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MEXICO CITY — A debate about legalizing marijuana and possibly other drugs — once a taboo suggestion — is percolating in Mexico , a national exhausted by runaway violence and a deadly drug war.
The debate is only likely to grow more animated if Californians approve an initiative on Nov. 2 to legalize marijuana for recreational use in their state.
As he held a series of open forums with politicians and civic leaders about faltering security, Calderon suddenly found himself amid a groundswell of suggestions that legalization — which he described as "absurd" — should be considered.
"We should consider legalizing the production, distribution and sale of drugs," Fox wrote on his blog during the series of forums. "Legalizing in this sense does not mean that drugs are good or don't hurt those who consume. Rather, we have to see it as a strategy to strike and break the economic structure that allows the mafias to generate huge profits in their business."
"If drugs are not legalized in the world, or if drugs are not legalized at least in the United States , this is simply absurd, because the price of drugs is not determined in Mexico . The price of drugs is determined by consumers in Los Angeles , or in New York , or in Chicago or Texas ," he said.
Originally posted by soontide
From a purely economic sense, the idea of lealizing drugs in Mexico makes little sense. What would happen is increased production to supply high demand in the US and other nations. Mexican drugs would flood the american market because they would not have the pressures of hiding their production from the authorities. Thus, the Mexican cartels would have a huge advantage over production in, say, the US. They would be able to manufacture the drugs cheaper and still turn higher profits causing them to become even more prosperous.
What legalizing drugs in Mexico would do would be to put more money into the hands of drug lords giving them more opportunity to undermine or control government officials and take over the Mexican government.
MEXICO CITY — The United States reacted cautiously on Saturday to a Mexican measure that would make it legal to carry small amounts of coc aine, heroin and other drugs for personal use.
Legislators in August 2009 quietly decriminalized the possession of less than 5 grams of marijuana, the equivalent of about four joints. Tiny amounts of coc aine, heroin, ecstasy, '___', and methamphetamine also are no longer subject to criminal penalties.
Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Originally posted by ElijahWan
Of course prices are determined here in the U.S.....we have probably the BIGGEST illegal drug market of any country in the world. Hell, Marijuana is the #1 cash crop in America yet "technically" it's still illegal. That's why these mafia-types are willing to kill thousands of people if they have to in order to get the drugs into our hands...Because WE'RE the only ones who can afford to get "f-ed up" so to speak. I mean how many people around the world, especially in 3rd-world countries, can afford to "pay money" in order to potentially harm their body?