Legal Cocaine? Colombia’s President Thinks It’s the Answer to End Drug Trafficking

Colombian President Gustavo Petro wants to legalize cocaine to combat drug trafficking in Colombia. You read that right. President Petro is suggesting that cocaine should be legalized. The declaration would further his campaign promise to dismantle the drug trafficking industry. As it stands, Colombia is the biggest exporter of cocaine to the United States and Europe. Let’s get into it.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro thinks legalizing cocaine will combat drug trafficking

President Petro addressed Colombians during a six-hour broadcast to discuss various topics, including why he thinks countries should legalize cocaine. He argued that the only reason that the drug is illegal is because it is made in Latin America. Meanwhile, he implies that if the drug were made in a different part of the world, it wouldn’t be a problem.

“Cocaine is illegal because it is made in Latin America, not because it is worse than whisky,” President Petro told the Colombian people. He continued by adding: “Scientists have analyzed this.”

He continued to address what he sees as an unbalanced view of the drug in the world compared to pharmaceuticals. President Petro took a moment to point out North American drug production, and the damaging impact some of those drugs have created. His example is fentanyl and how North American multinationals created it as a pharmaceutical.

“If you want peace, you have to dismantle the business [of drug trafficking],” President Petro argued. “It could easily be dismantled if they legalize cocaine in the world. It would be sold like wine.”

He added: “And what hit the United States is fentanyl, it is killing them and that is not done in Colombia. But there are no major policies there.”

Fentanyl has been disastrous for the United States

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 81,083 people died from opioid overdoses in 2023. This marked the first decline in opioid deaths since 2018, with 84,181 opioid deaths in 2022. Fentanyl is the main driver of opioid-related deaths in the U.S.

Cocaine overdoses have also been increasing in the U.S. over the years. However, according to data from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), overdoses from just cocaine have held steady. Overdose deaths from cocaine mixed with synthetic opioids have increased dramatically over the years. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has been mixed into cocaine and causing overdose deaths. There have been reports from several states, including Florida and Pennsylvania, warning about the prevalence of fentanyl contamination.

People on social media have a lot to say about President Petro’s cocaine declaration

Honestly, a world leader calling on governments to legalize drugs was not on our 2025 bingo card. Yet, some people seem to be into the idea. Legalizing drugs would put more onus on other governments to accomplish their goals in the war against drugs.

Meanwhile, some people think the real motive behind this rhetoric is financial for the country. Colombia has long been a major cocaine-producing country, and under President Petro’s administration, cocaine production has increased. According to CNN, the cultivation of cacao leaves increased by 10 percent. The increase in cocaine production could signal a failure to get the drug trafficking industry under control.