Mexico Supreme Court decriminalizes recreational use of marijuana

Mexico’s Supreme Court on Monday decriminalized recreational marijuana use for adults, declaring that the nation’s marijuana prohibition is unconstitutional under the health law nearly three years later, after a legalization bill stalled in Congress.

Court president Arturo Zaldivar said, “Today is a historic day for liberties,” after the decision was approved by eight of the eleven judges. That means marijuana possession and cultivation for personal use will be legal nationally. 

Also Read | Conservative US judge says laws against use of marijuana being undermined

The ruling comes after Congress failed to pass legalization legalizing recreational marijuana use by an April 30 deadline set by the country’s highest court.

In 2018, the court ordered the legislature to enact a policy change. Both the chambers of Congress advanced from legislation in varying reforms requiring multiple deadline extensions to do so but it was unable to fulfill that obligation.

Also Read | Mississippi man to remain imprisoned for life for having 1.05 oz of cannabis

The landmark bill was approved by the lower house in March but still needs final approval by the upper house, the Senate. In April, the ruling majority in the Senate said it was considering postponing the final discussion of the law until September.

The legalization push is partly aimed at curbing drug-related violence that claims thousands of lives each year in the Latin American nation.