Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jan 2013
Source: New Haven Register (CT)
Copyright: 2013 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.nhregister.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/292
Page: A8

LATIN NATIONS PREPARE FOR LEGAL POT IN U.S.

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) - Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla says 
her nation, Mexico and Colombia have opened talks with U.S. officials 
to prepare for the legalization of marijuana in some U.S. states.

She said in an interview that the Central American nations worry 
about what the effect that legalization will have on the battle 
against international drug cartels.

Chinchilla says the drug cartels that have become entrenched in 
Mexico "pose a very important menace to our country" and U.S. 
cooperation is needed because it is a huge consumer of those drugs.

She also says "it's very hard to pretend that they are going to 
disappear. What is happening is that they move from one country to another."
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