Translated by Rachel Alexander
Arteaga, Coahuila - During the third forum on the use of marijuana and the national debate convened by the government, Secretary of Government Relations Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong spoke for the first time about the "possible regulation" of marijuana in Mexico. But he said during this process, we have to keep in mind our proximity to the United States where, he said, one-quarter of illegal drugs in the world are consumed, and analyze the harm from applying wrong public policy.
The official directly criticized the high price that the poorly named War on Drugs (implemented during the last administration) has brought, which, he said, has brought an unprecedented increase in violence thanks to a misdiagnosis and poorly designed strategy. He said that Coahuila is an example of this,
In front of specialists from Mexico and other countries, brought together to talk about "the economic aspects and regulation" of the drug, he said it's necessary to distinguish between the harms caused by drugs and those cause by poor policies on the subject.
In this search for answers about the policies Mexico should adopt to meet the growing consumption of illegal substances, as well as how to combat drug trafficking and its economic power, the secretary proposed discussing four points.
- First, "they would have to answer what are the implications of regulating marijuana, facing the US market", that is to say, assessing domestic demand and demand from the neighboring country.
- Second, define the costs of the current model and study those involved in a legalization plan, not only in economic terms, but also in individual, social and health terms. "Thus, a possible regulation of marijuana should not aim to generate wealth, but instead prioritize public health and displacement of black markets," he said.
- The third point is to put in place a system to substitute for the crops of those currently growing drugs.
- A fourth element to consider, he said, are the changes occurring in other countries and the international conventions Mexico has signed relating to drugs. For example, while it is not possible to cultivate poppies for medical purposes in Mexico, the illicit market produces it for consumption in other nations. Hence in Mexico, many patients do not have access to substances such as morphine, because it must be imported.
During the second meeting in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, he referred to advancing the decriminalization of consumption.
Now, he said, the issue should be examined from a holistic perspective that seeks to balance control and guarantee freedoms and rights, but also protects the health and safety of the population, "a regulation that does not remain strictly punitive." Spanish original
MV Note: In November 2015, the First Chamber of the Mexican Supreme Court of Justice granted an injunction to four persons who had applied, as a test case, to the Federal Commission for Protection Against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) for permits to grow marijuana for their personal consumption. The court ordered COFEPRIS to issue the permits on the grounds that prohibition of such violated the constitutional right to the free development of personality.
For the decision to be generally applicable, the First Chamber needs to resolve consecutively four other similar amparos, also with four favorable votes. COFEPRIS recently announced that it has received over 200 more requests for pemits since last December and that it will reject them, which will lead to more appeals to the Supreme Court. All of this led to government to organize a national debate on marijuana, to conclude by the end of March. Congress has also held hearings on the issue.See more articles on Mexico's debate of Marijuana legalization