Mexico is about to decriminalize pot, cocaine, opium and heroin. Under the proposed legislation, possession of small amounts of these drugs for personal use will not be pursued by the police. Congress has adopted the new law, and President Vincente Fox is expected to sign it. Trafficking in all these substances remains illegal.
As I have noted previously, decriminalization by itself is unlikely to change the nature of the drug wars; most police effort already targets traffickers rather than mere users. But if the Mexico's adoption of this law signals a general shift away from enforcing drug prohibition, it will have broad beneficial effects such as reducing the violence and corruption caused by this policy.
I would argue that decriminalization is likely to exacerbate drug related crimes. Demand for drugs is likely to increase (at least marginally), with this greater demand I would imagine that suppliers will compete violently for additional marketshare.
Such a policy would likely do more damage to opposition to the drug war due to increased violence and drug related crimes.
Posted by: Chris | April 28, 2006 at 01:28 PM
"...amounts of these drugs for personal use will not be sanctioned by police."
Should this say that it will be sanctioned by police?
Posted by: David Skarbek | April 28, 2006 at 02:08 PM
Occasionally, a word can have contradictory meanings. Such a case is represented by sanction, which can mean both “to allow, encourage” and “to punish so as to deter.”
Posted by: Dan | April 28, 2006 at 03:25 PM
Why does every "foray" in the war on drugs only attack the supply side? Even if we executed every drug dealer in the country today, and destroyed every mature drug-producing plant world-wide, how long would it take for the current traffic to revive, given the massive lucrative demand? Months?
If those claiming to fight a war on drugs were serious, they would attack the demand side. I would reccomend a mandatory year in jail, or perhaps 3 weeks in stocks and pillories, maybe poblic flogging, for every, repeat every youngster arrested for a first time drug possession. THAT would be a war on drugs. If the powers are not willing to do that, then it is time to forget the "war" and address drug use as a public health issue, not a military or criminal one.
Posted by: Douglas Miron Nydick | May 01, 2006 at 02:12 PM
Explains an employee exit interview and offers tips for whether or not an employee should participate.
Posted by: jobs in st louis | November 01, 2011 at 08:20 AM