Cocaine “is no worse than whisky” and is only illegal because it comes from Latin America, said Colombian President Gustavo Petro during a live broadcast of a government meeting.
Colombia is the world’s biggest cocaine producer and exporter, mainly to the United States and Europe, and has spent decades fighting against drug trafficking.
During a six-hour ministerial meeting – broadcast live for the first time ever – the leftist president said “cocaine is illegal because it is made in Latin America, not because it is worse than whisky.”
“Scientists have analyzed this. Cocaine is no worse than whisky,” he added, suggesting that the global cocaine industry could be “easily dismantled” if the drug were legalized worldwide.
“If you want peace, you have to dismantle the business (of drug trafficking),” he said. “It could easily be dismantled if they legalize cocaine in the world. It would be sold like wine.”
Petro also pointed out that fentanyl “is killing Americans and it is not made in Colombia”, referring to the opioid responsible for around 75,000 deaths in the United States a year, according to official data.
“Fentanyl was created as a pharmacy drug by North American multinationals” and those who consumed it “became addicted,” he added.
Since coming to power in 2022, Petro has attempted to make peace with all of the armed groups that are fueled by drug trafficking in the hope of ending six decades of conflict.
Cocaine production in Colombia reached a record-high in 2023, jumping 53 percent to 2,600 tons, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
He’s right, we should legalize it. We’ve lost the war on drugs. Fully legalized cocaine would be dirt cheap and addicts with access to a safe, affordable supply could lead relatively normal, stable lives. The money earned in the drug trade would be taxable instead of supporting criminal or extremist groups, both at home and abroad.
South Park predicted it yet again
While I can admit drugs aren’t “good” per se but I do think most* should be legalized. We should have harm reduction classes that can teach people how to use responsibly. And have clinics where addicts can go to try and get clean and can provide whatever drug they’re addicted to in a safe environment. Also tax revenue.
But that would require empathy and an honest look at how other countries handle drugs much better than the U.S.
Not so sure such a highly addictive substance would be so innocuous. It’s several times more addictive than alcohol
No it’s not wtf.
You people really like your cocaine. Wtf indeed.
You’re right, it’s hella addictive. I’m very lucky that my body/brain works the way it does, though… I’ve got access to endless amounts of incredibly pure stuff and I only do it a few times a year.
Source: https://www.theraleighhouse.com/addiction-blog/cocaine-versus-alcohol
That statistic is about cocaine related deaths, not necessarily overdoses. Often with cocaine related deaths the user is taking multiple drugs at once, usually opiates, and often alcohol too, but it usually doesn’t get blamed.
This is also more a problem with prohibition then cocaine itself since people don’t know the dose of what there getting or adulterants. If it were legal like alcohol there would be far less deaths. There were far more deaths from alcohol under prohibition when your “whiskey” was full of methanol and industrial alcohol
Also overdose isn’t the only danger from drugs. One that alcohol is miles ahead of every other drug is DUI, which kills about 13,000, meanwhile cocaine, by itself, is rarely implicated in DUI. Alcohol impairs your driving ability way more than cocaine. There’s also chronic health concerns, which are harder to weigh. Alcohol is a carcinogen and chronic use fucks up your liver, meanwhile cocaine will fuck up your heart.
I don’t think it’s innocuous, but we’re already failing to prevent the harm it causes and our efforts are causing a great deal more.
Not really, it’s somewhere between alcohol and nicotine in terms of addictivness. Slightly more than alcohol, slightly less than nicotine.
Ah ok. I wouldn’t know conclusively but the cokeheads I knew were… more intense than the alcoholics.
Probably because it being illegal creates a selection bias. Most people will never use it or have it easily accessible. Most people will have easy access to alcohol and nicotine, and will likely try at least alcohol.
No, I’m referring to the “let’s buy another 8ball for $250 tonight” and then regretting it the next day. Super common. Whereas the drinkers could be okay with not drinking anymore in most cases.
You also have to take into mind that theyre probably taking coke laced with amphetamines without them knowing and not pure cocaine
Probably? There’s a million factors. I don’t know how one would even begin to guess that