By Elisabeth Malkin and Azam Ahmed | The New York Times
The Mexican Supreme Court opened the door to legalizing marijuana on Wednesday, delivering a pointed challenge to the nation’s strict substance abuse laws and adding its weight to the growing debate in Latin America over the costs and consequences of the war against drugs.
The vote by the court’s criminal chamber declared that individuals should have the right to grow and distribute marijuana for their personal use. While the ruling does not strike down current drug laws, it lays the groundwork for a wave of legal actions that could ultimately rewrite them, proponents of legalization say.
“The movement in the U.S. on cannabis law reform has given other countries the cover they need to move forward with alternatives to prohibition. Hopefully this can begin to heal some of Mexico’s many wounds from the drug war.” ~ Rose Law Group Partner Ryan Hurley
