[AGL] Flash: Mexico shows signs of sense

[Harry Edwards]

wait. an oz. is 28 grams. lessee, it'd be a little less than a quarter 
oz., a small lid basically. not that i have any direct knowledge of 
said substance.         twisty d

On Apr 29, 2006, at 2:14 PM, Gerry wrote:

> Do you know how much 5 grams of pot is? A thimble full. Certainly not 
> the big deal you envision. The fine print says that the judge can make 
> the decision on whether to prosecute or not for possession. That's the 
> most sensible part and the kind of law we need to restore in the US.
> G
>  
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Frances Morey
>> To: survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 60s
>> Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 10:18 AM
>> Subject: Re: [AGL] Flash: Mexico shows signs of sense
>>
>> Good God! Harry,
>> I hope this isn't just some other kind of news legend the mainstream 
>> media is ignoring! That fence they'er puttin' up is gonna have to 
>> serve for keeping Americans from trying to wade through the Rio 
>> Grande to get there!
>> FM
>>
>> Harry Edwards <laughingwolf at ev1.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Mexico to decriminalize pot, cocaine and heroin
>>> By Noel Randewich
>>> Fri Apr 28, 6:51 PM ET
>>>
>>> Possessing marijuana, cocaine and even heroin will no longer be a 
>>> crime
>>> in Mexico if the drugs are carried in small amounts for personal use,
>>> under legislation passed by Congress.
>>>
>>> The measure given final passage by senators in a late night session 
>>> on
>>> Thursday allows police to focus on their battle against major drug
>>> dealers, the government says, and President Vicente Fox is expected 
>>> to
>>> sign it into law.
>>>
>>> "This law provides more judicial tools for authorities to fight 
>>> crime,"
>>> presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar said on Friday. The measure was
>>> approved earlier by the lower house.
>>>
>>> Under the legislation, police will not penalize people for possessing
>>> up to 5 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of opium, 25 milligrams of heroin
>>> or 500 milligrams of cocaine.
>>>
>>> People caught with larger quantities of drugs will be treated as
>>> narcotics dealers and face increased jail terms under the plan.
>>>
>>> The legal changes will also decriminalize the possession of limited
>>> quantities of other drugs, including LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms,
>>> amphetamines and peyote -- a psychotropic cactus found in Mexico's
>>> northern deserts.
>>>
>>> The legislation came as a surprise to Washington, which counts on
>>> Mexico's support in its war against drug smuggling gangs who move
>>> massive quantities of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines
>>> through Mexico to U.S. consumers.
>>>
>>> A delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives visited Mexico 
>>> last
>>> week and met with senior officials to discuss drug control issues, 
>>> but
>>> was told nothing of the planned legislative changes, said Michelle
>>> Gress, a House subcommittee counsel who was part of the visiting 
>>> team.
>>>
>>> "We were not informed," she told Reuters.
>>>
>>> HARDENED CRIMINALS
>>>
>>> Hundreds of people, including many police officers, have been killed 
>>> in
>>> Mexico in the past year as drug cartels battle for control of 
>>> lucrative
>>> smuggling routes into the United States.
>>>
>>> The violence has raged mostly in northern Mexico but in recent months
>>> has spread south to cities like vacation resort Acapulco.
>>>
>>> Under current law, it is up to local judges and police to decide on a
>>> case-by-case basis whether people should be prosecuted for possessing
>>> small quantities of drugs, a source at the Senate's health commission
>>> told Reuters.
>>>
>>> "The object of this law is to not put consumers in jail, but rather
>>> those who sell and poison," said Sen. Jorge Zermeno of the ruling
>>> National Action Party.
>>>
>>> Fifty-three senators voted for the bill with 26 votes against.
>>>
>>> Hector Michel Camarena, an opposition senator from the Institutional
>>> Revolutionary Party, warned that although well intentioned, the law 
>>> may
>>> go too far.
>>>
>>> "There are serious questions we have to carefully analyze so that
>>> through our spirit of fighting drug dealing, we don't end up
>>> legalizing," he said. "We have to get rid of the concept of the 
>>> (drug)
>>> consumer."