President Juan Manuel Santos Believes Sending A Peasant To Prison Over Marijuan Is Nonsense

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos reiterated his appeal to rethink the methods used on the war on drugs during his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. So far Colombia has paid the highest price having countless deaths and sacrifices.

He said there's no sense to send a peasant to jail for growing marijuana. He cited the United States as an example. Right now there are eight states wherein the cultivation and use of marijuana is considered legal. Santos said that the U.S. promoted war on illegal drugs that has lasted decades has already caused too much violence and damage to the environment of nations supplying cocaine. He said there needs to be a worldwide focus on easing the laws which prohibit the consumption of illegal narcotics per CBS news.

In April 2015 he said that it's time for the world to take on a different approach regarding its drug policy. He clarifies in The Guardian that this he is not talking about drug legalisation. What he's saying is that it's important to recognise that between war and legalisation there are vast range of alternatives worth exploring. This if we want to take care of the drug consumers, veer the youth away from drug abuse, and work together in order to fight organised crime and give other options for livelihood to illegal marijuana farmers and the most vulnerable of communities.

Santos received his diploma and gold medal for winning the Nobel Peace Prize at the ceremony in Oslo. This is for his efforts to end five decades of conflict that has taken the lives of 220,000 people and has also displaced 8 million individuals. He declared that there is one less war in the world that is in Colombia. He was referring to the peace deal he made with the rebels of the FARC or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Some victims of the past conflict attended the ceremony. This included Ingrid Betancourt. She was a hostage of the FARC for six years. There's also Leyner Palacios who's 32 relatives were killed. Among them were his brothers and three parents during a mortar attack. Santos said the FARC has asked for forgiveness for what they have done, and that Leyner who is currently a community leader has already forgiven them. Citizens of Columbia reacted to their president's prize with quiet emotion. The people are divided over the peace deal that has been made. For more of President Juan Manuel Santos news and latest update, keep it here on News Everyday.