More and more countries in Latin America are decriminalizing certain quantities of specific drugs. As Juan Carlos Hidalgo of Cato reports, there are three key factors for this change. One, many countries are not on good terms with Washington anyways, so they are less worried about upsetting it. Two, drug-related violence and corruption are reaching unheard-of levels, especially in Mexico and other parts of Central America. And three, free trade agreements have actually made these countries less susceptible to unfavorable US trade sanctions.
As a peace-loving libertarian, the possibility of a trickle down effect comes as welcome news. It seems that there is a widespread consensus that drug policy in America is off-track, so why hasn't it been changed?
If you're looking for specific policy measures to hold future US leaders--whoever they may be--accountable for, you can start with the war on drugs. The world is waiting.
