http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/ ... index.html


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."

trying to get all these illegals back

shrewd move

as well as half this board

Good, let us see the impact this has. Not only in Mexico, but here as well.

I could see marijuana and even ecstasy, but cocaine and heroin?

Good call, Mexico.

Hats off for legalizing pot, but I dont know about cocaine, X, and heroin. I guess if someone is dumb enough to do those drugs the government must think they can live with the consequences.

Personal freedom, boys and girls.

And, uh, all sorts of other negative externalities that come from cocaine and heroin use. I'm not talking about the drug crime; more like AIDS/other diseases, kids with messed up parents, etc. I can understand their feeling that arresting these people is a waste of resources, but they can't just pretend that the problem doesn't exist, because then MORE average citizens will start doing heavy drugs.

How do you know this?

You don't think that the fact that it's illegal makes any kids think twice about starting?

no.

nice..

all those people are sneaking up here..we should sneak down there..it would be an even trade of land eventually..fuck it..weathers nicer..evenutally they will have an english version of their national anthem

hahahahahahahahahahaha...

you're joking, right?

you ever hear of underage drinking?

1) Drinking is a little different than shooting up.
2) I bet every high school kid would be an alcoholic if underage drinking was legal. Maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but believe it or not, there are more than a few of us who respect the laws.

but most teenagers start to do forbidden and illegal things as a way of rebellion. i can't believe i forgot to mention smoking too (which i started in high school BECAUSE i wasn't supposed to)

it just...feels good to do something wrong once in awhile. (within reason...i'm not saying i randomly murder people because it's illegal)

This is seriously good. We're gonna look back at this in five years and come to the realization that legalizing drugs is a disaster. It's good because it's Mexico!

Like, say if Oregon would have had universal healthcare pass. It would have been great, because it would have been Oregon!

The reason alcohol laws don't deter kids from drinking, is because there's about no punishment associated with it. It's simply not a deterant of any sort. If the law would uphold the laws, kids would think twice about them.

The same goes for minor pot posession. It's not gonna mitigate shit when you give kids 20 hours of community service and make them go to drug counseling.

Kids, and even people, when it comes to drugs, know that posession charges ain't shit. Despite what the left tries to turn them into.

Wow if Mexico is smart enough to do it, why can't...wait...nevermind.

mexico also prohibitted slavery at the beginning of the 1800's while the negroid was still riding at the back of the bus in 1965 when our current president was getting ready for college get drunk and doing coke himself.... embarassing

land of the free?
the light of liberty ?
yeah right



WHITE POWER

Dude! non-sequitur of the century!