How to end the war on drugs in a country synonymous with drugs
CNN
It's the home of notorious drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, and the origin of legendary Santa Marta Gold -- once the most sought-after varieties of weed in the United States -- named after Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range.
For many, Colombia is synonymous with drug cartels and narco-traffickers. It is one of the largest narcotics producers in the world -- last year, the US government estimated was producing over one million kilograms of cocaine, the highest in the world and more than the two closest nations, Peru and Bolivia, combined. So when the South American country's new president says he intends to regulate the use of illegal substances -- or at least some of them -- the world listens.
"It is time to accept that the war on drugs has been a complete failure," Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced during his inauguration festivities earlier this month, commenting on a bill his administration recently presented to legalize recreational marijuana to Congress.
Looking to shore up Latino votes in Nevada and Arizona for his reelection campaign, President Joe Biden is on the verge of soon following up last week’s executive action aimed at curbing border crossings with another move focused on providing legal status for long-term undocumented immigrants married to American citizens and without criminal records.
The US began pulling military equipment and additional personnel out of Niger on Friday after waiting months for the ruling military junta to approve US military flights into the country, two sources familiar with the matter said Saturday, ahead of a September 15 withdrawal deadline agreed to by the two countries.