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Mexico Decriminalizes Pot, Cocaine and Heroin
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has signed into law a bill passed by the country's congress last spring. The new measure decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, LSD, methamphetamines and heroin, setting limits for what constitutes "personal use" quantities. At the same time, it provides free treatment for those with drug addiction. The hope is that the law will distinguish casual users from addicts. Before, those arrested for drug possession -- even for small amounts -- were handed long jail terms. Studies show that drug use is on the rise in Mexico, calling into question the efficacy of deterrent policies. In addition, the ongoing violent drug war against cartels, which has killed an estimated 11,000 since Calderon took office in 2006, also played an influential roll in the government's shift from punishment to treatment.
Though, in regards to drug policy, the Obama administration has so far charted a different course than that of George W. Bush, the United States has yet to offer an official response to the new law. A measure in Congress introduced earlier this year by Barney Frank and co-sponsored by Ron Paul seeks to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.
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David Knowles
A journalist, musician and novelist, David Knowles has covered politics at AOL for the past two and a half years...moreRelated Articles
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Comments (53)
Alexander Blood
10:42AM Aug 21st 2009
Finally, a common sense drug policy! If only more people would vote Libertarian in the US then we may see some progress where this is concerned rather than wasting tons of taxpayers' money on an unwinnable 'war' against personal drug users. I do believe, however, that Mexico should look into regulation of the quality of the drugs sold as eradication of the criminal element from the drugs industry and added safety for users should be priorities of any responsible drugs policy.
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(20)
(20) 
pepperweeks
10:50AM Aug 21st 2009
How does one responsibly use Heroine? Are you serious?
RATE THIS COMMENT: (11)
(11) WADE....
11:09AM Aug 21st 2009
I say DRUG and ALCOHOL test all those baffoons in Office! starting with Peloski...she always looks like she's got the DT's....
***
No Death Panels in Government Run Health Care ???…Here’s the video…
The State of Oregon refused to pay for a woman’s cancer treatment, instead telling her they’d pay for assisted suicide CAUSE IT'S CHEAPER !...
http://wadesayswhat.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/no-death-panels-in-government-run-health-care-heres-the-video/
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(-5)
(-5) Paul
4:54PM Aug 21st 2009
Way to get off topic Wade.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (8)
(8) mayabelle1107
10:56AM Aug 21st 2009
Libertarians are not all about legalized drugs, nor should the Democrats be all about abortion. Though both of those causes have taken over respective parties and that is why so many people are leaving them. Marijuana is not a threat to society and should not even be used in the same sentence as the others, that are obviously dangerous, psyche-altering chemical compounds. While I'm sure Knowles will not post my comment, hasn't posted last 10 or so, I hope that the American people can reach some sane drug policy that keeps kids and adults out of jail and rehab for smoking a joint at a party. It's become reflective of the 'all or nothing' policies that pollute either side of the American political system. Some times sanity lies somewhere in the middle. Libertarians used to use this as their battle cry, now it seems they're for, pardon me Mr. Porter, "Anything Goes".
RATE THIS COMMENT: (16)
(16) lrm
10:57AM Aug 21st 2009
you dont use heroin responsibly..you just DIE....excellent solution as long as you hurt no one else....EXCELLENT!
RATE THIS COMMENT: (7)
(7) lrm
10:59AM Aug 21st 2009
love it! now all the crips bluds fudds dudds etc...can go down to mexico and blow out their own brains with all the coke they want mixed with heroin and whatever....just dont come back!
RATE THIS COMMENT: (5)
(5) pjbl2223
11:11AM Aug 21st 2009
Okay USA time to wake up! Remember to remind employers that small amounts are legal as well! Otherwise it is just another sham law.
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(2)
(2) justlegalizeit09
11:34AM Aug 21st 2009
you have confused 'decriminalized' with 'legalized' decriminalizing drugs means they are still illegal but you wont go to jail for it... its just a civil penalty. i sure wish people knew what they were talking about before they spoke.... decriminalizing drugs in america will not change a thing.... sure, there will be less arrests but the drug trade will still be in the hands of the drug cartel and your still fueling criminal activity!.... WE NEED TO LEGALIZE NOT DECRIMINALIZE... right now we are fighting 2 wars with this, the war against the cartels and dealers and the war against the drugs themselves.... if you legalize you get rid of the cartels and the violence that comes with them and you stop the funding to criminals all across the country so you can focus your efforts on education and reducing drug use and dependancy... dont think it will work? look at cigarettes, use has gone down quite a bit thanks to an education campaign and the we id program. and that was before prices skyrocketed..... prohibition does not work! Legalize, Regulate, Educate, Medicate
RATE THIS COMMENT: (32)
(32) uhlerrobertj
2:43PM Aug 21st 2009
justlegalizeit09
11:34AM Aug 21st 2009
you have confused 'decriminalized' with 'legalized' decriminalizing drugs means they are still illegal but you wont go to jail for it... its just a civil penalty. i sure wish people knew what they were talking about before they spoke.... decriminalizing drugs in america will not change a thing.... sure, there will be less arrests but the drug trade will still be in the hands of the drug cartel and your still fueling criminal activity!.... WE NEED TO LEGALIZE NOT DECRIMINALIZE... right now we are fighting 2 wars with this, the war against the cartels and dealers and the war against the drugs themselves.... if you legalize you get rid of the cartels and the violence that comes with them and you stop the funding to criminals all across the country so you can focus your efforts on education and reducing drug use and dependancy... dont think it will work? look at cigarettes, use has gone down quite a bit thanks to an education campaign and the we id program. and that was before prices skyrocketed..... prohibition does not work! Legalize, Regulate, Educate, Medicate>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Don't forget Taxificate! For me, it would be perfect. Tax the drugs that I don't use, (pot, coke, heroin, LSD, X) and lower the tax on beer, which I use in great quantity.
11:34AM Aug 21st 2009
you have confused 'decriminalized' with 'legalized' decriminalizing drugs means they are still illegal but you wont go to jail for it... its just a civil penalty. i sure wish people knew what they were talking about before they spoke.... decriminalizing drugs in america will not change a thing.... sure, there will be less arrests but the drug trade will still be in the hands of the drug cartel and your still fueling criminal activity!.... WE NEED TO LEGALIZE NOT DECRIMINALIZE... right now we are fighting 2 wars with this, the war against the cartels and dealers and the war against the drugs themselves.... if you legalize you get rid of the cartels and the violence that comes with them and you stop the funding to criminals all across the country so you can focus your efforts on education and reducing drug use and dependancy... dont think it will work? look at cigarettes, use has gone down quite a bit thanks to an education campaign and the we id program. and that was before prices skyrocketed..... prohibition does not work! Legalize, Regulate, Educate, Medicate>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Don't forget Taxificate! For me, it would be perfect. Tax the drugs that I don't use, (pot, coke, heroin, LSD, X) and lower the tax on beer, which I use in great quantity.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-2)
(-2) Charles Queen
11:14AM Aug 21st 2009
Not to bad escept for the heroin and coke deal.They could do like holland has done and let the goverment have the clinincs like they did for the heroin users where they are given just enough to keep them ok and they have to use it while being there which makes sense.The coke makes no snese at all it should be totaly out of the picture.MArijuana on the other hand should be legalised.It is far safer than tobaco and alcahol is to the body with out a doubt and has been the nations number one cash crop for many years noe here in the U.S..Ifd they don't get overky greedy with the taxing of it than it would eliminatethe vast najoirty of those growing it illegaly.There will always be some that will keep doing this,it's a given but it is worth it when you look at the many bilions of dollars each year we would make off the tax revenue's
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(6) wkb2texans
11:15AM Aug 21st 2009
Coming soon to the USA ... mark my word.
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(10) bobby and sandi
11:25AM Aug 21st 2009
COMING TO AMERICA ------ THANKS TO OBAMA
RATE THIS COMMENT: (1)
(1) baa14
11:31AM Aug 21st 2009
portugal did this years ago and they haven't imploded....
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(17) MARK
11:31AM Aug 21st 2009
"We need to more progressive...like Mexico..." (Nancy Pelosi-D)
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(8) Janna
11:38AM Aug 21st 2009
I say that substance abuse is a medical problem! and as such should be treated like one, The black market and violence exsists because its criminal to use. But like always we slap a fine and a stigma on societies problems instead of addressing the real cause.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (15)
(15) DoneZone
4:05AM Aug 24th 2009
Excellent source for documents that consider how a post-prohibition society might operate is Transform Drug Policy Foundation
They have several comprehensive reports, including a recently released report which looks at the cost-effectiveness of prohibition or a regulated/managed way of dealing with drugs in society.
Mexico is definitely in the right direction, however the amount limits are absurdly small. 50 milligrams of heroin does not even cover the normal single dose for an addict, let alone their daily consumption So it only affects the most casual or recreational user. Same with just half a gram of coke. That's a very small amount.
Portugal decriminalized 8 years ago. Their effort is widely seen as successful. An excellent comprehensive review is available from the Cato Institute However, Portugal sensibly allowed for reasonable amounts for personal possession; in Portugal "decriminalization applies to the purchase, possession, and consumption of all drugs for personal use (defined as the average individual quantity sufficient for 10 days’ usage for one person)".
They have several comprehensive reports, including a recently released report which looks at the cost-effectiveness of prohibition or a regulated/managed way of dealing with drugs in society.
Mexico is definitely in the right direction, however the amount limits are absurdly small. 50 milligrams of heroin does not even cover the normal single dose for an addict, let alone their daily consumption So it only affects the most casual or recreational user. Same with just half a gram of coke. That's a very small amount.
Portugal decriminalized 8 years ago. Their effort is widely seen as successful. An excellent comprehensive review is available from the Cato Institute However, Portugal sensibly allowed for reasonable amounts for personal possession; in Portugal "decriminalization applies to the purchase, possession, and consumption of all drugs for personal use (defined as the average individual quantity sufficient for 10 days’ usage for one person)".
RATE THIS COMMENT: (15)
(15) Matt
11:48AM Aug 21st 2009
If we are only free to make good choices, then we are not really free. Alcohol is just as bad as heroin. You people need to listen to reason and logic. This is a small step towards freedom, good job Mexico! ♥
RATE THIS COMMENT: (18)
(18) sstreett123
7:22AM Aug 22nd 2009
bingo!, people criticise mexico, but at least they are taking a step in the right direction. the u.s. has more people in prison , or on parole, than any other developed country,and one has to guess that half of those people are there on trivial drug possession charges. the land of the free? i know a 19 yr old kid who spent 3 yrs in prison for a bag of pot (2nd offense). his single parent mom didn't have enough money for a good lawyer(if there's such a thing) to get him a fair trial.he didn't hurt anyone, didn't steal to get it, a good kid screwed for life. we are creating criminals by throwing them in prison. but its ok to promote hard liquor on tv adds? its ok to prescribe oxycodone for every little ache and pain, but dont get caught with a joint. where's the logic ? mexico's screwed up?, that's like the pot calling the kettle black.
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(8) joedenver60
12:00PM Aug 21st 2009
This shift in mexico's policy on drugs will have a dramatic effect on how the United states will deal with the drug problem here on our homeland.....it will discriminate against crime
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-4)
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