Colombian Senators have rejected proposed legislation seeking to legalize adult-use cannabis in the country during a plenary session on December 12.
Senator Karina Espinosa submitted a proposal to archive the bill just before the formal debate began, and received 45 votes in favor. This will require lawmakers to restart the two-year legislative in 2024 to try to enact marijuana legalization as a constitutional amendment.
Senator María José Pizarro, the main proponent of the legislation, criticized those who voted to table the bill, accusing the Senate of enabling organized crime and condemning youth and consumers to the influence of illicit traders.
This sentiment was echoed by Colombian President Gustavo Petro in a post on X on Thursday. “By overturning the cannabis legalization law, the only thing you do is increase the profits of drug trafficking and its violence,” a translation of his post said.
Petro has long been a critic of the drug war and has supported the legalization and regulation of cannabis, but he has not previously spoken about his position on the adult use legalization measure.
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Juan Carlos Losada, a Liberal Party representative and sponsor of the proposal, expressed his disappointment in a post on X, attributing the decision to opponents who capitalized on misinformation related to Petro’s unrelated executive decree legalizing simple drug possession.
The executive decree eliminates a $50 fine for small drug possession and restricts police authority to seize such substances, building on an earlier Constitutional Court ruling for drug decriminalization. Despite Petro’s support for cannabis regulation, opponents used the decree to derail marijuana reform efforts.
This marks the second time the Colombian Senate has rejected cannabis legalization, with a previous vote against recreational cannabis in June. Currently, medical cannabis and industrial hemp are legal in Colombia, legalized in 2016 and 2021, respectively. Earlier laws from the 1980s and 1990s permitted possession of up to 20 grams of cannabis and the cultivation of up to 20 plants.
Information for this story was found via Marijuana Moment, X, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
