MEXICO: Supreme Court Opens Door To Legal Pot

The Mexican Supreme Court yesterday ruled 4-1 that owning, using, and growing marijuana for personal use is legal under “personal freedom” laws. At this point the ruling only applies to the four people who brought the case. The Associated Press reports:

The ruling did not approve the sale or commercial production of marijuana nor does it imply a general legalization. But if the court rules the same way on five similar petitions, it would then establish the precedent to change the law and allow general recreational use. A similar process led to the court’s recent ruling that Mexican laws prohibiting same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. “No one has said at all that marijuana is harmless. It is a drug and, as such, it causes damage,” said Justice Arturo Zaldivar, who wrote the majority opinion. “What is being resolved here is that total prohibition is a disproportionate measure.” At the same time, the ruling will help legalization measures being written in Congress, said Moy Schwartzman, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs. “They’re noting this case and using it in their favor to present a law that will be in agreement and will protect people’s rights,” Schwartzman said. “In Mexico, this is a political theme. But the ruling gives importance to human rights, in this case liberty.”

A poll taken last month showed that 77% of Mexicans oppose legalizing marijuana.