RIO DE JANEIRO , Brazil ( CNN ) -- Former presidents of Mexico , Colombia and Brazil called Wednesday for the decriminalization of marijuana for personal use and a change in tactics on the war on drugs , a Spanish news agency said . People march in support of legalized marijuana in late January in Belem , northern Brazil . Ex-presidents Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico , Cesar Gaviria of Colombia and Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil made their announcement at a meeting in Brazil of the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy , the EFE news agency said . `` The problem is that current policies are based on prejudices and fears and not on results , '' Gaviria said at a news conference in which the commission 's recommendations were presented . The 17-member panel worked on the report for a year and will forward it to all Latin American governments as well as the United States and the European Union , EFE said . Gaviria said the time is right to start a debate on the subject , particularly with the pragmatic openings provided by the election of President Barack Obama in the United States . `` In many states in the United States , as is the case in California , they have begun to change federal policies with regard to tolerating marijuana for therapeutic purposes . And in Washington there 's some consensus that the current policy is failing , '' EFE quotes Gaviria as saying . Decriminalization should be accompanied by treatment for addicts and public service campaigns on abuse prevention , the commission said . `` If you do n't help those who are dependent , you are half way there because they are going to commit crime to get money and pay for the drug , '' Gaviria said . Cardoso said the group called for only the decriminalization of marijuana and not other illicit drugs because `` you have to start somewhere '' and it would have been unrealistic to ask the same for all drugs , EFE said . Marijuana was chosen because it is grown in all countries in the region and because it is `` less harmful . '' The decades-old criminalization of personal consumption has failed to stop the plant 's cultivation and distribution , the group said . The commission urged that all current criminal prosecution be aimed at drug cartels and organized crime and not marijuana smokers , EFE said . Zedillo did not attend the news conference but worked on the report , Cardoso said . Wednesday 's recommendation was the second time in less than a week that a Latin American government official called for decriminalization . A mayor in Peru suggested Friday that the federal government legalize illicit drugs and administer them through the national health ministry . Gusto Sierra , the mayor of the Surquillo district in Lima , said a federal drug law is hypocritical because it allows maximum legally allowed quantities for some drugs and plants but does n't say where to acquire them , the Peru 21 newspaper reported in a front-page story headlined `` Say yes to drugs ? '' Sierra said he will take the matter up with the nation 's executive branch . Zedillo served as president of Mexico from 1994-2000 . Gaviria was president of Colombia from 1990-94 . And Cardoso led Brazil from 1995-2002 .
Ex-presidents of Mexico , Brazil and Colombia urge decriminalization of marijuana . Leaders urge treatment for addicts , public service campaigns on abuse prevention . Comment: