Uruguay Opts Out of the War on Drugs

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Marijuana use has been legal in Uruguay since 1974.  But now, that South American country of just three million people has caught the eye of the world as the first to permit and regulate cultivation and sale, establishing a legitimate marijuana business. Uruguay's President, José Mujica, says, it's "not about being free and open," it's because illegal drug traffic is "more destructive socially than the drug itself." Most people in his own country do not agree, and the action violates a 50-year old international treaty. But many world leaders call the War on Drugs a vastly expensive failure and they're watching to see if Uruguay can build a viable alternative.

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Warren Olney