Uruguay Pres. up for Nobel Peace Prize for marijuana legalization

Source: Digital Journal

Uruguay Pres. up for Nobel Peace Prize for marijuana legalization
By Marcus Hondro
Feb 6, 2014 - 3 hours ago

Uruguay's president, José “Pepe” Mujica, has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by the Dutch activist organization, the Drugs Peace Institute. Thanks to Mujica, in April, his country will be the first to completely legalize marijuana.

"It is a promise to bridge the gap between defiant marijuana consumers and the prohibiting society," the Institute wrote to the Nobel committee about the legislation when nominating Mujica.

"Hopefully, the start of the acceptance of this consumption by society and the concomitant development of understanding of its use as a natural medicine, historically used for spiritual liberation, might initiate a process of healing in a world confused and deeply divided over its religious legacy."

The institute can nominate President Mujica under the statutes of the Nobel Foundation as it qualifies due to its status as a peace research institute. The Drugs Peace Institute believes that ending the prohibition of marijuana will lead to easier access to the drug for medical purposes and that legalizing marijuana will be a tool leading to greater "peace and understanding" in the world.

Read more: http://digitaljournal.com/news/world/uruguay-pres-up-for-nobel-peace-prize-for-marijuana-legalization/article/369344