WORLD WORLDWIDE BRAZIL News Journal Update - (en) Brazil, Legalize marijuana! Destroy the War on Drugs! (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

As of June 21, the STF will discuss the decriminalization of drug possession for
personal use. Meanwhile, the movements organized in the Marijuana March hold
demonstrations in several cities across the country. The main background that
links all demands related to the theme is the fight against the so-called War on
Drugs imposed by US imperialism. ---- We defend the anti-racist and anti-systemic
character of the march, and consequently, we reinforce that there will only be
freedom and autonomy in a world free of the capitalist system. Simple
legalization, uncritically, would only benefit the creation of a new industry,
which, most likely, will act to maintain domination over the oppressed classes.
Therefore, it is not just a fight for individual freedom, but for an end to the
barbarism that this war generates in the world.

Imperialist political influence
The War on Drugs came about through political influence and imperialist
opportunism. In 1971, then US President Richard Nixon declared drugs "public
enemy number one" as part of his strategy to win re-election and meet the
conservative demands of the time.

In addition to social and political motivations, the War on Drugs has also been
driven by economic and geopolitical interests. Illegality creates a lucrative
market, fueling the clandestine economy and international trafficking. The fight
against drug trafficking itself has also been used as a justification for
military and political interventions in producing countries, mainly in regions
such as Latin America and Asia.

Racism
The War on Drugs has been applied in a selective and discriminatory manner,
disproportionately affecting communities of color. Studies show that drug
enforcement policies have resulted in high arrest rates for black people, for
example, even when rates of drug use are similar across different ethnic groups.
Racism plays an important role in creating a narrative that associates drug use
with ethnic minorities, stigmatizing them and making them preferential targets of
police repression and abuses by the justice system.

Class struggle
The War on Drugs is also linked to the class struggle, as it primarily affects
the working class in marginalized and low-income communities. The criminalization
of drug use has devastating social and economic impacts, perpetuating cycles of
poverty and exclusion. People facing socioeconomic difficulties have less access
to educational resources, health care and employment opportunities. The
repression of drugs (actually a repression of poor people) ends up being a form
of social control and maintenance of inequality, by punishing and stigmatizing
those who are already in vulnerable situations.

Control, Power and drug trafficking
The criminalization of drugs gives the State a broad power of policing,
surveillance and imprisonment, restricting individual freedoms and legitimizing
collective repression - restriction and repression for those who do not have
social, economic, cultural and political privileges. Furthermore, the illegality
of drugs fuels a lucrative market, which benefits existing power structures such
as cartels and traffickers. These actors can take advantage of conditions of
illegality to exploit communities and perpetuate violence - not to mention the
relationship between crime and the State apparatus itself.

For over 50 years drugs have been winning the war
Over the years, it has become increasingly apparent that the repressive approach
to the War on Drugs has failed to achieve its stated goals. Rather than reducing
drug use and related problems, it has led to negative consequences such as mass
incarceration, human rights violations, stigmatization of users and an increase
in cartel power. This understanding has driven drug policy reform movements in
many countries, seeking approaches based more on public health, harm reduction
and social justice.

We join the movements fighting for the End of the War on Drugs, for true autonomy
and freedom in the use of substances, so that consumption is seen from the
perspective of health, and no longer from repression! For that, it is necessary
the self-organization of the movements around the agendas related to marijuana,
in the construction of the Popular Power that puts an end to this war!

FOR THE END OF THE WAR ON DRUGS
LONG LIVE THE MARCH OF MARIJUANA!
FOR POPULAR POWER!

Coletivo Mineiro Popular Anarchista (COMPA)
Anarchist Federation of Rio de Janeiro (FARJ)
Libertarian Socialist Anarchist Organization (OASL)
Rusga Libertária

https://anarquismosp.wordpress.com/2023/06/17/
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