Al Jazeera: COA's Eric Farnsworth on Drug Policy in the Americas

COA's Eric Farnsworth talks with Al Jazeera about President Barack Obama's recent comments about marijuana use, the changing landscape of drug policy in the United States, and the impact on international drug control policies. Obama said that marijuana was not any more dangerous than alcohol, a comment that Farnsworth says won't change international drug policy but will confuse it. "The message that's being portrayed to Latin America in particular is 'Do as I say, not as I do,’" Farnsworth points out. "In the context of international relations, that's oftentimes a message that's not very well received." Farnsworth also notes that with changes in Latin American countries' approach to drug policies, there is no unified voice about what should be done. "The consensus in terms of drug control has broken down," says Farnsworth.