AP - Mexican Congress debates legalizing marijuana

Mexican Congress debates legalizing marijuana

By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO - 5 hours ago

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's Congress opened a three-day debate Monday on the merits of legalizing marijuana for personal use, a policy backed by three former Latin American presidents who warned that a crackdown on drug cartels is not working.
Although President Felipe Calderon has opposed the idea, the unprecedented forum shows legalizing marijuana is gaining support in Mexico amid brutal drug violence.
Such a measure would be sure to strain relations with the United States at a time when the two countries are stepping up cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking. The congressional debate - open to academics, experts and government officials - ends a day before President Barack Obama arrives in Mexico for talks on the drug war.
Proponents had a boost in February when three former presidents - Cesar Gaviria of Colombia, Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico and Fernando Cardoso of Brazil - urged Latin American countries to consider legalizing the drug to undermine a major source of income for cartels.
The congressional discussion takes on a subject "that had been taboo" in our country, said opposition lawmaker Javier Gonzalez, adding that his Democratic Revolution Party supports legalizing personal marijuana consumption.
"What we don't want is to criminalize youths for consuming or possessing marijuana," he said.
Calderon, whose six-year terms ends in 2012, has proposed legislation that would offer users treatment instead of jail time but stop short of legalizing or decriminalizing possession.
In 2006, Mexico backed off a law that would have abolished prison sentences for drug possession in small amounts after the U.S. protested.
"It's clear that a totally prohibitive policy has not been a solution for all ills," said Interior Department official Blanca Heredia. "At the same time, it's illusory to imagine that complete legalization of marijuana would be a panacea."
Heredia urged lawmakers to keep in mind that drug use is rising in Mexico. She said the number of people who have tried drugs rose from 3.5 million in 2002 to 4.5 million in 2008, while the number of addicts rose from 307,000 to an estimated 465,000.
Mexico's drug violence has surged to unprecedented levels since Calderon launched a military-led offensive against powerful trafficking cartels in 2006. Since then, more than 10,560 people have been killed, mostly in violence between rival gangs.
Lawmakers are not discussing a specific proposal, and the debate is not expected to result in concrete action. Lawmakers have said they want to hear various viewpoints before they begin considering proposed bills for legalizing marijuana.

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Originally Posted by Rexanglorum

Viva Mexico!

It is so painfully obvious how foolish our drug policy is and we force other leaders in Latin America and elsewhere. President Obama talks of America being arrogant but he says it he is mostly in the context of the Iraq war and other poilicies concerning Europe and the Middle East. If President Obama really wanted to make amends to the groups with the strongest and most legitimate against this country, one need only look South. Our policy in Latin America has been very short sighted, irresponsible and above all arrogant and that is most clearly illustrated by our government's anti drug efforts in South America. We arrogantly are imposing drug prohibition on all Latin American nations and demand that those Latin American leaders behave as heads of client state and help us in our unwinnable, costly, counter productive and pointless war on drugs.

The fact that we do not face wave after wave of suicide bombers from the Colombian countryside shows that blow back is far from a simple and linear function based on legitimate grievances about the US Government. If it were the case, we would see little or no Saudis engaging in acts of terror against the US and instead we would see terrorist attacks from poor, sick, hopeless and incontrovertibly harmed victims of our global war on drugs.

Hopefully the stance of Mexican Congress will have the effect of making other Latin American leaders seriously consider opting out of the drug war. The best step that could be taken is ending the drug war but short of that, if Latin American leaders went "soft" on the growing of marijuana, poppies and coca plants and market was flooded with those substances, it would weaken the power of the cartel's. Despite all of the paternalistic claims that drugs should be illegal because they are a "waste of money,"Cocaine, Marijuana and Opiates are very cheap to produce and if they were legal they would cost less than alcohol. Considering that fact, even if drugs stay illegal in the US, if the production of drugs was allowed to be unfettered, it would pull down the price of the drugs sold by the cartels. Some would be unprofitable and others that stay in business would have fewer resources to terrorize.

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Originally Posted by chagocal

Not a bad idea, this would certainly help our economy if the US could pass something like this tax the low level drugs and erase the national debt.

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Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

They should legalize drugs, maybe it would decrease some of the violence. People are going to smoke trees regardless, legal or illegal. Why not just legalize it to generate some type of revenue. Jesus FTL.

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Originally Posted by Hank Hill

Originally Posted by Rexanglorum

Viva Mexico!

It is so painfully obvious how foolish our drug policy is and we force other leaders in Latin America and elsewhere. President Obama talks of America being arrogant but he says it he is mostly in the context of the Iraq war and other poilicies concerning Europe and the Middle East. If President Obama really wanted to make amends to the groups with the strongest and most legitimate against this country, one need only look South. Our policy in Latin America has been very short sighted, irresponsible and above all arrogant and that is most clearly illustrated by our government's anti drug efforts in South America. We arrogantly are imposing drug prohibition on all Latin American nations and demand that those Latin American leaders behave as heads of client state and help us in our unwinnable, costly, counter productive and pointless war on drugs.

The fact that we do not face wave after wave of suicide bombers from the Colombian countryside shows that blow back is far from a simple and linear function based on legitimate grievances about the US Government. If it were the case, we would see little or no Saudis engaging in acts of terror against the US and instead we would see terrorist attacks from poor, sick, hopeless and incontrovertibly harmed victims of our global war on drugs.

Hopefully the stance of Mexican Congress will have the effect of making other Latin American leaders seriously consider opting out of the drug war. The best step that could be taken is ending the drug war but short of that, if Latin American leaders went "soft" on the growing of marijuana, poppies and coca plants and market was flooded with those substances, it would weaken the power of the cartel's. Despite all of the paternalistic claims that drugs should be illegal because they are a "waste of money,"Cocaine, Marijuana and Opiates are very cheap to produce and if they were legal they would cost less than alcohol. Considering that fact, even if drugs stay illegal in the US, if the production of drugs was allowed to be unfettered, it would pull down the price of the drugs sold by the cartels. Some would be unprofitable and others that stay in business would have fewer resources to terrorize.

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