Saturday, March 25, 2023

Pereira: Drug War has been lost, continues fight to legalize marijuana

By on November 12, 2016

As minority senator next year, Popular Democratic Party Sen. Miguel Pereira said Friday he will continue to push for the approval of his bill that would legalize marihuana for recreational use in small portions and called for the development of a cannabis industry.

Pereira proposed more than a year ago the decriminalization of individual possession of 14 grams or less of marihuana so that under such circumstances individuals would not face jail time. He noted that some 100 college students were arrested during the last  intercollegiate athletic competition with less than two marihuana joints each.

In this Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016 file photo, marijuana plant awaits judging in the Oregon Cannabis Growers' Fair marijuana plant competition in Salem, Ore. Nine live marijuana plants will be on display starting next week at the Oregon State Fair. The exhibit is the first time the public has been able to view pot plants at the fair and brings pot cultivation a little more into the mainstream in a state where voters legalized recreational bud less than two years ago. (Gillian Flaccus, File/AP)

(Gillian Flaccus, File/AP)

Five states have already legalized in the past few days the recreational use of marihuana. “What are we waiting for? I don’t know what we are waiting for” he expressed during an interview Friday.

Pereira said he believes the war on drugs has been lost.

The conversation must continue, he said, “and I intend to continue this conversation.”

He added Puerto Rico should broaden the use of medical marihuana, as there are some 17,000 Puerto Ricans who are expected to benefit from the drug, which has been said to provide relief for some 15 diseases. The medical marihuana project does not cover smoking the marihuana for medicinal purposes but using it in other forms.

He noted other uses for the cannabis plant. “The cannabis plant has more fiber per ounce than cotton. What are we waiting for to develop that market?” he asked.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login