Uruguay Records Drop in Marijuana Trafficking after Legalization

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The government of Uruguay has seen a sharp reduction in illegal marijuana trafficking in the first four years after legalization under state control.

However, according to the police, the seizures have remained relatively constant since the adoption of this pioneering measure worldwide.

The contradiction, which still has no clear explanation, exemplifies the difficulties in gauging the real progress of marijuana drug trafficking.

In 2014, when the law authorizing self-cultivation and cannabis clubs was passed, the National Drug Board began monitoring the effects of the law through a survey among adults who claimed to use marijuana, asking how they were able to get supplies.

Between 2014 and 2018, the trafficking of pressed marijuana from Paraguay and the illegal trade in the substance dropped fivefold.

In addition, one in three people who used marijuana in 2018 resorted to the state-regulated market through pharmacy purchases (implemented in 2016), self-growing or membership in a registered club.

According to Marcos Baudean, sociologist and consultant to the National Drug Council, these results clearly demonstrate the success of the Uruguayan experience, unique in the world, since it not only legalizes but also places drug production under state control.

“As far as drug trafficking is concerned, these are blunt results, even more positive if you take into account that in these years the problematic consumption of marijuana has remained stable in 16 percent of respondents and that the age at which consumption begins is lagging behind and the average is 25 years,” argues Baudean.

But things are not that simple. While these data were being released, the weekly Búsqueda mentioned police sources to report that the business of marijuana traffickers is still active. The General Directorate of the Repression of Illicit Narcotics Trafficking seized over two tons of diverse narcotics this year, mostly marijuana.

This figure was somewhat higher in 2018 (2.4 tons) and in 2017 it reached 1.9 tons. The police officers mentioned in the publication believe that legalization is not having a decisive effect on an extremely profitable business, which includes many other drugs besides marijuana.

For now, there are few explanations for the stability of marijuana seizures. Marcos Baudean says that “an increase in seizures doesn’t have to mean an increase in drug trafficking,” and points out that police data includes all types of narcotics.

Another reason, also mentioned by the police, is that the state has never been able to fulfill the demand in pharmacies because there are only 19 establishments in the country selling the drug retail, and often long lines form to buy it, or there are shortages.

According to figures from the Institute of Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA), there are currently 38,771 people qualified to buy from pharmacies, 7,922 legal self growers and 4,246 members of cannabis clubs.

Underage youths are not allowed to use regulated marijuana, but the drug’s legalization has generated much concern regarding adolescent behavior. According to the government study, the consumption by underage youths has stabilized in recent years.

Source: El Pais