On Tuesday Uruguay legalized marijuana.
On Wednesday Uruguay was admonished by its betters.
Raymond Yans, President of the UN's International Narcotics Control Board, lamented the Uruguayan Senate's recent decision to legalize and regulate the sale of marijuana, saying in part
The Board regrets that the Government of Uruguay did not respond to INCB to engage in a dialogue prior to further consideration of the law. INCB reiterates its call to the Government of Uruguay to engage with the Board to ensure that Uruguay continues to respect and implement the treaties to which it is a party. President Mujica fired back. Tell this old guy not to lie. Any guy in the street can meet with me. Let him come to Uruguay and meet with me whenever he wants… He thinks that because he’s in an international position, he can tell whatever lie he wants. Yes indeed this man is not messing around, and his point is doubly cutting because lies are the only things supporting the status quo. A marijuana prohibitionist fears the sunlight. As for his country's treaty obligations, Mujica pointed out that his superpower neighbor to the north recently had two states, each with a population exceeding Uruguay's, legalize marijuana. Do they have two discourses, one for Uruguay and another for those who are strong? And then he spoke the real truth right out loud. There’s always going to be pressure. There’s an apparatus in the world that lives by repressing, and it costs a lot of money. Right on brother. Thank you. Your way is far from perfect, but at least its not the repressive and wasteful debacle that has been marijuana prohibition up to this point.And the world is watching.