Duque Kills the Minimum Dose

Got any weed on you? Police search young men in Bogotá's historical center. 

The 'minimum dose' of drugs - supposedly the amount a user needed for his own consumption - was the object of many jokes and much derision, as well as criticism from police and conservative politicians as get-out-of-jail-free card for drug dealers. And cops didn't often respect this 'right' to carry drugs in the first place.

But the minimum dose rule did keep a lot of otherwise law-abiding people out of jail, saving them

lots of grief and society lots of money.

Authorities' hopes that prohibiting the minimum dose will reduce crime or drug consumption aren't borne out by experience. Instead, the prohibition will open more opportunities for police corruption and ruin the lives of many young people, especially poor ones, because they have a dependancy or just prefer getting high by smoking rather than drinking.

And, police will waste lots of time and effort pursuing people for a lifestyle choice while real criminals go free.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours