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Mexico Fucking Legalizes! Coke! Marijuana! More!
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (UPI) -- Mexico has passed a new law that legalizes small amounts of marijuana, heroin, cocaine, LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms and peyote.
With the backing of President Vicente Fox, the bill also mandates treatment for addicts, The New York Times reported.
'We are not authorizing the consumption of drugs,' said Sen. Jorge Zermino, the bill`s sponsor in the Mexican Senate. 'We are combating it and recognizing that there are addicts that require special treatment. We cannot close our eyes, nor fill our jails with addicts.'
Under the bill, it is legal to possess 25 milligrams of heroin, a fifth of an ounce of marijuana or half a gram of cocaine.
Sen. Miguel Angel Navarro of the Party of the Democratic Revolution was among those opposed.
'Here we are authorizing drug use,' Navarro said. 'Whether it`s a little or a lot, we are legalizing drug use.'
Before the new law, local police could arrest someone only if the person was caught in the act of selling drugs -- only the federal police could arrest someone for drug possession.
Looks like I'm moving to Mexico.
For some good discussion check out the link and read the comments below:
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/southamerica/article_1159460.php/Mexico_softens_drug_laws
THOUGHTS, please!!
With the backing of President Vicente Fox, the bill also mandates treatment for addicts, The New York Times reported.
'We are not authorizing the consumption of drugs,' said Sen. Jorge Zermino, the bill`s sponsor in the Mexican Senate. 'We are combating it and recognizing that there are addicts that require special treatment. We cannot close our eyes, nor fill our jails with addicts.'
Under the bill, it is legal to possess 25 milligrams of heroin, a fifth of an ounce of marijuana or half a gram of cocaine.
Sen. Miguel Angel Navarro of the Party of the Democratic Revolution was among those opposed.
'Here we are authorizing drug use,' Navarro said. 'Whether it`s a little or a lot, we are legalizing drug use.'
Before the new law, local police could arrest someone only if the person was caught in the act of selling drugs -- only the federal police could arrest someone for drug possession.
Looks like I'm moving to Mexico.
For some good discussion check out the link and read the comments below:http://news.monstersandcritics.com/southamerica/article_1159460.php/Mexico_softens_drug_laws
THOUGHTS, please!!
0
Comments
US fury as Mexico softens drug laws and Why not coke from Boots?, that give a bit of context.
Leave off the Drugs forum regulars... the drugs slow things down a bit, ya know?
Don't swiss already provide coke from what I heard?
Not sure so just asking more than saying...
ok, will go and read them then
Oh and LadyJade, tnat second article is very good:
"Take away the illicit profits and you would remove the associated violence, corruption and prostitution too"
Too true! Mexico is certianly on the right track, as the minimal legalization and decriminalization will lower prices substantially...
They will not legalise supply of any restricted drug, there are international treaties to be thought of before you can do that. Except that is the Swiss who werent stupid enough to sign them.
Decriminalisation doesnt usually decrease cost of drugs drasticly, the dealing is still illegal and the dealers still want profits.
Decriminalisation is crap, its an acceptance that the drug war has failed but its a rubbish solution.
...I don't do aim/MSN anymore either.
Yes, but you have to consider other benefits of such a decision. Namely, reducing the massive number of petty drug offenders taking up space that should be filled with murderers instead. The US has more drug-related incarcerations than most countries have prisoners, and here it costs an average of $45,000 per prisoner/year (as quoted from CNN during a discussion regarding the Mexico drug reform), wasting millions in taxpayer dollars...
Incarceration is just a piece of the overall ramifications. A small drug offense will hurt a person far longer than whatever immediate punishment is dealt out. For starters, it precludes a fair amount of decent legitimate employment (meaning less disposable income if legitimate or less taxable income if otherwise derived) for up to a decade. Then, any subsequent charges will rise to a more severe punitive level. People on probation are subject to drug testing – if they fail, it’s a violation with stiffer penalties. A minor can be arrested for a minor offense typical of youthful shortsightedness, fail a drug test for pot and be put under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. Many people who could serve our government well with the lessons they've learned are ineligible for government employment. Others have lost their right to vote. In many areas you can't even be a volunteer EMT with a drug offense.
There are also issues of self-esteem after being subjected to the penal system – in many cases it’s a downward spiral rather than a dose of reality that “straightens out” the violator. While pot smokers or other small-time drug offenses don’t usually take up serious prison space (at least on the first offense), it diverts resources away from real crimes in every phase of the system from apprehension through probation.
Everyone is fearful that college students will flock to Mexico to take drugs. That’s pretty funny if you work or spend time on a college campus. Americans need to look a little more closely in our backyard before we blame Mexico for our drug “problems”. If the statistic is accurate that 40% of Americans have used an illicit drug at least once, it's a classic case of the pot (no pun intended) calling the kettle black.
Some GP's in the UK are prescribing low doses of dexamphetamine for cocaine abusers to try and stablise their use, it seems to work.
Certainly, there are benefits, but I just cant see the point in doing it. If you decriminalise you accept that penalties for personal use are stupid and a waste of time, if you accept this why not have legal supply?
As for the problems, as CuzIcare points out there are much wider than just criminal justice expences, there is the problem of student loans for example, it used to be the case (and I believe it still is) that people with charges of drug possesion against them couldn't get student loans. And when you consider how expensive American university is that's basically stopping anyone with a cannabis charge going to university, which is a massive punishment and a stupid one for the economy.
Also, there is the broader point about what the drug laws do to the relationship between young people and the State. If you have a large minority of young people who fear and loath the Police what does that do to society?
And yes, bong I see your point. Refusing a student loan in particular is one of the most idiotic penalties imaginable; creating an insurmountable obstacle which prevents an individual from progressing to college is hardly going to help them get their life together...
...also many colleges will reject your application if you have any [school-related] drug history, regardless of your academic skills or related commendations, although this situation is improving slightly...