From Uruguay to Colorado
Legalizing marijuana should be on the agenda of presidential candidates, but none of them will address this taboo. It's a shame there isn't a Mujica in Brazil.
Answer honestly: should a young person who smokes marijuana, like so many others in practically every Brazilian family, be arrested? Should they face legal proceedings? Is this really a police matter?
This is precisely the discussion that should take place in Brazil and that deserves to be on the agenda of all presidential candidates in 2014. While the Uruguayan example was once an eccentricity from a small southern country, since the first day of the year marijuana can be freely consumed in the state of Colorado "for recreational purposes" – and not just medicinal ones. From there, the initiative will spread to other American states – Washington is second on the list – and will soon conquer the entire country that sees itself as the land of freedom and civil rights. The trend is inevitable, since year after year the support of American society for the total legalization of marijuana grows.
In Brazil, former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso has been fighting for the legalization of soft drugs for over a decade. His argument is crystal clear: criminalizing them only favors trafficking and the parallel economy driven by a clandestine business. It's a shame that his argument didn't convince his candidate Aécio Neves, who has publicly stated his disagreement with FHC. In 2014, President Dilma will also not touch on this taboo, and it's unlikely that Eduardo Campos will raise the issue, especially after his alliance with the evangelical Marina Silva.
Today, legalization is championed by influential intellectuals, such as Mario Vargas Llosa, who also defended the Uruguayan initiative led by former guerrilla fighter José "Pepe" Mujica. According to him, Mujica made Uruguay, chosen as country of the year by The Economist magazine, a beacon of freedom in the world.
Beyond the issue of civil rights, there is also the economic argument. In Colorado, authorities estimate that recreational marijuana use will generate $578 million annually, of which $67 million will go to the state in the form of taxes.
In Brazil, this business already exists and will continue to exist, with or without legalization. However, it fuels the gears of crime, clandestine activity, police corruption, and violence. Isn't it time to follow the Uruguayan example? Or the Colorado example?
* This is an opinion article, the responsibility of the author, and does not reflect the opinion of Brasil 247.