Drug legalization in Mexico

[yovargas]

I have no details about this as I just heard it on some radio talk show this morning, but apparently, today, the Mexican president is signing a bill that will make it legal to be carrying small amounts of drugs, including weed, heroin, cocain, LSD, and most others.

What do you think? Given my libertarian leanings and having just that bit of info, I think it's fantastic. I really wish the US would think about doing this, at the very very least for marijuana.

[Hachimitsu]

I seriously doubt the US would legalize something like that.

In Canada the government grows marijuana for studies and medicinal purposes and allow those with medical reasons (a ill person gets a certificate or something) to posess and use marijuana. To just casually have marijuana or any other kind of street drugs well I doubt the US would look favourabbly on that. Not to mention the potential increase of organized crime and other undesirable affects.

[Jude]

Actually, legalizing it could actually reduce organized crime. And as such, I would be in favour of it.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I think it is inevitably going to happen sooner or later. More and more people on all points of the political spectrum are beginning to realize that the "War on Drugs" is a policy failure.

[truehobbit]

Also, legalising it for many people takes away the attraction of trying it in the first place - so I guess it can be a good thing!

I think there's no more problem with carrying a small amount of hash with you, for personal use, than with carrying a bottle of spirits.
I'm not so sure about hard drugs like heroin - it's hard to imagine the use of that could be legalised.

[Erunáme]

I wouldn't have a problem with marijuana being legalized, but the harder drugs? That doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

I bet this will be another "great" reason for young people to visit Mexico. I have a cousin who has had problems with drugs and the law who moved to Denver because of its new laws. :|

[Voronwë the Faithful]

As it turned out, President Fox refused to sign the bill (after indicating that he would), because of intense U.S. pressure. It is very rare to have that kind of interference with the internal politics of sovereign nation.

[Jude]

It's not rare at all for the U.S. to interfere with the politics of sovereign nations.

Just saying.

[Hachimitsu]

It's not rare at all for the U.S. to interfere with the politics of sovereign nations.

Just saying.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I was being ironic.

[axordil]

And I was so hoping to open the brownie stand next to the "pick-your-own" farm outside Tijuana...

[Túrin Turambar]

In general, wars on general problems – poverty, drugs, ect., tend to fail. As far as I know, countries where certain hard drugs are legal (eg: Switzerland) cope quite well. I can see a measure such as this reducing crime for a start, and saving a lot of police resources.

[axordil]

In general, wars on general problems – poverty, drugs, ect., tend to fail.

Except of course for the ongoing War on Peace...

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Of war and peace the truth just twists
Its curfew gull just glides
Upon four-legged forest clouds
The cowboy angel rides
With his candle lit into the sun
Though its glow is waxed in black
All except when 'neath the trees of Eden

The lamppost stands with folded arms
Its iron claws attached
To curbs 'neath holes where babies wail
Though it shadows metal badge
All and all can only fall
With a crashing but meaningless blow
No sound ever comes from the Gates of Eden

The savage soldier sticks his head in sand
And then complains
Unto the shoeless hunter who's gone deaf
But still remains
Upon the beach where hound dogs bay
At ships with tattooed sails
Heading for the Gates of Eden

With a time-rusted compass blade
Aladdin and his lamp
Sits with Utopian hermit monks
Side saddle on the Golden Calf
And on their promises of paradise
You will not hear a laugh
All except inside the Gates of Eden

Relationships of ownership
They whisper in the wings
To those condemned to act accordingly
And wait for succeeding kings
And I try to harmonize with songs
The lonesome sparrow sings
There are no kings inside the Gates of Eden

The motorcycle black madonna
Two-wheeled gypsy queen
And her silver-studded phantom cause
The gray flannel dwarf to scream
As he weeps to wicked birds of prey
Who pick up on his bread crumb sins
And there are no sins inside the Gates of Eden

The kingdoms of Experience
In the precious wind they rot
While paupers change possessions
Each one wishing for what the other has got
And the princess and the prince
Discuss what's real and what is not
It doesn't matter inside the Gates of Eden

The foreign sun, it squints upon
A bed that is never mine
As friends and other strangers
From their fates try to resign
Leaving men wholly, totally free
To do anything they wish to do but die
And there are no trials inside the Gates of Eden

At dawn my lover comes to me
And tells me of her dreams
With no attempts to shovel the glimpse
Into the ditch of what each one means
At times I think there are no words
But these to tell what's true
And there are no truths outside the Gates of Eden

Sorry. Just had one of those Dylan moments. Carry on.