Woah, Mexico decriminalized Marijuana/Cocaine/Heroin/LSD/Meth.

[Synchronomyst]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-08-20-mexico-drugs_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has enacted a controversial law that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and heroin.

The law defines "personal use" amounts for those drugs, as well as LSD and methamphetamines.

It says people found with those amounts will not face criminal prosecution, but that if caught a third time they will be required to complete treatment programs, though no punishment is specified to enforce that.

The law enacted Thursday says anyone caught with personal-use quantities of drugs will be urged to seek treatment for dependency. It takes effect Friday.

In 2006, the U.S. government publicly criticized a similar bill. Then-President Vicente Fox sent that legislation back to Congress for reconsideration.

[W1nTry]

How does this fit into the whole North Amerian Union though?

[Philosophical45]

hmmm, interesting. Wonder how long this will last, but i guess spring break is gonna be a whole lot freer huh..lol

[Redlum08]

Well I can see why they are trying this, they feel it might curb organized crime especially with the cartel problem they are having in Mexico. But will it work...I highly doubt.

[Arcmanov]

Them cartels dealing in large quantities regardless.  This move might just affect them small-time pushers.

[Synchronomyst]

Well I can see why they are trying this, they feel it might curb organized crime especially with the cartel problem they are having in Mexico. But will it work...I highly doubt.

It curbs street level organized crime (not the massive narcotrade) and keeps the common person out of prison on bullsh**t charges which do nothing to deter usage but instead inadvertently creates career criminals. Money would be better spent informing the communities about safe usage and creating drug clinics.

[Crixx_Creww]

will also drive prices downwards. supply and demand.

not sure if this will piss the cartels off or not though.

Might still have truck loads of heads at the side of the road, just for sh**s and giggles.

[W1nTry]

Or it could create even more addicts... availability will go UP as prices go down... If they're lucky it'll be the new amsterdam, if they're not (which is likely imho) it'll deteriorate regardless.

[Redlum08]

Or it could create even more addicts... availability will go UP as prices go down... If they're lucky it'll be the new amsterdam, if they're not (which is likely imho) it'll deteriorate regardless.

Yea, now there'll be drunk AND high Mexicans trying to get over the border to the US...hmmm, perhaps its a plot to get them so high that they don't even bother leaving Mexico... O_o Or its a ploy to get US tourists to WANT to visit Mexico to do drugs....*SIGH*

[W1nTry]

O_o Or its a ploy to get US tourists to WANT to visit Mexico to do drugs....*SIGH*

I'm inclined to think it's more likely this...

[Exar_Kun]

Simply legalizing (or in this case decriminalizing) narcotics does nothing to create hordes of new users. I don't believe any evidence has proven it to be the case.
You might have more people willing to try it out, but at the end of the day if you want to do coke you're gonna do it regardless of legality.

I think it's a good move. Sentencing people to years in prison for some small time personal use possession is stupid and just creates prison overcrowding.

[TriniXaeno]

this scares me, really.

Are there case studies that show any benefit to legalizing cocaine??

[Synchronomyst]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=portugal-drug-decriminalization