Pérez pleads for end to region's drugs nightmare

Guatemala will not fail to honour any of its international commitments to fighting drug trafficking. But nor are we willing to continue as dumb witnesses to a global self-deceit, argues Otto Pérez, the Guatemalan president.

We cannot eradicate global drug markets, but we can certainly regulate them as we have done with alcohol and tobacco markets.

Drug abuse, alcoholism and tobacco should be treated as public health problems, not criminal justice issues. Our children and grandchildren demand from us a more effective drug policy, not a more ideological response.


Source: The Observer