Juan Manuel Santos: 'It is time to think again about the war on drugs'

Colombia's president speaks frankly of the price his country has paid and his success in dismantling the cartels
The Observer (UK)
Sunday, November 13, 2011

Santos spelled out the radical ideas which he hopes will create a fresh approach. He said: "A new approach should try and take away the violent profit that comes with drug trafficking… If that means legalising, and the world thinks that's the solution, I will welcome it. I'm not against it." But he is clear that any initiatives need to be part of a co-ordinated international plan of action and he rules out any unilateral action by Colombia. "What I won't do is to become the vanguard of that movement because then I will be crucified."