Abstract

LONDONO BERRIO, Hernando León  and  RESTREPO PARRA, Adrián. War Against Drugs, Punitive Populism and Criminalization of Personal Dose; Colombia. Estud. Polit. [online]. 2011, n.39, pp.141-167. ISSN 0121-5167.

Within the context of the so-called "international war against drugs," the efforts of Alvaro Uribe Velez's government managed to abolish the libertarian state policy that allowed a "personal dose." This was done through the passing of a constitutional reform that bans the consumption of drugs and the behaviors usually associated with it. This constitutes a political fact, but it is rather presented as a public policy, justified by the argument of general interest for the benefit of society as a whole, including the addict, who is forced to go through rehabilitation programs based on psychiatric treatment. This article claims that the reform was motivated by reasons and interests different from the ones used as argument to justify it, that is, by the aspiration of Uribe Vélez to being reelected as president. If it is thus, the policy of criminalizing the personal dose is nothing but what criminology has labeled as punitive populism.

Keywords : Fight Against Drugs; Drug Dealing; Personal Dose; Social State of Law; Punitive Populism; Colombia.

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