The Christian Science Monitor

Colombia's president wants to ban the personal use of cocaine, marijuana, and ecstasy

May 04 -- Uribe's sixth attempt may succeed. Congress is now debating a constitutional amendment that would prohibit personal use and possession of small amounts of 'recreational' drugs.

4 de mayo de 2009

As a regular marijuana user, Alicia Fajardo freely exercises her right to light up a joint whenever she pleases. But if a new push from Colombia's conservative President Álvaro Uribe succeeds, her habit would become illegal.

Colombia's Congress last week began debating a constitutional amendment introduced by the government that would prohibit possession and use of recreational drugs, overturning a 1994 Constitutional Court ruling that said the prohibition of drug use violated the right to the "free development of personality" set forth in Colombia's Constitution.

Since then, adults have been able to legally possess up to 20 grams of marijuana, one gram of cocaine, and two grams of synthetic drugs such as ecstasy for consumption in the privacy of their homes.
 
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