The Colombian House of Representatives has approved a law to legalize cannabis, here are the details
The Colombian House of Representatives recently approved a bill to legalize cannabis for adult use. however, it must be debated in the Senate before being enacted into law.
Representative Juan Carlos Losada’s cannabis legalization bill passed the 105-33 vote and now it will be discussed in the Senate and then sent to the president’s desk, they reported Colombia’s RCN Radio.
Once enacted, cannabis will be legal for adults over the age of 18.
And #HoraDeRegular Start in plenary @CamaraColombia discussing and voting on our regulatory project #CannabisDeUsoAdulto.
We are confident that this more progressive and liberal Congress will approve the move to change drug policy. pic.twitter.com/hEJNO7FrRP— Juan Carlos Losada (@JuanKarloslos) October 11, 2022
Likewise a The Ministries of Justice and Home Affairs stated they were in favor of the legalization proposal. Justice Minister Nestor Osuna said that the current prohibition policy “provides this [cannabis] the income goes to the mafias and not to the state coffers. This is a government of change – and that change includes a new drug policy that will crack down on drug gangs and punish cultivation.”
plenary session @CamaraColombiathe minister @MinjusticiaCo @osunanestor announced that it supports and accompanies the initiative to regulate cannabis intended for adult use and emphasized the convenience of the project. “Regularity is the best strategy against drug trafficking.” pic.twitter.com/0DaTFUMSWi
— MinJusticia Colombia (@MinjusticiaCo) October 11, 2022
pagealso referred to recent comments Colombian President Gustavo Petro was made his first speech before the United Nations in which he urged “the member countries to fundamentally change their drug policy and dissolve prohibition”.
Losada said Colombia is among the victims of the failed war on drugs.
Representative Carlos Ardila was also introduced a separate legalization bill that includes provisions for the distribution of tax revenues from the sale of marijuana among individual municipalities.
Ardila, who is co-sponsoring Losada’s bill said that “it is not unreasonable that what is collected from cannabis for adult use should be allocated solely and exclusively to municipalities, districts and counties because they are concerned with issues such as public health and public safety.”
So far, President Petro has not specifically supported bills to legalize cannabis, although Cabinet officials have indicated that cannabis reform is fully supported by the administration.
When Petro took office in August as the country’s first left-wing president, his government proposed a series of reforms to reduce the gap between rich and poor, collect taxes and create decent jobs, including the legalization of recreational cannabis.
