Mexico moves to decriminalize marijuana
Update (8/21/2009): Mexican President Felipe Calderón has signed this legislation into law. Click here to read more.
Mexico’s Senate passed a bill on Tuesday decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana and other drugs. The bill would make it legal to carry up to 5 grams of marijuana in Mexico and defers low-level drug dealing cases to the Mexican states.
Proposed by President Felipe Calderon, the bill seeks to free up law enforcement resources in order to better fight violent drug cartels that have drawn international attention. The legislation must pass in the lower house before being sent to the president and signed into law.
This is notable not only because a similar proposal was vetoed by former Mexican President Vicente Fox under pressure from then-President Bush, but also because it closely follows Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan’s April 12 statement on Face the Nation that ending marijuana prohibition is a debate that should be happening on both sides of the border.
U.S. and Mexican officials estimate that between 60% and 70% of the drug cartels’ profits come from marijuana sales in the U.S. So while efforts to decriminalize marijuana possession in Mexico are laudable, ambitious legislation in the U.S. is needed to fully combat the rising tide of violence along the border.
See this piece from Reuters for more information on Mexico’s decriminalization bill.
Tagged with: decriminalization and Mexico by the author
29 comments
Wow. What great news! Not everything we want, but its a start. Atleast someone is laying the first brick. Hopefully its a small snowball starting to roll downhill. This should catch the attention of many.
I had heard a rumor about this and hoped it was true! It probably won’t completely stem the drug violence, to do that the US would have to join suit. I hope Calderon asked Obama to earnestly consider the idea.
This is great news.Now all we need is Canada and the U.S. to do the same thing.
Looks like America will be the last country on earth to have freedom.
Wow…this makes me think that the current presidents have discussed this….this is good…also Ben, I’m glad that you noticed to mention that Pres. Fox vetoed under pressure from then Pres. Bush
Great Start for Mexico, but America will need more leniency to solve our drug problems and the crime associated with drugs here at home and in Mexico.
This is bigger news than the 3 MM states FYI. We actually know the tenor of the conversation behind closed doors between Calderon and Obama now. The rest of the western world has wanted the obvious logic of the position taken by Mexico for some time but was strong-armed into toeing the line the US had drawn.
Combined with the rapid MM movement, the writing is on the wall. Please do everything you can to shut the stereotypes up; their passion is great and all but they are more of an impediment to this inertia than anything. If you yourself are one of those people who says stuff like “I smoke a bowl before I drive/got to work/etc just fine…” do us all a favor and shut up. Channel your passion into donating. Let MPP/NORML handle the arguments and politics.
wow
good adivce ,sounds like wisom from a wise sage
Hey! Look! It’s a country being more sensible than us!
everyone sign this
http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/a_revolution_is_needed
once mexico gets this through we will soon follow suit im sure. obama had to have a discussion about this with mexico and if they are doing it then im sure it is to soften up america so that these uptight butt-puckered shrews can wrap themselves around such a thing. its good to see some intelligence on this issue.
Wow, nice to hear we may get there one of these days. But we all have to keep after them, the more states that go medical the better, make those people in D.C. The ones in the minority. Donate and write to those who want to keep the cartels in the money.
I still think that full legalization is the only way to go. And while I welcome this move, I am still hesitant. Decriminalization, especially of such a small amount, will not necessarily decrease the cartel and criminal element that occurs behind the scenes. Marijuana needs to be fully brought out of the darkness and into an open and regulated system away from syndicated crime units.
Unfortunately, the problem is with US pot smokers. They’re still buying and the US is still prohibiting. The violence won’t diminish until the US decriminalizes. Since they won’t, the violence will continue and the US will say, “See? Told ya so!!”
I agree this is a huge step in the right direction, but until the US pulls its political head out of its…well, you get the point!
If all the world legalized MJ, the United States would surely WAKE UP to the benefits of legalizing MJ for a lot of Countries. Well, it seems the Mexico City visit was a success for Mexico at least, not even a comment about legalization from the Commander and Chief, Pres. Obama.
I totally agree with Michael on post #14. They are gonna throw it in our faces and say SEE! The chain is not complete though until the US also decriminalizes it. That is when we will see “Change” President Obama. Do the right thing for your people. Please
What is most interesting is how the prohibitionists are going to explain the American Policy to the United Nations, after promoting the single convention rule (our invention) for so long. Man! that’s a lot of crow to eat. Oh well! the world has been laughing at the U.S. for many years, so it’s nothing new. I just can’t imagine what mendacity will come out covering their tracks, and filling the holes. It’s going to be interesting for sure.
I’d have to agree. While as promising as this might be its not going to solve any of their/our problems. Just because its decriminalized the cartels are still in control of the sale. And 5 grams? Thats hardly enough to seem reasonable. It has to be totally legalized to work. And the US must follow suit, since we are a such a huge market for these cartels. Otherwise yes, this will be thrown in our face as a failure. Its almost as if Calderon and Obama tried to think of a way to make a plan that would be sure to fail so they could back up their beliefs that marijuana should remain illegal.
i think this is best news in a long time! if mexico’s president supports it im sure he can get it passed and fast too! and when the results show violence decreases and all the other benefits it will be a role model for our nation and will further pressure obama into doing similar. and if our nation remains stubborn good thing i live in AZ! w00t mexico here i come!…. after the violence and swine flu of course: )
First Portugal now Mexico… why is the U.S. dragging their feet?
How cynical are you people to think that they would pass something in order to play gotcha? This decriminalization is an expression of the underlying inertia of the issue, not some insidious plot to play Anslinger Reborn.
I suppose it’s easy to be cynical based on past performance but multiple peripheral measures suggest that this is the real thing. The hardest step to take is the first one.
The possible next step is Canada. Why? Because this is another country that wants to pursue a logical policy but was prevented from doing so by the US. The “self-selection” phenomenon regarding what Obama likely discussed with Calderon is unmistakable and it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the next domino to fall sooner rather than later.
This is Great News!!!!! Mexico knew we were not going to save them, so they went and saved themselves!!! God Bless the People of Mexico!!!
Oh Captain, My Captain!!! Can you see the writing on the Wall? Be like the President’s you love the best and free us of the Slavery of Marijuana Prohibition!!!! Act fast… Mexico is proving that they are more courageous than North America!!! MY President, History and the People of the United States of America are waiting!!!!! How long are you going to make us wait?
If people could get their Manna from a dispensary/pharmacy…
why would they look for it on a street corner, or in a back alley. Why would they support “illegal activity” and get busted…when they could support “legal activity” and put their tax revenues to good use. Who can’t figure that out??????????
aaaahhh, the sweet sound of the beating drums of legalizaton, sounds beautiful.
i hope my state kentucky legalize’s medical marijuana,i have glaucoma in right eye with clinical eye meausurements 44 last time i got checked,now my the left eye is showing occular pressure 22,it has increased each of my last three visits to eye dr.my eye docters tell me to keep marijuana on hand to control pressure and pain,but all i can get is pressed mexican pot.
This action by the Mexican gov’t coupled with much of S. America suggesting similar notions means that we are lagging. I’d love if we were leading, but it’s true that our drug war cannot be fought if the rest of the world refuses to participate.
It seems to me that there have been three children kidnapped in the U.S. in the past few months in drug-gang related home invasion robbery type incidents. The most recent incident was in California, but the first was in Nevada and the second in Georgia. I know the first two were drug related, the most recent appears to be also. Prohibition fosters criminal enterprises that victimize even the youngest and most innocent.
I just want to say to everyone out there
Remember that it is the people who are supposed to control the politicians and the government not the other way around!
STOP BEING AFRAID OF THE GOVERNMENT AND
MAKE THE GOVERNMENT AFRAID OF YOU!
GROUP IN NUMBERS AND RIOT!
EVERYTHING IS IN THE HANDS OF
WE THE PEOPLE.
Yes! Now it’s are turn, come April we WILL do the same, I just know it!
Congratulations Mexico!
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