Mexico: Lopez Obrador government to consider legalization of drugs

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Deutsche Welle


Mexico's incoming president has granted his interior minister "carte blanche" to consider legalizing drugs. The new Mexican government has promised to respond to record-high violence with a package of judicial reforms.

Date 18.07.2018

Mexico's new government is set explore the possibility of legalizing drugs, as part of a policy to tackle the violent crime that grips the nation, incoming Interior Minister Olga Sanchez Cordero said on Tuesday.

Sanchez Cordero, a former Supreme Court judge, made the remark at a university seminar on the nation's cartel-fueled violence. Mexico's drug traffickers are the biggest suppliers of cocaine, heroin and other narcotics to the US.

"On the subject of decriminalizing drugs, Andres Manuel told me, and I quote: 'Carte blanche. Whatever is necessary to restore peace in this country. Let's open up the debate,'" Sanchez Cordero said.

Since Mexico deployed its army to fight drug trafficking in 2006, the country has been engulfed in a wave of violence that has seen more than 200,000 murders. The incoming interior minister said that this militarization policy was in violation of the constitutional statute that public safety should be in the responsibility of civilian authorities.

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/mexico-lopez-obrador-government-to-consider-legalization-of-drugs/a-44717636

[mr_lebowski]

1. As long as they're illegal in teh US and other neighboring countries, not gonna help the issue ..

all that much I don't think. Mexicans aren't so much the 'consumers' of the drugs, and therefore not the 'profit center'. Long as there's tons of money to be made, due to US prohibition, the violence and turf wars will go on.

[DiverDave]

2. Seems to work in Portugal

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/05/portugals-radical-drugs-policy-is-working-why-hasnt-the-world-copied-it
That being said, Mexico is not Portugal. But they must do something. Too many are dying.

[safeinOhio]

3. The more forbidden the fruit....

the better it taste....

[duhneece]

4. This would be great

The US War on Drugs has wreaked human misery and Mexico’s legalization, like Portugal’s, would be one more step in dismantling so we can treat substance abuse from a public and mental health perspective

[Javaman]

5. it would be interesting to watch how Mexico would benefit from legalization...

when they live next to the "war on drugs" nation.

it will be fascinating to see how repukes and the long standing fucked up U.S. policy will react and respond.

I bet you right now, after that comment by the new Mexican president, people with a lot to lose are calling their congress morons to stop Mexico from potentially doing this.