[420 Girl]

Radical Party (PRSD) Sen. Nelson Ávila, who represents Region V, on Tuesday described the Chilean government's decision to include marijuana on its list of dangerous drugs as “absolutely absurd.” This comes after Ávila met with Interior Ministry officials to demand an explanation for the government decision. “My suspicion is that this decision was adopted without any scientific or technical foundation,” Ávila told The Valparaíso Times. “This decision reflects a sensation of neurosis and it is marked by nothing more than prejudices.”

In early March, local media reported that the Chilean government had decided to classify marijuana as a “hard drug.” The plant is now grouped with cocaine, methamphetamine, opium and heroin on the “class one” list, which denominates narcotic substances that can produce physical or psychological dependency and are capable of causing health problems (ST, March 13 ).

In response, Ávila on Monday delivered an official petition to Interior Minister Edmundo Pérez Yoma requesting to see all the evidence that influenced the reclassification. Ávila said the Ministry would require some time to gather the information, but added that he would be willing to introduce a measure condemning marijuana's reclassification.

“When the government turns over the report, I plan on fully analyzing the information. At that point, I will make my point of view known,” Ávila said.

“If I do not agree (with the government decision), then I would propose the creation of an independent organization at the legislative level to investigate this issue. This body would also identify and punish any government members who backed the change without the corresponding scientific data,” he said.

Aside from evoking political responses, the government's move has also had strong legal consequences. Officials at Chile's National Council for Drug Control (CONACE) say that, due to this modification, judges will not be able to reduce marijuana trafficking charges. Trafficking small amounts of the herb will now carry a jail sentence of between one-and-a-half and five years.

According to the latest study by CONACE, 7 percent of Chileans used the drug in 2006, in comparison to 5.3 percent in 2004 (ST, March 13 ).

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