Colombia: House Of Representatives Rejected Cannabis For Adult Use

By Franca Quarenti via El Planteo.
In Colombia, the House of Representatives rejected a bill that sought to regulate cannabis for adult use.

With 71 votes against and 46 in favor, Colombians were left without a constitutional reform. Said reform could have created an exception to article 49 of the Constitution, allowing the possession and consumption of cannabis for adults.

What did Colombia's adult-use cannabis bill propose?

In addition to allowing the possession and adult use of cannabis by adults, the bill proposed that the State would guarantee the treatment of drug-dependent persons.

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Also, according to a Legislative press release, it would be the State's task to formulate, disseminate and implement "a strict public policy on the prevention and care of cannabis use." In order to protect minors, the initiative also sought to restrict the sale of cannabis in school environments and common areas.

Congressman Juan Carlos Losada, author of the bill, regretted the Chamber's decision: "Decriminalizing the adult use of cannabis will allow the State to take this business away from the mafias and micro-trafficking".

Meanwhile, the liberal Juan Fernando Reyes Kuri, resorted to the social network Twitter to express his dissatisfaction with the situation. "Prohibition is a mistake that has cost us a lot of blood, we must correct it,” he stated.

Photo by Brian Kyed On Unsplash