Argentinian Politician in Hot Water After Tweeting Photo of Pot Plant in Her Home

Argentenian politician Gabriella Curetti is in trouble for tweeting a photo of a pot plant in her home.Curetti tweeted the photo below with the caption, “One was given to me by my mother, the other by (gay rights activist) Alex Freyrem, can you can guess which is which?” and quickly set off a Twitterstorm of "drug pusher" criticism. But the center-left New Encounter official for Buenos Aires may have employed the stunt for more serious reasons than you think. Curetti says it was all about advocating for the decriminalization of marijuana. Indeed, Cerutti's tweet is only the latest example of Latin American leaders' paving the way for reform. 

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Cerruti said,"I thought it would be nice to publish the photo, but I will not play the innocent. I think we have to discuss the decriminalization of marijuana," adding, “When I was just posting pictures of my orchids, nobody was shocked.” 

In her calls for reform, Cerutti referenced Uruguay's marijuana legalization proposal, which would allow the government to tax and regulate marijuana. But while Uruguay's position may seem extreme to some, the proposal is only the most pronounced example of growing calls for reform in Latin America. After Washington and Colorado voters legalized marijuana in those states this election, leaders of Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Belize called for a review of international pot policy, noting the drug war's devastating, disparate effects on the region.