Support for marijuana in most of Latin America is from the top down

Support for marijuana in most of Latin America is from the top down

By Kristen Wyatt Associated Press
Posted: 10/21/2013 11:30:42 PM MDT | Updated: about 2 hours ago

DENVER -- Marijuana's acceptance is growing in Latin America as much as in the U.S., but the support is top-down in most countries except the United States, editors were told Monday at the 69th General Assembly of the Inter American Press Association.

Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance told the editors that elected officials in the U.S. have been slow to embrace marijuana legalization, though polls show most people favor it. By contrast, he said, elected officials in Latin American countries are talking more about pot legalization, while most people oppose the idea.

Uruguay is expected to finalize plans by the end of the year to become the first nation in the world to license and enforce rules for the production, distribution and sale of marijuana for adult consumers.

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The editorial director of El Universal, the largest newspaper in Mexico City, had tough questions for Nadelmann about the effect of legalization in Latin America.
"Latin America will just put up the dead, and you'll continue to party? You'll continue to enjoy marijuana? This is very serious," Roberto Rock said.

More:
http://www.dailycamera.com/state-west-news/ci_24358610/support-marijuana-most-latin-america-is-from-top