Mexico Moves to Decriminalize Drugs
While no one was looking last week, Mexico’s Congress passed a bill decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, meth and a bunch of other drugs. President Felipe Calderon, a conservative, proposed the bill and was expected to sign it into law soon.
The last time Mexico tried to pull this off it ended horribly. In 2006, then-President Vicente Fox proposed similar legislation, got the thing passed, and then stuck his tail between his legs and vetoed it after Washington freaked out. So the fact that the world has stayed quiet on this round is encouraging. Yes, everyone’s been distracted by swine flu. But the silence might also have to do with changing attitudes toward legalization.
Over the last few months, everyone from the Wall Street Journal to TIME has published editorials championing—or at least imagining—an end to prohibition. Recent polls show more Americans than ever favor the idea. And back in February, three former presidents, of Mexico, Colombia and Brazil, published a report for the George Soros-funded Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy calling 30 years of hard-line drug policies an abject failure. Whether this all amounts to chimera remains to be seen. Expect the usual suspects to get mad when Calderon actually makes this policy. The big question is what—if anything—Obama will do about it.
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Mary, I am so pleased to see you writing for True/Slant. I too am a resident of Mexico (Ajijic on Lake Chapala) although my stays there vary depending on the year and the schedule. I lived there full time until about 18 months ago. I often write about what is going on in Mexico and try to set straight “gringo” misconceptions. I have no doubt that having a full time “voice” coming from Mexico City will be a very good thing for us all!
Thanks, Rick. It’s nice to be here.
Decriminalizing drugs would certainly mean that the drug treatment centers would be flooded. Even small amount of these drugs can lead to addiction.