challenges one or a few times during their life, who will be vulnerable to be exposed to high class drugs. 

 

I have lived half my life among extreme sports athletes,and I would say by experience 75% are challenged mentally, and 30% abuse hard drugs. 

 

More than 20% of all of them I met throughout my carrier, are dead. Not counting skydiving or paragliding as extreme sport. 

 

I meet maybe 300 experienced extreme sporters in my life, 67 of them are dead. 

 

50% or more of them who died in sport, I believe used drugs. This is what I believe, and have no evidence. 

 

I have experience with cocain, and maybe taken cocain once or twice a year at dedicated parties, and I knew first time at age 23, this was to good, and I had to treat it with care and aldo choose my friends with care. I was first time offered cocain 19 years old, but I declined the offer. 

 

 

52 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

I don't know if that is true. But that is independent of the fact if the drugs are legal or illegal.

In 2019, 970 million people globally were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression the most common

 

https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_2

3 hours ago, thesetat said:

Sounds more like their leader sold himself out to the drug cartels so the violence will stop. Cocaine is not the same as alcohol. It is highly addictive and when using it causes your body to demand more. It reduce rationality to obtain it as well. Most criminal activity is done so the user can purchase more of the drug. 

 

Alcohol is not addictive? Ask any doctor, it's a serious health problem.

 

Most criminal activity is related to a drug's illegality. All the countries who have legalized drug use report a reduction in crime statistics.

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

Well, who is most likely to use, or better say abuse substances that makes you feel elevated, happy and the smartest person earth? 

 

There is a reason why cocain became illegal.

Booze is legal, not everyone buys it just because it is, same for cigarettes & tobacco. 

You're clueless.

If cocine was so bad why was Pablo Escobar one of the richest men in the world?

 

 

11 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

Booze is legal, not everyone buys it just because it is, same for cigarettes & tobacco. 

You're clueless.

If cocine was so bad why was Pablo Escobar one of the richest men in the world?

 

 

So I'm clueless, that's a brave statement 😂

39 minutes ago, Hummin said:

So I'm clueless, that's a brave statement 😂

Some of your comments suggest it yes, perhaps lack of experience would be a better turn of phrase. 

I know people that smoke joints from the minute they wake up and people that drink from midday on, don't know any that do coke daily.

Its incorrect to assume just because cocaine is legal all those with anxiety will take coke purely because it suddemlt legal, they sod find it illegally now 

Cocaine is a deadly addictive drug. The people  laughing off the legalization are not prepared for the tens of thosuands of zombies  that would be created.

37 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

Some of your comments suggest it yes, perhaps lack of experience would be a better turn of phrase. 

I know people that smoke joints from the minute they wake up and people that drink from midday on, don't know any that do coke daily.

Its incorrect to assume just because cocaine is legal all those with anxiety will take coke purely because it suddemlt legal, they sod find it illegally now 

Where do I say ? I only point out many don't do drugs because it is illegal, and many can be exposed to drugs if it's become legal. 

 

I know people who have used cocain on daily basis, but non of them lasted long before they killed themselves, had an accident, jail and sentenced for some illegal activity, or sent to mental hospital or rehab

 

 

37 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Cocaine is a deadly addictive drug. The people  laughing off the legalization are not prepared for the tens of thosuands of zombies  that would be created.

I say legalize everything, as long as all welfare programs are eliminated. 

 

Don't work, don't eat. 

 

No money for Narcan? See ya!

6 hours ago, thesetat said:

Sounds more like their leader sold himself out to the drug cartels so the violence will stop. Cocaine is not the same as alcohol. It is highly addictive and when using it causes your body to demand more. It reduce rationality to obtain it as well. Most criminal activity is done so the user can purchase more of the drug. 

 

Alcohol is more addictive than cocaine... Too much money money money is involved!

1 hour ago, JulesMad said:

Alcohol is more addictive than cocaine... Too much money money money is involved!

And how do you know? Personal experience or science based reading? 

 

Alchohol is the most common addiction, that is right, and you ned to be disposable to alchohol addiction, and that's something different than alchohol is more addictive than cocain.

 

I would say for me, morphine is more addictive, because Im more disposed for becoming I addictive to that substance than anyone else. 15 days on morphine was enough and I had to take a cold turkey, because of prescription medication. I felt it , and I knew it, and I did it myself by trowing everything I had, and also future valid prescriptions in the toilet. I had terrible back pain, but rather deal with the pain, than becoming addicted to something I fell in love with the very first moment I had the right ammount and dosage available. Pain free, and happy.

 

I would need a link to your source.

 

My link

https://www.addictioncenter.com/community/these-are-the-5-most-addictive-substances-on-earth/

Go for it Gustavo!

Let it spread throughout low-life Latin America in the same way that London's 18th century "Gin Craze" culled the proles.

"Drunk for a penny - dead drunk for tuppence - clean straw for nothing."

6 hours ago, Hummin said:

And how do you know? Personal experience or science based reading? 

 

Alchohol is the most common addiction, that is right, and you ned to be disposable to alchohol addiction, and that's something different than alchohol is more addictive than cocain.

 

I would say for me, morphine is more addictive, because Im more disposed for becoming I addictive to that substance than anyone else. 15 days on morphine was enough and I had to take a cold turkey, because of prescription medication. I felt it , and I knew it, and I did it myself by trowing everything I had, and also future valid prescriptions in the toilet. I had terrible back pain, but rather deal with the pain, than becoming addicted to something I fell in love with the very first moment I had the right ammount and dosage available. Pain free, and happy.

 

I would need a link to your source.

 

My link

https://www.addictioncenter.com/community/these-are-the-5-most-addictive-substances-on-earth/

For my money, crack-cocaine is quickest, and strongest addition, but it's mostly mental. 

 

 

Nothing wrong with a bit of marching powder while on a stag do or a lads night out. 

 

Let's you keep going longer. 

 

So a friend told me anyway...