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Uruguay to legalise marijuana trade (14th December, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

Uruguay has become the first country in the world to legalise the marijuana trade, from the drug’s production to its distribution. This means it is the only nation where the government has total control of the commercialisation of marijuana (also known as cannabis). Uruguay's President Jose Mujica said his goal is to try and disrupt the activities of drug traffickers and possibly put them out of business altogether. He hopes that his legalisation, together with the close monitoring of marijuana sales by the state, will reduce dependence on the drug and drug-related crime. Mr Mujica said he was well aware that the new legislation was "an experiment," which had no guarantee of being successful.

The legalisation has fallen foul of an international treaty on drug control. Uruguay is a signatory to the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The Convention limits the use of cannabis "to medical and scientific purposes". The president of the International Narcotics Control Board, Raymond Yans, said he was "surprised" that Uruguay had "knowingly decided to break the universally agreed and internationally endorsed legal provisions of the treaty". He warned the move could backfire, saying: "It will not protect young people, but rather have the perverse effect of encouraging early experimentation, lowering the age of first use, and thus contributing to…earlier onset of addiction and other disorders."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

Sources

http://en.mercopress.com/2013/12/11/first-obstacle-for-uruguay-s-marijuana-bill-it-violates-international-convention-on-drug-control
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-12-11/uruguay-oks-first-national-market-for-legal-pot
http://www.economywatch.com/features/uruguay-legalises-marijuana-trade.12-12.html

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. THE WAR ON DRUGS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about the War on Drugs. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

legalise / the marijuana trade / total control / traffickers / drug-related crime / aware / fallen foul of / narcotics / backfire / protect young people / experimentation / addiction

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. WAR ON…: How can we win these wars? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

War on…	How bad is the problem?	How to fight it?
drugs
crime
poverty
want
Internet piracy
cyber-bullies

4. WINNABLE: Students A strongly believe the War on Drugs is winnable; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. ADDICTION: Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the worst at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• nicotine addiction

• shopaholic

• alcoholism

• addicted to TV

• gambling

• drug addiction

• caffeine addiction

• overeating

6. TRAFFICKER: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "trafficker". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	Uruguay is only the second country to legalise the cannabis trade.	T / F
b.	Uruguay's government is trying to put drug traffickers out of business.	T / F
c.	Uruguay's government will carefully check sales of marijuana.	T / F
d.	The president of Uruguay knows his experiment might fail.	T / F
e.	Uruguay did not sign up to a 1961 convention on narcotic drugs.	T / F
f.	The 1961 convention let countries use drugs for medical reasons.	T / F
g.	The head of a world narcotics organisation liked Uruguay's idea.	T / F
h.	The organisation's boss said younger people will be turned off drugs.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	legalise	a.	business
2.	trade	b.	contrary
3.	total	c.	upset
4.	disrupt	d.	assurance
5.	guarantee	e.	law
6.	legislation	f.	restricts
7.	limits	g.	decriminalise
8.	purposes	h.	backed
9.	endorsed	i.	complete
10.	perverse	j.	grounds

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.	legalise the	a.	was an experiment
2.	total control of the commercialisation	b.	could backfire
3.	try and disrupt the activities	c.	being successful
4.	well aware that the new legislation	d.	an international treaty
5.	no guarantee of	e.	marijuana trade
6.	fallen foul of	f.	purposes
7.	a signatory to the	g.	other disorders
8.	internationally endorsed	h.	of drug traffickers
9.	He warned the move	i.	of marijuana
10.	addiction and	j.	1961 Convention

GAP FILL

Uruguay has become the first country in the world to legalise the marijuana trade, from the drug's (1) ___________ to its distribution. This means it is the only nation where the government has total (2) ___________ of the commercialisation of marijuana (also (3) ___________ as cannabis). Uruguay's President Jose Mujica said his goal is to try and disrupt the activities of drug (4) ___________ and possibly put them out of business (5) ___________. He hopes that his legalisation, together with the (6) ___________ monitoring of marijuana sales by the state, will reduce dependence on the drug and drug-(7) ___________ crime. Mr Mujica said he was well aware that the new legislation was "an experiment," which had no (8) ___________ of being successful.

traffickers
guarantee
control
altogether
production
related
known
close

The legalisation has fallen (9) ___________ of an international treaty on drug control. Uruguay is a signatory to the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The Convention (10) ___________ the use of cannabis "to medical and scientific purposes". The president of the International Narcotics Control Board, Raymond Yans, said he was "surprised" that Uruguay had "knowingly decided to (11) ___________ the universally agreed and internationally (12) ___________ legal provisions of the treaty". He warned the move could (13) ___________, saying: "It will not protect young people, but rather have the perverse (14) ___________ of encouraging early experimentation, (15) ___________ the age of first use, and thus contributing to…earlier onset of addiction and other (16) ___________."

backfire
disorders
limits
endorsed
lowering
foul
break
effect

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	legalise the marijuana trade, from the drug's production ______
	a. to its distributing b. to its destination c. to its indoctrination d. to its distribution
2)	the government has total control of the commercialisation ______
	a. for marijuana b. of marijuana c. all marijuana d. have marijuana
3)	President Jose Mujica said his goal is to try and disrupt the activities ______
	a. of drug trafficking b. of drug trafficked c. of drug traffic as d. of drug traffickers
4)	possibly put them out of ______
	a. business all together b. business altogether c. business all to gather d. business also gather
5)	an experiment which had no guarantee ______
	a. of been successful b. of having been successful c. of being successful d. of be in successful
6)	The legalisation has fallen foul of an international ______
	a. treaty on drug control b. treat tea on drug control c. tree tea on drug control d. tree tie on drug control
7)	The Convention limits the use of cannabis to medical and ______
	a. scientific purposes b. scientific purpose c. scientific purpose is d. scientific porpoises
8)	the universally agreed and internationally endorsed legal ______
	a. provisional of the treaty b. provisions of the treaty c. provision as of the treaty d. provision is of the treaty
9)	encouraging early experimentation, lowering the ______
	a. age of first used b. age of first uses c. age of first usage d. age of first use
10)	contributing to earlier onset of addiction and ______
	a. other this orders b. other dissuaders c. other disturbers d. other disorders

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Uruguay has become the first country in the world to legalise the marijuana trade, from the drug's production (1) ___________________. This means it is the only nation where the government (2) ___________________ the commercialisation of marijuana (also known as cannabis). Uruguay's President Jose Mujica said his goal is (3) ___________________ the activities of drug traffickers and possibly put them out of business altogether. He hopes that his legalisation, (4) ___________________ monitoring of marijuana sales by the state, will reduce dependence on the drug and drug-related crime. Mr Mujica said (5) ___________________ that the new legislation was "an experiment," which (6) ___________________ being successful.

The legalisation (7) ___________________ an international treaty on drug control. Uruguay is a signatory to the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The Convention (8) ___________________ cannabis "to medical and scientific purposes". The president of the International Narcotics Control Board, Raymond Yans, said he was "surprised" that Uruguay had "knowingly decided to (9) ___________________ agreed and internationally endorsed legal provisions of the treaty". He warned the (10) ___________________, saying: "It will not protect young people, but (11) ___________________ effect of encouraging early experimentation, lowering the age of first use, and thus contributing to…earlier onset of addiction (12) ___________________."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	How many countries had legalized the marijuana trade before Uruguay?
2.	What does Uruguay have total control of?
3.	What does the president of Uruguay want to disrupt?
4.	What does he hope the new legislation will reduce?
5.	What is the president well aware of?
6.	What has Uruguay's legislation fallen foul of?
7.	What did the 1961 treaty allow governments to do?
8.	What was Raymond Yans' reaction to Uruguay's actions?
9.	What did Mr Yans warn could happen to the legislation?
10.	Who did Mr Yans say the legislation would not protect?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	How many countries had legalized the marijuana trade before Uruguay?	6.	What has Uruguay's legislation fallen foul of?
	a) three b) two c) one d) none		a) limits b) an international drug-control treaty c) legislation d) drugs
2.	What does Uruguay have total control of?	7.	What did the 1961 treaty allow governments to do?
	a) the War on Drugs b) the commercialisation of marijuana c) drug traffickers d) drug addicts		a) produce alternative drugs b) commercialise the cannabis trade c) imprison people for using cannabis d) use cannabis for medical purposes
3.	What does the president of Uruguay want to disrupt?	8.	What was Raymond Yans' reaction to Uruguay's actions?
	a) plantations b) legislation c) drug traffickers' activities d) cannabis		a) surprise b) delight c) wonder d) horror
4.	What does he hope the new legislation will reduce?	9.	What did Mr Yans warn could happen to the legislation?
	a) crime resulting from drug use b) the price of marijuana c) traffic d) legislation		a) it could backup b) it could back away c) it could backfire d) it could back down
5.	What is the president well aware of?	10.	Who did Mr Yans say the legislation would not protect?
	a) success b) guarantees c) the legislation is an experiment d) dependence on drugs		a) legislators b) young people c) drug traffickers d) Uruguay's president

ROLE PLAY

Role A – War on Drugs

You think the War on Drugs is most important. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are difficult about their war. Also, tell the others which of these should be last on the list to fight (and why): the War on Poverty, the War on Terror or the War on Cyber-bullies.

Role B – War on Poverty

You think the War on Poverty is most important. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are difficult about their war. Also, tell the others which of these should be last on the list to fight (and why): the War on Drugs, the War on Terror or the War on Cyber-bullies.

Role C – War on Terror

You think the War on Terror is most important. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are difficult about their war. Also, tell the others which of these should be last on the list to fight (and why): the War on Poverty, the War on Drugs or the War on Cyber-bullies.

Role D – War on Cyber-bullies

You think the War on Cyber-bullies is most important. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are difficult about their war. Also, tell the others which of these should be last on the list to fight (and why): the War on Poverty, the War on Terror or the War on Drugs.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'drug' and 'trade'.

drug

trade

Share your findings with your partners.

Make questions using the words you found.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

first
only
goal
business
sales
guarantee

fallen
limits
surprised
warned
age
addiction

THE WAR ON DRUGS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about the War on Drugs in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

THE WAR ON DRUGS DISCUSSION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'drug'?
c)	What do you think of Uruguay's actions?
d)	What view does your government take on drugs?
e)	How do narcotic drugs affect your country?
f)	Do you think other countries will copy Uruguay?
g)	Can the world ever win the War on Drugs?
h)	The USA is still fighting its 40-year-old war on drugs? Why so long?
i)	Are drug traffickers cleverer than the police who try to catch them?
j)	What happens if Uruguay's experiment is not successful?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
b)	Would drug-related crime if the government controlled sales?
c)	Is cannabis OK for medical purposes?
d)	Should legal action be taken against Uruguay for breaking its agreement?
e)	What are the consequences of Uruguay's legislation backfiring?
f)	How could the legislation protect young people?
g)	How could the legislation put drug traffickers out of business?
h)	Do you think the legislation will lead to greater drug abuse?
i)	How can society help drug addicts?
j)	What questions would you like to ask Uruguay's president?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

Uruguay has become the first country in the world to (1) ____ the marijuana trade, from the drug's production to its distribution. This means it is the only nation where the government has total control of the commercialisation of marijuana (also (2) ____ as cannabis). Uruguay's President Jose Mujica said his goal is to try and (3) ____ the activities of drug traffickers and possibly put them out of business altogether. He hopes that his legalisation, (4) ____ with the close monitoring of marijuana sales by the state, will reduce dependence on the drug and drug-related crime. Mr Mujica said he was (5) ____ aware that the new legislation was "an experiment," which had no (6) ____ of being successful.

The legalisation has fallen (7) ____ of an international treaty on drug control. Uruguay is a signatory to the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The Convention limits the use of cannabis "to medical and scientific (8) ____ ". The president of the International Narcotics Control Board, Raymond Yans, said he was "surprised" that Uruguay had "(9) ____ decided to break the universally agreed and internationally endorsed legal (10) ____ of the treaty". He warned the move could backfire, saying: "It will not protect young people, but rather have the (11) ____ effect of encouraging early experimentation, lowering the age of first use, and thus contributing to…earlier onset of (12) ____ and other disorders."

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	condone	(b)	go ahead	(c)	OK	(d)	legalise
2.	(a)	knowingly	(b)	knew	(c)	knowing	(d)	known
3.	(a)	corrupt	(b)	disrupt	(c)	abrupt	(d)	erupt
4.	(a)	plus	(b)	conjunction	(c)	together	(d)	unison
5.	(a)	nice	(b)	total	(c)	well	(d)	sure
6.	(a)	guarantee	(b)	promissory	(c)	warranty	(d)	bond
7.	(a)	foal	(b)	foul	(c)	feel	(d)	fail
8.	(a)	purposes	(b)	porpoises	(c)	presupposes	(d)	presuppose
9.	(a)	knowing	(b)	knowingly	(c)	knew	(d)	known
10.	(a)	provisos	(b)	proves	(c)	provisions	(d)	privations
11.	(a)	pervades	(b)	pre-verse	(c)	perverse	(d)	pervert
12.	(a)	addicts	(b)	addictive	(c)	addicted	(d)	addiction

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	the clsoaocmeiiitamnr / eaioizlmctaorcinm of marijuana
2.	irsutdp the activities
3.	drug ferikafsrtc
4.	his ienslalogita / elitonzagail
5.	reduce enpeddneec on the drug
6.	no rtaegneau of being successful
Paragraph 2
7.	a ronitygas to the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs
8.	medical and scientific sueppsro
9.	Uruguay had ynklwgnoi decided
10.	internationally endorsed legal ivripososn
11.	the pvrresee effect of encouraging early experimentation
12.	incoadidt and other disorders

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	legislation was "an experiment," which had no guarantee of being successful.
( )	production to its distribution. This means it is the only nation where the government has total
( )	to the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The Convention limits the use of cannabis "to medical and
( )	young people, but rather have the perverse effect of encouraging early experimentation, lowering
( 1 )	Uruguay has become the first country in the world to legalise the marijuana trade, from the drug's
( )	dependence on the drug and drug-related crime. Mr Mujica said he was well aware that the new
( )	the age of first use, and thus contributing to…earlier onset of addiction and other disorders."
( )	that Uruguay had "knowingly decided to break the universally agreed and internationally endorsed legal
( )	control of the commercialisation of marijuana (also known as cannabis). Uruguay's President Jose Mujica said his goal
( )	The legalisation has fallen foul of an international treaty on drug control. Uruguay is a signatory
( )	provisions of the treaty". He warned the move could backfire, saying: "It will not protect
( )	is to try and disrupt the activities of drug traffickers and possibly put them out of business
( )	altogether. He hopes that his legalisation, together with the close monitoring of marijuana sales by the state, will reduce
( )	scientific purposes". The president of the International Narcotics Control Board, Raymond Yans, said he was "surprised"

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	trade marijuana the legalise to world the in country first The.
2.	marijuana commercialisation of Total of the control.
3.	drug To disrupt of and activities traffickers try the.
4.	state close marijuana the The of by monitoring sales.
5.	drug and drug - related crime Reduce dependence on the.
6.	fallen an has of treaty legalisation foul international The.
7.	cannabis of use the limits Convention The.
8.	of provisions legal endorsed Internationally treaty the.
9.	The experimentation early encouraging of effect perverse.
10.	to onset addiction Contributing earlier of.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Uruguay has become the first country in the world to legalise the / a marijuana trade, from the drug's production / producing to its distribution. This means it is the only nation where the government has totally / total control of the commercialisation of marijuana (also knowing / known as cannabis). Uruguay's President Jose Mujica said his goal is to trial / try and disrupt the activities of drug traffickers / traffics and possibly put them out of business / businesses altogether. He hopes that his legalisation, together with the closely / close monitoring of marijuana sales by the state, will reduce dependence / independence on the drug and drug-related crime. Mr Mujica said he was well aware that the new legislation was "an experiment," which had no warranty / guarantee of being successful.

The legalisation has fallen foul / fouled of an international treaty on drug control. Uruguay is a signature / signatory to the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The Convention limits / limitations the use of cannabis "to medical and scientific / scientifically purposes". The president of the International Narcotics Control Board / Plank, Raymond Yans, said he was "surprised" that Uruguay had "knowingly decided to breech / break the universally agreed and internationally dorsal / endorsed legal provisions of the treaty". He warned the move could backfire / fire back, saying: "It will not protect young people, but rather have the pervert / perverse effect of encouraging early experimentation, lowering the age of first use, and thus contributing to…earlier onset of addiction and other disorders / orders."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

_r_g__y h_s b_c_m_ th_ f_rst c__ntry _n th_ w_rld t_ l_g_l_s_ th_ m_r_j__n_ tr_d_, fr_m th_ dr_g's pr_d_ct__n t_ _ts d_str_b_t__n. Th_s m__ns _t _s th_ _nly n_t__n wh_r_ th_ g_v_rnm_nt h_s t_t_l c_ntr_l _f th_ c_mm_rc__l_s_t__n _f m_r_j__n_ (_ls_ kn_wn _s c_nn_b_s). _r_g__y's Pr_s_d_nt J_s_ M_j_c_ s__d h_s g__l _s t_ try _nd d_sr_pt th_ _ct_v_t__s _f dr_g tr_ff_ck_rs _nd p_ss_bly p_t th_m __t _f b_s_n_ss _lt_g_th_r. H_ h_p_s th_t h_s l_g_l_s_t__n, t_g_th_r w_th th_ cl_s_ m_n_t_r_ng _f m_r_j__n_ s_l_s by th_ st_t_, w_ll r_d_c_ d_p_nd_nc_ _n th_ dr_g _nd dr_g-r_l_t_d cr_m_. Mr M_j_c_ s__d h_ w_s w_ll _w_r_ th_t th_ n_w l_g_sl_t__n w_s "_n _xp_r_m_nt," wh_ch h_d n_ g__r_nt__ _f b__ng s_cc_ssf_l.

Th_ l_g_l_s_t__n h_s f_ll_n f__l _f _n _nt_rn_t__n_l tr__ty _n dr_g c_ntr_l. _r_g__y _s _ s_gn_t_ry t_ th_ 1961 C_nv_nt__n _n N_rc_t_c Dr_gs. Th_ C_nv_nt__n l_m_ts th_ _s_ _f c_nn_b_s "t_ m_d_c_l _nd sc__nt_f_c p_rp_s_s". Th_ pr_s_d_nt _f th_ _nt_rn_t__n_l N_rc_t_cs C_ntr_l B__rd, R_ym_nd Y_ns, s__d h_ w_s "s_rpr_s_d" th_t _r_g__y h_d "kn_w_ngly d_c_d_d t_ br__k th_ _n_v_rs_lly _gr__d _nd _nt_rn_t__n_lly _nd_rs_d l_g_l pr_v_s__ns _f th_ tr__ty". H_ w_rn_d th_ m_v_ c__ld b_ckf_r_, s_y_ng: "_t w_ll n_t pr_t_ct y__ng p__pl_, b_t r_th_r h_v_ th_ p_rv_rs_ _ff_ct _f _nc__r_g_ng __rly _xp_r_m_nt_t__n, l_w_r_ng th_ _g_ _f f_rst _s_, _nd th_s c_ntr_b_t_ng t_…__rl__r _ns_t _f _dd_ct__n _nd _th_r d_s_rd_rs."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

uruguay has become the first country in the world to legalise the marijuana trade from the drug's production to its distribution this means it is the only nation where the government has total control of the commercialisation of marijuana (also known as cannabis) uruguay's president jose mujica said his goal is to try and disrupt the activities of drug traffickers and possibly put them out of business altogether he hopes that his legalisation together with the close monitoring of marijuana sales by the state will reduce dependence on the drug and drug-related crime mr mujica said he was well aware that the new legislation was "an experiment" which had no guarantee of being successful

the legalisation has fallen foul of an international treaty on drug control uruguay is a signatory to the 1961 convention on narcotic drugs the convention limits the use of cannabis "to medical and scientific purposes" the president of the international narcotics control board raymond yans said he was "surprised" that uruguay had "knowingly decided to break the universally agreed and internationally endorsed legal provisions of the treaty" he warned the move could backfire saying "it will not protect young people but rather have the perverse effect of encouraging early experimentation lowering the age of first use and thus contributing to…earlier onset of addiction and other disorders"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Uruguayhasbecomethefirstcountryintheworldtolegalisethemarijuanatrade,
fromthedrug'sproductiontoitsdistribution.Thismeansitistheonlynationwher
ethegovernmenthastotalcontrolofthecommercialisationofmarijuana(alsokn
ownascannabis).Uruguay'sPresidentJoseMujicasaidhisgoalistotryanddisrup
ttheactivitiesofdrugtraffickersandpossiblyputthemoutofbusinessaltogether
.Hehopesthathislegalisation,togetherwiththeclosemonitoringofmarijuanas
alesbythestate,willreducedependenceonthedruganddrug-relatedcrime.Mr
Mujicasaidhewaswellawarethatthenewlegislationwas"anexperiment,"which
hadnoguaranteeofbeingsuccessful.Thelegalisationhasfallenfoulofaninterna
tionaltreatyondrugcontrol.Uruguayisasignatorytothe1961ConventiononNa
rcoticDrugs.TheConventionlimitstheuseofcannabis"tomedicalandscientificp
urposes".ThepresidentoftheInternationalNarcoticsControlBoard,Raymond
Yans,saidhewas"surprised"thatUruguayhad"knowinglydecidedtobreaktheu
niversallyagreedandinternationallyendorsedlegalprovisionsofthetreaty".He
warnedthemovecouldbackfire,saying:"Itwillnotprotectyoungpeople,butrat
herhavetheperverseeffectofencouragingearlyexperimentation,loweringthe
ageoffirstuse,andthuscontributingtoearlieronsetofaddictionandotherdisor
ders."

FREE WRITING

Write about the War on Drugs for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

The War on Drugs will never be won. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about the War on Drugs. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. THE WAR ON DRUGS: Make a poster about the War on Drugs. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. MARIJUANA: Write a magazine article about Uruguay's new laws on commercialising marijuana. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to Uruguay's president. Ask him three questions about the War on Drugs. Give him three of your ideas on how to fight it. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

T

e

F

f

T

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	legalise	a.	decriminalise
2.	trade	b.	business
3.	total	c.	complete
4.	disrupt	d.	upset
5.	guarantee	e.	assurance
6.	legislation	f.	law
7.	limits	g.	restricts
8.	purposes	h.	grounds
9.	endorsed	i.	backed
10.	perverse	j.	contrary

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	None
2.	The commercialisation of marijuana
3.	The activities of drug traffickers
4.	Drug use and drug-related crime
5.	That the legislation is an experiment
6.	An international treaty on drug control
7.	Use cannabis for medical and scientific purposes
8.	Surprise
9.	It could backfire
10.	Young people

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

d

2.

b

3.

c

4.

a

5.

c

6.

b

7.

d

8.

a

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Uruguay to legalise marijuana trade (14th December, 2014)

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