Tom Yum

Mexico set to legalize personal amounts of pot, cocaine, heroin

Friday, April 28, 2006; Posted: 10:10 p.m. EDT (02:10 GMT)


Article 478: No criminal prosecution will be brought against:

I. Any person in possession of medications which contain substances classified as narcotics ... when these medications, in their nature and amounts, are those necessary for the treatment of the individual or persons in his custody or care.

II. Any drug addict or consumer who is found in possession of a narcotic for personal use.


Article 474: (Defines a "consumer" as):
Any person who consumes or uses psychotropic or narcotic substances, and who does not exhibit any symptoms of addiction.
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- Mexico's Congress on Friday approved a bill decriminalizing possession of small quantities of marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine and even heroin for personal use, prompting U.S. criticism that the measure could harm anti-drug efforts.

The only step remaining was the signature of President Vicente Fox, whose office indicated he would sign the bill, which Mexican officials hope will allow police to focus on large-scale trafficking operations rather than minor drug busts.

"This law gives police and prosecutors better legal tools to combat drug crimes that do so much damage to our youth and children," said Fox's spokesman, Ruben Aguilar.

If Fox signs the measure and it becomes law, it could strain the two countries' cooperation in anti-drug efforts -- and increase the vast numbers of vacationing students who visit Mexico.

Oscar Aguilar, a Mexico City political analyst, said Fox appeared almost certain to sign the law -- his office proposed it, and his party supports it -- and that he had apparently been betting that it would not draw much notice.

"That's probably why they (the senators) passed it the way they did, in the closing hours of the final session," Aguilar said. "He's going to sign it. ... He's not going to abandon his party two months before the (presidential) election."

U.S. officials scrambled to come up with a response to the bill. One U.S. diplomat who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly said "we're still studying the legislation, but any effort to decriminalize illegal drugs would not be helpful."

The bill, passed 53-26 with one abstention by Mexico's Senate in the early morning hours, already has been approved in the lower house of Congress. It also stiffens penalties for trafficking and possession of drugs -- even small quantities -- by government employees or near schools, and maintains criminal penalties for drug sales.

The bill says criminal charges will no longer be brought for possession of up to 25 milligrams of heroin, 5 grams of marijuana (about one-fifth of an ounce, or about four joints), or 0.5 grams of cocaine -- the equivalent of about 4 "lines," or half the standard street-sale quantity (though half-size packages are becoming more common).

"No charges will be brought against ... addicts or consumers who are found in possession of any narcotic for personal use," according to the Senate bill, which also lays out allowable quantities for an array of other drugs, including LSD, ecstasy and amphetamines.

Some of the amounts are eye-popping: Mexicans would be allowed to possess more than two pounds of peyote, the button-size hallucinogenic cactus used in some native Indian religious ceremonies.

Mexican law now leaves open the possibility of dropping charges against people caught with drugs if they are considered addicts and if "the amount is the quantity necessary for personal use." But the exemption is not automatic. The new bill drops the "addict" requirement -- automatically allowing any "consumers" to have drugs -- and sets out specific allowable quantities.

Mexican officials declined to explain how the law would work -- including whether drug use in public would be tolerated, or discouraged by other means.

The law was defended by Mexican legislators -- and greeted with glee by U.S. legalization advocates.

"We can't close our eyes to this reality," said Sen. Jorge Zermeno, of Fox's conservative National Action Party. "We cannot continue to fill our jails with people who have addictions."

Ethan Nadelmann, director of the New York-based Drug Policy Alliance, said the bill removed "a huge opportunity for low-level police corruption." In Mexico, police often release people detained for minor drug possession, in exchange for bribes.

Selling all these drugs would remain illegal under the proposed law, unlike the Netherlands, where the sale of marijuana for medical use is legal and it can be bought with a prescription in pharmacies. While Dutch authorities look the other way regarding the open sale of cannabis in designated coffee shops -- something Mexican police seem unlikely to do -- the Dutch have zero tolerance for heroin and cocaine. In both countries, commercial growing of marijuana is outlawed.

In Colombia, a 1994 court ruling decriminalized personal possession of small amounts of cocaine, heroin and other drugs.

The effects in Mexico could be significant, given that the country is rapidly becoming a drug-consuming nation as well as a shipment point for traffickers, and given the number of U.S. students who flock to border cities or resorts like Cancun and Acapulco on vacation.

"This is going to increase addictions in Mexico," said Ulisis Bon, a drug treatment expert in Tijuana, where heroin use is rampant. "A lot of Americans already come here to buy medications they can't get up there ... Just imagine, with heroin."

Tom Yum

Yeah. I'm curious to know how we will be responding.

Sagacious Lu

Well, if there's one thing that the illegal imigrants and the so-called "War on Drugs" have taught us it's that the Mexican border is incredibly porous. Personally I think decriminalization is a big step in the right direction for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the amount of time and money that is wasted by both our LEOs as well as our correctional facilities dealing with people that commit no crimes other than drug use. This could (and would, if it were widely adopted state-side) also reduce the number of overdoses in the area because it's going to encourage regular consistancy in the potency of things like heroin and cocaine. Most heroin overdoses happen because an addict who is used to getting a product is heavily cut gets his/her hands on something that is of a much higher quality. They then shoot as much as they are used to, unknowingly giving themselves an extremely strong dose. The other thing this will do is make it easier for addicts to seek help for their problems by removing some of the stigma they carry as criminals. There is a huge potential to reduce the harm that drugs do in ideas like this one.
We'll have to see what effect this really has though, Mexico has always been pretty wild and lawless and that hasn't changed. It's also going to be interesting (to say the least) what response we're going to see from our law enforcement community.

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Garland

I think the REAL question here is...is it as porous as nutter's face???

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homo homini lupus

Sagacious Lu

Well, you know when I'm volunteering I always warn people that using drugs, especially crack, while you're pregnant can harm the unborn child. It's a real shame I didn't get a chance to talk to Nutter's mom before the damage was done so we have to let him be a lesson to us all: Don't smoke crack while you're pregnant kids, otherwise your child will come out like Nutter

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