U.S. Cautious About Mexico Drug (Legalization) Measure

[rodeodance]

http://www.wral.com/aptopheadlines/9106173/detail.html

U.S. Cautious About Mexico Drug Measure

POSTED: 7:51 am EDT April 30, 2006
UPDATED: 7:51 am EDT April 30, 2006

MEXICO CITY -- The United States reacted cautiously on Saturday to a Mexican measure that would make it legal to carry small amounts of cocaine, heroin and other drugs for personal use.

AP Photo/Marco Ugarte
An unidentified man rolls a marijuana cigarette during demonstrations to celebrate International Day for the Liberation of Marijuana in Mexico City, Sunday, May 2, 2004. Mexicans would be allowed to possess small amounts of cocaine, heroin, even ecstasy for their personal use under a bill approved by lawmakers that some worry could prove to be a lure to young Americans. The bill now only needs President Vicente Fox's signature to become law and that does not appear to be an obstacle. His office said that decriminalizing drugs will free up police to focus on major dealers. The Senate approved the bill Friday, April 28, 2006 in the final hours of its closing session. Mexico's lower house had already endorsed the legislation.

News of the decriminalization did not make the front pages of any major Mexico City newspaper, nor was it discussed in editorials. It was slightly better publicized in the north of the country, where turf wars between rival drugs gangs have caused hundreds of killings along the Mexico-U.S. border, but was still overshadowed by news about immigration.

President Vicente Fox has yet to sign the bill, which would eliminate penalties for those caught with small amounts of some drugs, but his office has applauded it.

[Name removed]

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[mrbill]

2. mister bill is wetting himself with a big time happy dance....

Time to invest in some Mexican Tourism, something along the lines of Amsterdam coffeeshops.

Five grams of marijuana and two pounds of peyote with cheap cervesa sounds like enough for a reasonable person.

Have a slight problem with the heroin and cocaine unless the user signs a release.

Mexico kicked the USA in the nuts with this one. Viva Mexico.

[Vidar]

3. Bush will have to bring home troops now to invade Mexico. Poor shrub.

[kedrys]

4. Here's hoping it spreads south

That way, maybe by the time I escape to Costa Rica, marijuana will be decriminalized there...

[mrbill]

5. it will spread south...........

Che's dream of a united south america might come true.

[Gregorian]

6. Weird, they don't seem to mind Limbaugh doing drugs.

[Blaq Dem]

7. And don't even mind if Noelle Bush does crack!