Mexico moves to legalize medical pot amid failed drug war

By Nacha Cattan & Eric Martin

President Enrique Pena Nieto said Mexico will move to legalize marijuana for medicinal use in a stark shift for a leader who has made clamping down on all forms of drug trafficking a hallmark of his tenure.

Speaking to the United Nations, Pena Nieto said he would also raise the amount of marijuana that would be de-criminalized for personal consumption, calling its use a public health problem and urging policies that avoid punishing users.

His participation in a special UN General Assembly session on drugs came after months of growing public pressure for legalization following the Supreme Court’s November decision to give four people permission to grow cannabis at home. Since then, the issue has been the focus of debate in nationwide public forums.

"I give voice to those who have expressed the need to update the regulatory framework to authorize the use of marijuana for medical and scientific ends," Pena Nieto said Tuesday at the special session in New York focused on the global drug problem. Participants in forums in Mexico "showed the need to lift, in accordance with international standards, the amount of marijuana that can be considered for personal use, with the purpose of not criminalizing users.”

Marijuana is a significant illicit revenue source for the nation’s cartels. While estimates vary widely, analysts agree that marijuana, heroin and cocaine generate billions of dollars a year in revenue for cartels. In November, Pena Nieto said that while he was open to changing his position, he believed legalizing marijuana would open the door to use of more harmful drugs.

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Thumbnail: Flickr CC Momento Mori