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Decriminalizing Drugs in Mexico

By Michael Blankenship

Reporting from Tijuana and Mexico City - Mired in a bloody battle with major drug traffickers, Mexico is quietly eliminating jail time for possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other drugs.Read more...This policy change is a great first step in shifting the issue of drug use away from the failed prohibition policies. Portugal has had great success since it took a similar approach in 2001. The problem for Mexico is providing the second step - access to treatment.The U.S. has the ability to provide more mental health treatment, but has been reluctant to do so as it appears to many to be a sign of weakness. Instead policy makers continue the reckless path of prohibition, which enriches the drug cartels and creates new classes of deviant and criminal behavior...continue to full post

Full post as published by The Justice Gambit on August 23, 2009 (boomark / email).