Colombia: President wants to “grow cannabis like corn” without licenses

The President of the Republic of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, opened o debate on the legalization of cannabis with an unusual proposal: that Colombian peasants grow cannabis, without licenses, as is done with other foods, so that Colombia can become a competitive country in the international export market. Petro argues that the cultivation of cannabis without a license can have a positive impact on public order, reducing violence in historically conflicted regions and that the time has come for detainees to be released from prisons.

The statements in support of the legalization of cannabis by Gustavo Petro were made during the first meeting of rulers of the Pacific coast, an event that took place in the city of Cali this week. The words of senator and presidential candidate Gustavo Petro, leader of the Historic Pact (a union of seven leftist political movements and parties) were based on the revenue that Colombia could generate with this measure and criticisms were made of other legalization models. For Gustavo Petro, the cultivation of recreational cannabis should be in the hands of the peasants, in the same way that corn is.

Income for peasants, not multinationals
The Colombian head of state also raised an issue regarding the high costs of entry into cannabis production, showing that he has an alternative solution. Pedro defends that the cultivation of cannabis without a license can generate a positive impact in terms of public order, reducing – according to him – the numbers of violence in historically conflicted regions.

“If we want governments in the Andes area, where cannabis is produced (Corinto, Miranda), to maintain a regional dialogue, we have to talk. What happens if cannabis is legalized in Colombia without licenses, as is currently done to plant corn, potatoes and see if it is a product that can be exported and we earn a few dollars?”, he asked.

He added: “Will the Canadian multinational keep the cultivation dollars or will the local cannabis growers?”

In his argument, the Colombian president added that if the cannabis business is legalized, there will be no reason for prisons to remain overcrowded, saying that the time has come for people who remain detained because they have been criminalized to leave prisons.

Draft law argues that cannabis can be recreational

A bill to regulate cannabis for adult or recreational use It was presented by Senator Gustavo Bolivar. With that, the member of the government bench proposes to create norms for the cultivation, production, supply, storage, transformation, commercialization, access and use of the psychotropic plant.

The draft was presented several times, having sunk in the early stages of the debate. This time, Bolívar, with the support of deputies Norman Bañol, Aida Marina Quicué, Ermes Evelio Pete, Polivio Rosales, Erick Velasco, Jorge Ocampo, Juan Pablo Salazar, Susana Gómez, Gloria Flórez, Juan Carlos Losada and Pedro Flórez, is confident that he can come to be approved.

Firstly, the draft law deals with licenses for economic activities around cannabis. For cultivation, these would be regulated in a quota system to control supply and supply.

Regarding the regulation of production, there is talk of benefits for small producers, who will have priority licenses “through positive discrimination based on aspects of gender, ethnicity, socio-economic level, situation of vulnerability, living in territories affected by conflict armed forces or illicit crops, among others,” he said.

As for access, the bill asks the Ministry of Health to regulate the mechanisms by which people of legal age will be able to access the plant “in a safe, informed manner and outside the public safety and health risks that represent the link with the market”. illegal use of this substance”.

Finally, it would also allow self-cultivation on private property, with no more than 20 plants for personal or collective use. This modality could not have commercial or profit purposes.