Mexico to decriminalize (small amounts of) pot, cocaine and heroin

[leftcider]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060428/...mexico_drugs_3

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Possessing marijuana, cocaine and even heroin will no longer be a crime in Mexico if the drugs are carried in small amounts for personal use, under legislation passed by Congress. The measure given final passage by senators in a late night session on Thursday allows police to focus on their battle against major drug dealers, the government says, and President Vicente Fox is expected to sign it into law. "This law provides more judicial tools for authorities to fight crime," presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar said on Friday. The measure was approved earlier by the lower house. Under the legislation, police will not penalize people for possessing up to 5 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of opium, 25 milligrams of heroin or 500 milligrams of cocaine. People caught with larger quantities of drugs will be treated as narcotics dealers and face increased jail terms under the plan. The legal changes will also decriminalize the possession of limited quantities of other drugs, including LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, amphetamines and peyote -- a psychotropic cactus found in Mexico's northern deserts. "The object of this law is to not put consumers in jail, but rather those who sell and poison," said Senator Jorge Zermeno of the ruling National Action Party. Fifty-three senators voted for the bill with 26 votes against. Hector Michel Camarena, an opposition senator from the Institutional Revolutionary Party, warned that although well intentioned, the law may go too far. "There are serious questions we have to carefully analyse so that through our spirit of fighting drug dealing, we don't end up legalizing," he said. "We have to get rid of the concept of the (drug) consumer."

I'm an oppontent of the Drug War, but I think that the highest cost in the Drug War is not in prosecuting small time users, but in creating the conditions for a huge black market to occur. The violence surronding the drug trade would not occur in a legal market, and is the biggest reason to end it. I agree with allowing people to alter their brain chemistry however they want, but until legalized production/sale occurs, the worst problems of the Drug War will remain.

This probably will work to fulfill Mexico's goals of freeing up more resourcess to prosecute big dealers. Neither the US nor Mexico can prosecute the problem out of existence, however. America's first Prohibition against alcohol and modern Drug War Prohibition prove this.

Of course, there is the economic gain to Mexico from US drug tourists who will come down and use... not like they can't find and use drugs in Mexico anyways. Who knows, maybe we'll see Vancouver-style pot coffee shops spring up in Tijuana (lulz @ teh image).

[Morgan_Freeman]

I fail to see why selling drugs is any worse than using them.

As for the "drug tourism" idea, how will that work if its still illegal to sell?

[Osborn F Enready]

The idea of decriminalization is not only valid, it is the ONLY answer to the problem.

The limits on the amount of the drugs is ridiculous.

A person with a 1/4 oz of marijuana would be considered a dealer, but knock 2 grams out and you are legal.

STUPID!

I could understand a 1oz, but 5 grams? Even occassional users have more than that AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.

They should make it all decriminalized, and organize the f-ing markets to ELIMINATE the black market.

Smells like entrapment opprotunity to me.

[Mia]

Quote by: Osborn F Enready Smells like entrapment opprotunity to me.

That's what I was thinking.

[Quismo]

I could understand a 1oz, but 5 grams? Even occassional users have more than that AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.

I consider an ounce to be reasonabe, so how would the govt go about setting a "reasonabe" equilibrium?

[Morgan_Freeman]

Quote by: Quismo I consider an ounce to be reasonabe, so how would the govt go about setting a "reasonabe" equilibrium?

Equilibrium between what?

[leftcider]

Quote by: Quismo I could understand a 1oz, but 5 grams? Even occassional users have more than that AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. I consider an ounce to be reasonabe, so how would the govt go about setting a "reasonabe" equilibrium?

I don't really think you can. If I was a stoner I might want to buy a bulk to get savings, hold a party, etc. It's going to be arbitrary at any level... if you made it 1/4 ounce or so that takes care of the denominations people would mostly buy in... at a level of 1 oz that would take care of almost everyone buying for consumption I think. I don't buy or smoke, but I think 5 grams is a little low.

[Osborn F Enready]

Quimo said: I consider an ounce to be reasonabe, so how would the govt go about setting a "reasonabe" equilibrium?

I say:
In Mexico, I don't know. At least their government is talking about the issue as opposed to ours I guess.

leftcider said: I don't really think you can. If I was a stoner I might want to buy a bulk to get savings, hold a party, etc. It's going to be arbitrary at any level... if you made it 1/4 ounce or so that takes care of the denominations people would mostly buy in... at a level of 1 oz that would take care of almost everyone buying for consumption I think. I don't buy or smoke, but I think 5 grams is a little low.

I say:
I think the amount issue is silly. If there were a legal market, there would be no profit for street dealers.

Marijuana especially, since it can be grown in Mexico, and 1 plant will yield much more than 5 grams! Why couldn't a person grow their own for personal consumption?