The battle against 'pasta base'

In December, Uruguay became the first nation in the world to legislate for the production, sale and state regulation of marijuana. Many hope that when the law takes full effect next year, fewer people will use a cheap, highly addictive cocaine derivative called "pasta base". Others fear the opposite.

Although Uruguay is one of the safest countries in Latin America, it has seen a rise in crime associated with narcotics. In a survey of more than 8,500 prisoners, a third said they had committed crimes under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and nearly half of those had consumed pasta base. Users may be a tiny minority, but they are often associated with theft and robbery. Although pasta base is a cheap drug at $1 or $2 a hit, addicts need multiple doses.

The government hopes the legalisation of marijuana will increase security in communities like Malvin Norte. By allowing adults to grow their own cannabis or buy a maximum of 40g a month from a pharmacy, supporters of the new law believe it will separate the marijuana market from more problematic drugs.

"The largest market for drugs in Uruguay is marijuana. But to get it, people have to access the illegal market - the places where pasta base is sold. If someone goes to get cannabis and there isn't any, they can end up buying pasta base instead," explains Eduardo Bonomi, Uruguay's Minister of the Interior.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26436094