But just in case, I still have the link open from my original reading and will post more info...


“To deter harmful drug use, governments should rely instead on non-penal regulatory and public health policies,” the organization said in a statement released at a news conference in Guatemala, where the annual general assembly of the Organization of American States this week will focus on the drug policies of member governments. “Subjecting people to criminal sanctions for the personal use of drugs, or for possession of drugs for personal use, infringes on their autonomy and right to privacy.”

Secretary of State John F. Kerry is heading the U.S. delegation to the conference.

Drug cultivation, trafficking and use have always been a major subtext of relations between the United States and the rest of the hemisphere. Many Latin American countries have long resented the U.S. focus on drug-related law enforcement and security in their countries, which has often overshadowed what they see as more important trade and development issues.

While levels of drug use are far higher in the United States, much of the supply comes from Latin America, which has suffered the brunt of violence associated with production and trafficking to the U.S. market."