The Mexican Senate gives the green light to the legalization of the marijuana

The ruling contemplates the possession of up to eight plants for personal consumption at home; the Mexican Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis is created.

MEXICO CITY (Times Media Mexico) – A moment considered historic has arrived: the Senate approved the decriminalization and regulation of the personal recreational consumption of marijuana in the whole country in general, state-of-the-art legislation not only in the continent but also in the world.

The Plenary of the Senate counted with 82 votes in favor, with a critical majority driven by the officialism of Morena, the majority party, and its allies, but also with the support of a part of the opposition, including legislators from the conservative PAN (National Action Party) and the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party). Besides, there were 18 votes against and seven abstentions.

In particular, the vote was 72 in favor, 13 against, and two abstentions. The report was therefore sent to the Chamber of Deputies, where the legislative process will continue.

The Senate approved the opinion with Morena, her allies, and a good part of the opposition.

With this approval of the ruling, the General Law for the Regulation of Cannabis was issued, the Mexican Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis was created, and various articles of the General Health Law and the Federal Criminal Code were modified, reformed, and added. Now, the specifics are discussed in the Plenary.

The approved ruling contemplated last-minute changes, but the main goal was kept. It was extended to eight psychoactive cannabis plants per person, which must remain in the home or house of the person who consumes it for personal use, according to the Senate’s document. 

They will be able to take up to 27 grams. From 28 grams and up to 200, the new legislation provides for economic sanctions. It will be above the 200 grams that the sanctions already provide for prison.

In the new opinion, obtained by this means, all the related to the medicinal use was eliminated and the industrial use of the hemp. The proposed Federal Law for the Regulation of Cannabis does not speak of “ludic consumption” or “recreational,” but of “adult consumption.”

It also includes creating the Mexican Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis, which will be a decentralized organ of the Ministry of Health. It will have a general director who will be freely appointed and removed by the agency’s head. Besides, the commercialization and even the export and import will be regulated.

The moment is considered historic by all the legislators of all the political parties represented in the Senate. In a country like Mexico, which has been affected by drug trafficking and its violence, it took the first step towards a radical change.

Although the initiative received the support of senators of all political orientations and parties, a group of legislators from PAN voted against it, since, in their argument, “it would open and liberalize the drug market in Mexico.”

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