Colombia's House of Representatives approves legalization of cannabis

The bill to legalize cannabis in Colombia has been officially passed by the country's House of Representatives and must now be sent to the Senate to clear the final two hurdles before it is eventually sent to the president.

After a close vote last month, lawmakers took up the bill again on Tuesday, passing it during the sixth of eight required readings by a vote of 98 to 57. The bill must now be referred to a Senate committee and then passed by the Senate before it can be signed into law.

Colombia is «ready to take a step forward toward a new drug policy that abandons the failed paradigm of prohibition and paves the way for a policy guided by public health guidelines, the prevention of drug use, and the protection of citizens» rights,” said the bill’s sponsor, Representative Juan Carlos Losada Vargas of the Liberal Party.

«We are very close to beginning a new chapter in the fight against drugs; at this point, it’s a matter of political will,» he said. «Every vote counts.»

https://twitter.com/JuanKarloslos/status/1656063120257826817

Last year, the House and the Senate have adopted different versions of the legislation on legalization, and the two chambers decided to align the bills in December. The Senate approved its version of the bill by an overwhelming majority that month, after it had received initial approval from the House.

As a proposed constitutional amendment, the proposal must go through the full legislative process in each chamber twice, in separate calendar years, in order to be enacted.

The legalization bill supports «the right to the free development of the individual, by allowing citizens to decide whether to use cannabis within a regulated legal framework.» It would also reduce «arbitrary, discriminatory, or unequal treatment of people who use cannabis.».

It also calls for public education campaigns and the promotion of substance abuse treatment services.

During a public hearing in the Senate last year, Justice Minister Néstor Osuna, stated that Colombia had been the victim of a «failed war conceived 50 years ago and which, due to absurd prohibitionist policies, has brought us a great deal of bloodshed, armed conflict, organized crime, and crime.».

The House of Representatives gave its initial approval to the legalization bill last year. The head of the Ministry of the Interior had also spoken out in favor of the reform proposal at the time. This vote took place shortly after a congressional committee pushed this measure forward, along with another bill on legalization.

President Gustavo Petro, a progressive who, since his inauguration in August, has been a strong advocate for ending the international criminalization of drugs, discussed the potential benefits of legalizing cannabis.

Last year, the president delivered a speech at a United Nations meeting (UN), urging member states to radically change their approach to drug policy and end prohibition.

Mr. Petro also raised the possibility of legalizing cannabis in Colombia in order to reduce the influence of the illicit market. He also noted that this policy change should be followed by the release of individuals currently imprisoned for cannabis possession.

He discussed the economic potential of a legal cannabis industry, in which the small towns of Andes, Corinto, and Miranda could benefit from legal cannabis cultivation, possibly without the need for a license.