Mexico debates the legalization of marijuana
Mexico's Supreme Court will discuss this Wednesday the project by Minister Arturo Zaldívar on regulating the cultivation, planting and recreational use of marijuana.
We highlight 5 key points to understand the situation of cannabis in Mexico:
Possession of up to 5 grams of marijuana
In 2009, drug use was decriminalized and possession of up to five grams of marijuana was permitted, but trafficking and production remain crimes. According to the Mexican Penal Code, this offense carries a sentence of 10 to 25 years, with the maximum possible sentence reaching 37 years in prison.
According to the latest National Survey of Addictions, the number of marijuana users in Mexico is around 5.7 million.
World's second largest producer of marijuana
The latest UN drug report ranks Mexico as the world's second-largest producer of marijuana, after Morocco. It also holds the same position in the production of opium and heroin.
The area under cannabis cultivation in Mexico is 12,000 hectares (year 2011).
Million-dollar profits
Although the figures are not exact, a report from the United States Department of Justice estimates that Mexican and Colombian cartels obtain annual profits of about $39 billion.
The DEA (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) estimates that the illegal sale of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana in the U.S. generates $22 billion in annual profit. It's worth noting that these drugs are primarily smuggled in from Mexico.
Many prisoners are in jail due to marijuana use.
The Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) conducted a survey of the prison population and estimates that 60% of the prisoners have committed crimes against health.
58% of these prisoners have been convicted of transporting, possessing or trafficking marijuana, 27% for cocaine and the rest for other drugs.
According to the CID, the drug policy implemented has been “focused on arresting small-scale traffickers and users.” It adds that this “places an enormous burden on the system and means the use of resources that are not being used to prosecute and punish more serious and socially impactful criminal activity.”.
Mexico has a prison population rate of 204 per 100,000 inhabitants.
The United States and Paraguay are pioneers in the regulation of marijuana
The states of Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, the District of Columbia, and the country of Uruguay have approved the recreational use of cannabis.
However, cultivation regulations vary from place to place. For example, in Oregon, it is permitted to cultivate up to four plants for personal use, while in Colorado it is prohibited and must be purchased from authorized stores or pharmacies with a prescription. In Uruguay, home cultivation of up to six marijuana plants is permitted, but it can also be purchased from authorized stores up to a limit of 40 grams per month or from cannabis clubs, where the number of plants cultivated is proportional to the number of club members.
In all cases it is illegal for minors to possess, buy or consume the plant.
It should be noted that in Uruguay there has been a decline in the illegal market, and consumers prefer self-cultivate his own marijuana.
Fountain: The Country