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Colombia may end penalties for 2 drugs

BOGOTA, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The Colombian government has proposed decriminalizing possession of methamphetamine and ecstasy.

The change would add the two synthetic drugs to a law adopted last year that ended criminal penalties for possession of small quantities of marijuana and cocaine, Colombia Reports said.

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Colombia Reports, citing local media, reported Wednesday that some legislators say the synthetic drugs should remain illegal.

Roy Barreras, a member of the Senate and medical doctor, said ecstasy and meth are not comparable to cocaine and marijuana.

"Colombia's problem is in relation to soft drugs, to marijuana and cocaine -- the drug trafficking curse fundamentally depends on these two drugs and world decriminalization will end that business. But mixing decriminalization with these synthetic drugs makes the debate a much more difficult one," Barreras said.

The government has said it will present the plan to the legislature in March.

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