Cannitrol – Cannabis Control Agent

Marijuana news from around the world

South America

Mexico’s Supreme Court Green Lights Pathway Towards Legalization

Sure to upset Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel and “El Chapo” Guzmán, yesterday was a great day for supporters of medical marijuana and those who support the outright legalization of pot south of the border.

On Wednesday, Mexico’s Supreme Court decided that prohibiting the cultivation and consumption of marijuana for personal use was unconstitutional. Potentially setting in motion the legalization of marijuana in Mexico. In a legal ruling handed down on Wednesday, Justice Arturo Zaldívar authored an 88-page decision based on the principles of human rights – reasoning that Mexico acknowledges an individual’s freedom to participate in activities…provided they don’t harm others.

That’s right, Mexico’s highest court has now decided that prohibiting individuals from smoking weed or growing it for their own personal use violates an individual’s human rights, according to the New York Times.

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.

Mexico’s Supreme Court Green Lights Pathway Towards Legalization

Mexico’s Supreme Court Green Lights Pathway Towards Legalization

Leaving in place the existing marijuana laws for now, the court’s ruling only applies to the cannabis club that filed a lawsuit on behalf of an eight-year-old girl known as “Grace,” who became Mexico’s first medical marijuana patient in 2015.

With the court’s new ruling in hand, many in Latin America are hoping this decision will spark an important debate on South America’s overly conservative drug laws – kicking open the door for similar challenges to Mexico’s marijuana laws.

Wednesday’s ruling represents the culmination of a tireless effort from the good people at Mexico’s United Against Crime.
<center

, , , , , , , ,

Uruguay Moving Forward With Plan To Legalize Marijuana and Combat Drug Violence

uruguay

 

As marijuana.net noted yesterday, the escalating drug cartel violence received no mention during Monday’s presidential debate.  While many of our fellow Western Hemisphere countries look to The United States for leadership on the issue, we continue to maintain our failed drug policy.  Fortunately, other countries in Central and South America are considering their own alternative to the 40 year failed War on drugs.

For the last several months the Uruguay government has been discussing legalizing, regulating, and distributing marijuana.  While there has been some opposition to legalization, the plan appears to be moving forward.  Several government officials have made recent comments regarding the program.   Uruguay Interior Minister, Eduardo Bonomi recently said “We have a progressive tradition… The negative effects of consuming marijuana are far less harmful than the outbreak of violence associated with the black market.”

Uruguay may be far along the process of altering their approach toward reducing drug war violence but they are not the only one.  As the United States continues fighting the cartels in the traditional way, which involves gunfire and bloodshed, other countries now realize they will be responsible for their own safety and legislative direction.  Columbia has recently decriminalized personal possession for marijuana and cocaine.  Bolivia has also been attempting to decriminalize cocoa leaves.

The people of the United States are war weary after a decade of The Afghanistan conflict and the recently ended Iraq operations.  In this region America has taken note of our previous mistakes and has decided on a new direction in its approach toward dealing with Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.  Instead, as we saw both President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney agree to during Monday’s debate, economic sanctions have been used to put the pressure on Iran to come to the table and talk disarmament.  In the modern world, economics can also be an effective weapon.  While we applaud a progressive approach toward Iran, when will see the United States utilize and economic approach to stem the daily violence occurring close to home, not thousands of miles across the world.  Legalization and regulation would reduce the drug cartel’s power, influence, and purpose in the western hemisphere.  If marijuana were regulated and available domestically, this could crush the cartels economically.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Presidential Debate On Foreign Policy Omits International War on Drugs

3rd debate

Last night millions of Americans tuned in for the 3rd and final debate of the 2012 presidential election.  The event was less tense than the last week’s town hall debate which the saw the candidates create an uncomfortable atmosphere.  Perhaps surprisingly, the attack on the American Consulate in Libya was only briefly mentioned.  The candidates did engage on some important international issues regarding Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan.  However noticeably missing was much of any conversation on our South American neighbors.

The war on drugs is foreign policy area that has a much more direct impact on the lives of daily Americans.  Violence over drug trafficking is out of control and the Cartels have now infiltrated and have a presence in several states including Arizona and Utah.  Additionally, U.S. authorities have found underground tunnels complete with railcars that have been constructed by the Cartels that run between San Diego and Tijuana.  This foreign threat could not be hitting closer to home and there has been almost no mention of the war on drugs on the national stage last night.

Failure to alter the failed course of the war on drugs has now become a decades long blunder.  By electing to ignore the problem, tens of thousands have died in only a few year span.  Additionally, our borders have become less secure.  It is honorable that the United States is compelled to help the civilians in the Middle East, but we should not forget some of our closest allies both geographically and culturally who live in Mexico, Central America, and South America.  Failure to act and amend our laws has also cost the United States money through incarcerations and court expenses while also diverting police resources from other issues.

Instead of using the last best chance to talk directly to the American people about a range of crucial foreign policy issues, the two candidates seemed satisfied by sampling falling back on their domestic economic talking points during last night’s debate.  There was no mention of the European Debt Crisis, only a whisper regarding Greece’s financial meltdown, and of course the violence only miles from our border.  If violence, money, and the security of this nation are important to whoever lives in the White House in January, the War On Drugs cannot afford to be an ignored issue.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Medical Marijuana Industry News July 20, 2012

dark knight risesDark Knight Rises Actor Morgan Freeman Rails Against Marijuana Criminalization… Later tonight (unless you could not help yourself and already went to a 12:01 screening) excited moviegoers will be out in force to see one of the biggest movies of the year, and maybe since Heath Ledger’s joker captivated the world in 2008.  The Dark …continue reading

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Walls Are Caving In: America’s Neighbors are Amending their Marijuana Policy

walls caving in

On June 22nd we at marijuana.net reported that Uruguay would be drastically altering their policy on marijuana.  Frustrated with the United State’s unwillingness to help reduce Central and South American cartel violence, Uruguay decided to take matters into their own hands and legalize marijuana.  In a stunning move the government in Uruguay government will cultivate, distribute, and regulate legalized cannabis.

Only days after Uruguay made history, Colombia has also decided to shift away from a failed drug policy.  Colombia’s Constitutional Court approved the government’s legislation that aimed to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana and cocaine.  Individuals caught with less than 20 grams of marijuana and 1 gram of cocaine can be sent to psychological rehabilitation but cannot be arrested or detained.

Even if the United States federal government does not realize it, the walls appear to be caving in on our failed drug policy.  Federal inaction has prompted many of our 50 states to enact decriminalization and medical marijuana laws.  In addition, our closest geographic neighbors are also riding the reform momentum.  Besides Uruguay and Colombia, Mexico just witnessed a presidential election that revolved heavily around the issue of cartel violence.  On Sunday it was announced that Enrique Pena Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) was the apparent winner.  The president elect has vowed to reduce the surging violence linked to cartel activities, though it may take some time to win over all the people as the Institutional Revolutionary Party was known to rule in brutal fashion.  Other leaders in Central and South America are also pro decriminalization, especially newly elected Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina.

The evidence of our failed war on drugs is overwhelming.  Other than an upcoming presidential election, many analysts are left wondering exactly why the United States has decided to relinquish its traditional leadership role in international politics, and has instead chosen to be reform’s largest obstacle to overcome.  As is often the case with American policy, it seems easy to ignore a problem that is not immediately a domestic threat.  However, the United States’ failure to forecast how deep the cartel violence problem would become has now compromised our own security.  The Mexican cartel has funneled money through race horses, set up a strong operational presence in Utah, and successfully dug over 75 tunnels (that we know of officially), complete with electrical lighting and ventilation.  These breaches in security represent far worse than drug smuggling, and government officials should hope that Al Queda or other terrorists do not seize on these tailor made opportunities.  Though its late in the game, the United States can recapture its leadership role and enact true marijuana reform which could eliminate the need for the Mexican Cartel’s supply and significantly reduce their funding and power.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,