Colombia has suffered from a terrible but justifiable reputation as a dangerous and violent country. However, in the last few years safety has improved. Colombia is relatively safe compared with the Congo or Iraq, but keep an eye on your surroundings. Tourists will face problems if they do not take care. Of course it pays to think safe, just as you would in any other large metropolitan city, but more so here because of the violence factor due to the guerrillas. Walk relatively free during the day, but during night take precautions and from time to time observe who's around you. Normally the people who steal look pretty scruffy, so be cautious when a stranger who looks untidy or dirty comes near you!
Colombia's civil war is not over yet, although the conflicts are more common in rural areas. There was an agreement in 2005 with the government which resulted in the disarmament of 80% of the paramilitaries, however the FARC and ELN guerrillas are still fully operational, and they have an enormous arsenal hidden in the high mountains. These guerrillas operate mainly in the rural areas, and as long as you stay in any of the big cities, you should be safe. River police, highway police, newspapers, and fellow travelers can be a useful source of information. (Note that the native pronunciation of guerrilla is "gair-EE-ja", not the English expression "guh-RILL-a".)
Major cities in Colombia have very high crime rates, but if you just take some usual precautions you should be fine. In the downtown areas of most cities it is not rare to encounter problems and it is very important to exercise extreme caution in the less developed parts of the urban regions. If you want to take a taxi, don't hail one, rather use the phone -- it costs the same and your call will be answered rapidly. If you want to travel around the country you should research the areas you intend to visit and consider contracting a bodyguard, since some distant parts outside the cities are not recommended for tourists and even locals. If possible speak to a trusted local.
Cocaine manufactured in Colombia was mostly consumed in the US. With US consumption on the decline more and more of it is going to Western Europe instead. Local consumption is low. However, it can be seen in certain areas, particularly at dance clubs.
Drugs and mafia have given Colombia a bad image. Although the police and armed forces fight furiously to combat them, corruption and bribery have always won as some high ranking officers of the police and military forces have 'agreements' with the drug dealers. All Colombian governments have had strong commitments to fight drug production and trade, but all of them have failed. Current President Alvaro Uribe, with significant aid from the US government, has in the last 4 years enforced a policy of destroying drug plantations using chemical defoliants.
Given Colombia's increasing aggression toward combating the drug trade, drug offenses are not treated lightly. If you are caught by the authorities possessing a controlled substance, expect serious problems.
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