When it comes to drug cartels, Mexico is usually the first country that people think of. That’s not to say that there aren’t cartels in other countries, because there absolutely are, but Mexico serves as a type of ‘funnel’ through which a lot of the drugs that end up in America passes through. Cartels are horrible, and have killed many lives in Mexico and beyond. Those that haven’t been killed often live in fear of what may happen to them at the hands of the cartels.
Recently Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that personal marijuana use and cultivation is a right that every Mexican citizen has. The case law hasn’t resulted in sweeping changes in Mexico, yet. But that could change as Mexico prepares to host a series of regional conferences aimed at debating marijuana reform. Per Marijuana Business Daily:
The country will hold a series of five debates across the nation, from January to March, that will focus on marijuana-related questions including health implications, possible regulations, the potential for lowering drug-related violence, and whether cannabis is a human right, according to AFP News.
While Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto remains opposed to marijuana reforms of any kind, including decriminalization or legalizing MMJ, AFP reported that Nieto may be open to changing laws depending on how the debates go.
“I am in favor of debate, so that specialists can give us some indication of where we should be going,” Nieto said, according to the Guardian.
It’s going to be very sad if this results in no action, especially if at the debates it’s clear that Mexico wants and needs marijuana reform (which I would guess it definitely does). It would remind me of the time that Richard Nixon disregarded information he received from his advisers in regards to the relatively low harms from consuming marijuana. Richard Nixon went on to push marijuana prohibition very hard despite what his advisers stated. I hope that doesn’t prove to be the case in Mexico.
