MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Vargas Llosa calls for the decriminalizing of drugs’ consumption

The Peruvian author argued his case in Lima’s main daily El Comercio

Peruvian renowned writer Mario Vargas Llosa proposed “decriminalizing” consumption of drugs as a way to stop the narcotics trade, in a column published in Lima’s most influential daily El Comercio Sunday edition.

“The solution to stop the drugs trade consist in de-criminalizing consumption based on an agreement among consumer and producing countries, as has been argued by The Economist and a growing number of jurists, professors, sociologists and scientist from many countries round the world, which so far have gone un-listened”, said one of the main Spanish language living writers.

He added that legalization “must be accompanied by a reassignment of the huge sums which day after day are invested in repression, earmarking them for educational campaigns and rehabilitation and information policies, such as those related to tobacco, which have been so successful”.

“Nevertheless the argument that legalizations would only trigger greater consumption among teenagers and children is valid. But it will most probably be a limited phenomenon and containable if it is countered with effective prevention campaigns”, admitted Vargas Llosa.

In his article, “The Other State”, Vargas Llosa points out that the drugs problem basically has an economic origin.

“There is a market for drugs which grows almost unstoppably, both in developed and underdeveloped countries, and the drug dealers industry prospers because of the extraordinary profit margins. The victories in the fight against drugs are insignificant compared to the number of consumers in the five continents”, added Vargas Llosa recalling that drugs have permeated all social classes.

“The effects are as harmful for health as they are to democratic institutions”, concludes the Peruvian author.