Thoughts from the void: Cannabis and Peru

South America has a huge cannabis consumption market. Reports however say that Peru is among the lowest consumers of cannabis. Whether this is a true reflection of ground realities or if people in Peru are still hesitant to come out in the open about their cannabis consumption is not known to me. While Uruguay has gone full speed ahead in terms of cannabis legalization, Peru has not progressed at a similar rate. In fact, people in Uruguay joke about the alleged poor quality of Peruvian cannabis. In 2020, Mexico has made significant progress in its cannabis legalization initiative. In all probability, Mexico should legalize cannabis for recreational use in 2021 following the lead of Uruguay and Canada. This will make Mexico the largest country to legalize cannabis in terms of number of users. Mexico's legalization is said to be a potential catalyst for cannabis legalization in the entire South American region.

Political leadership probably plays a key role here resulting in the differences between the two nations in terms of cannabis law implementations. The Peruvian government has been talking about exploring the use of medical cannabis to treat various ailments though the changes are yet to be reflected on the ground at least officially. Peru has a similar history and tradition as other South American countries in the use of cannabis for recreational, medicinal and social purposes. The same migration of Asiatics to South America saw the populating of what we see as the modern societies like Peru and Uruguay. South America's cannabis usage history has been clouded in the pollution of modern development. Peru in particular has seen major disruption of its traditional culture and ways through the advent of large mining companies and the resulting changes in the way of life. Modern pharmaceuticals, alcohol and synthetic drugs along with petrochemicals, who are some of the main opposition to cannabis world wide, have become central to Peruvian society while cannabis has been pushed to the fringes with mostly traditionalists, nature lovers and the poorest farmers relying on the plant and using it as before.

It is important for Peru, like all other South American countries, to look to understand and rediscover its cannabis history and tradition. It is equally important to stop the destruction of the precious plant in the name of law enforcement and drug enforcement. It is important to look to the revival of native indigenous species of cannabis, to research its potential uses and to encourage traditional farmers to cultivate the plant. It is important to make the plant accessible to society especially the poorer and weaker sections, the minorities, the indigenous tribes, the elderly and the sick so that they do not fall victim to more dangerous drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, synthetic cannabis, novel psychotropic substances, prescription drugs and alcohol. The primary reason cited by both Canada and Uruguay for their legalization of cannabis was to reduce the black market for drugs, to keep harmful drugs out of the hands of youth and to bring down crime rates.

The Peruvian government and people need to play their part in the national and global legalization of cannabis for adult recreational use by pushing for it on the national and international stage. Otherwise the country runs the risk of losing its native varieties and becoming dependent on other countries or global corporations for its recreational, medicinal, agricultural, business, tourism, industrial and economic needs. Global companies are seeking places to grow cannabis locally with government permission, patenting these varieties and then exporting them for use to other countries leaving the local people and farmers with no access to the plant. This is a replay of what mining, petrochemical and pharmaceutical companies have done so far so it is very important for the people of Peru to ensure the protection of and access to their native species for themselves first. Peru needs to be proud of its cannabis and protect the plant like it holds pride in its ancient culture and civilizations.

In December 2020, the UN voted to remove cannabis from its most restricted Schedule IV category of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. It does however still remain in Schedule I, which is the least restrictive. This one move by the UN itself should be sufficient to bring about the recreational legalization of cannabis in every nation and an overhaul of national drug laws.

It must be noted that in most places where cannabis legalization has happened it took the efforts of the people who mobilized themselves through grassroots level movements to bring about this change. Left to lawmakers legalization would have been impossible, as the main interests of lawmakers concern the protection of the big industries opposed to cannabis such as pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, medical, alcohol and tobacco. For something that truly benefits the people, the people themselves have had to make the change.

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https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2020/11/cannabis-and-medical-industry.html

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https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2020/06/with-no-scientific-basis-global-drug.html

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Friday 3 May 2019

Cannabis and Peru

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