‘The deepening of the debate concerning the policies on drug consumption must be grounded on a rigorous evaluation of the impact of the diverse alternatives to the prohibitionist strategy that are being tested in different countries, focusing on the reduction of individual and social harm.’
The Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy is an initiative born of former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, from Brazil, César Gaviria, from Colombia and Ernesto Zedillo, from Mexico, to respond to concerns related to the problems of drug consumption and traffic in Latin America from a Latin American perspective. The seventeen member group composed exclusively of Latin Americans from across the political spectrum was established last April and charged with assessing the American-led war on drugs. While the United States largely funds the war, the body count and the repercussions are largely a Latin American ones. In 2008, drug-related violence claimed over 5,000 lives, a 50% increase over 2007. In Colombia, the dismantling of the FARC has not led to any abatement of drug shipments. Simply put, new cartels arise to take the place of those dismantled. Prohibition, eradication and interdiction have not worked. It is time that the United States assume a greater responsibility by tackling demand.
Yesterday the Commission released its report reaching the conclusion that so many other studies have reached in the past, the US drug war effort in the region is an abject failure. The US insists on treating the drug trade as a supply problem, when it is clearly also a demand problem. Absent US demand, the drug trade whittles away. Moreover, the US treats its domestic drug problem as a criminal one instead of approaching it as a health problem.