Mexico moves toward legal marijuana and opening of a big market for it

submitted by Nemacolin from smh.com.au

all 1 comments
sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun

[–]Nemacolin[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Thank goodness.

Mexico’s lower house of Congress on Thursday (AEDT) approved a bill that would decriminalise cannabis for recreational, medical and scientific uses, bringing it a step closer to creating one of the world’s largest markets for the plant.

Backed by the administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the bill marks a major shift in a country bedevilled for years by violence between feuding drug cartels.

Lawmakers approved the bill in general with 316 votes in favour and 127 against. Now, the Senate needs to review and approve the bill.

If passed, the law would create a huge market, which foreign companies are eager to tap.

The bill would allow five types of licenses for the cultivation, transformation, sale, research and export or import of marijuana. Only people 18 years and older, and with a permit, would be able to grow, carry or consume marijuana and its derivatives.

“Today we are making history,” said Simey Olvera, a lawmaker from Lopez Obrador’s ruling Morena party who was wearing a mask with marijuana leaves printed on it.