The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation has opened the door to the legalization of marijuana for recreational and non-profit purposes. This decision is historic in Mexico, a country grappling with drug trafficking, and it was the judges who took this initiative, by a vote of four to one, despite a largely unpopular public opinion and political parties that remained undecided.<\/p>\n
It all began with a legal challenge filed by the Mexican Society for Responsible and Tolerant Self-Consumption, seeking to force a debate through legal channels. After the administration rejected the proposal, it went to court, and several appeals were filed, eventually reaching the Supreme Court, where it landed in the hands of Justice Arturo Zald\u00edvar, one of the Court's most progressive justices.<\/p>\n
According to Arturo Zald\u00edvar, the prohibition of marijuana is disproportionate to the constitutional right of individual autonomy, and he comments that the health risks are similar to those of tobacco. This ruling allows the Mexican Society for Responsible and Tolerant Self-Consumption to cultivate marijuana for personal use, prohibiting its sale, and also maintains that marijuana is not a harmless substance.<\/p>\n
The 4 ministers who voted in favor of the project were Olga S\u00e1nchez Cordero, Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00f3n Coss\u00edo, Alfredo Guti\u00e9rrez Ortiz Mena and the reporting judge, while Jorge Mario Pardo Rebolledo voted against it.<\/p>\n
According to experts, in a few years the legal scope of consumption will expand and restrictions will be eliminated, similar to what has happened in the US. For now, anyone who requests it will have to be granted the right to consume cannabis for recreational and non-commercial purposes.<\/p>\n
According to Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00f3n Cossio: \u201cThe fight against drugs has failed. A broad social debate is required.\u201d.<\/p>\n
For many years, the fight against organized crime has made little progress. Drug-related violence and the war against the cartels have resulted in a very high number of deaths and disappearances, weakening the arguments of those opposed to marijuana regulation. The approval of this bill will weaken drug cartel finances and possibly reduce violence related to street-level drug dealing.<\/p>\n
The historic ruling by Mexico's Supreme Court paves the way for change.<\/p>\n