Marijuana legal in Mexico?

Many now believes that Marijuana is legal in Mexico by the November 4 ruling but what does it say? Possession of certain quantities, up to 5 grams for Marijuana and 0.5 grams for Cocaine has since earlier been decriminalized. The ruling by the supreme court opens for possibilities to possess larger quantities of Marijuana, to grow, to distribute and to sell but for now only to the 4 individuals that brought this case to court have the permission. It may be possible already today for others to grow, distribute and sell but a permission has to be asked for and granted and the supreme court left it to the different kind of judges, state, municipal etc. to decide what stance to take in the matter.

Will this do any good in a global world of "illegal" drugs? In Mexico itself it might take some demeanor's of the street and a perhaps an unnecessary load off the judicial system, giving some citizens relief from some physical or psychological conditions without the risk being criminalized. But will it do anything to the "narco" drug war situation as the situation around the Mexican borders remains the same? All the US states bordering Mexico basically prohibits the consummation, distribution or selling of this drug. Some states like California permits medical Marijuana but not the recreational use like in Washington, Oregon and Colorado. Marijuana production and distribution/smuggling in regards to tons produced is immensely larger than for Cocaine, Heroine, Meth and some other drugs but far from as easy to handle and far from as lucrative. The conclusion is that nothing will change, this will not stop the gang wars, the blood-shed and loss of life's.

Marijuana has been virtually legal in the US since far back and sanctions on those that traffic and sell this particular drug could only be seen as hypocrite. I myself came to the US as young man in 1977 to work as an intern in a Californian communications company and had never taken Marijuana in any form before. Before being introduced to it at any one of those numerous parties thrown I observed colleagues going out to have a joint several times a day during business hours which as the North Americans may say virtually "blew my mind". Once the entire company went to San Jose to see the release of the first episode of Star Wars - "A new hope" with a subsequent all company gathering at one of the employee's beach house, everybody smoked even the managers, this was early June 1977. Wherever I went people did smoke, distribute and sell and just before returning to Sweden from New York after the long finishing journey along the borders of the continental US a guy at a bar handed me Marijuana seeds to bring to Sweden, not even asked for, he just thought that I should bring some with me. I have more stories to tell about this subject from slightly later life, all the same. Several years later after 8 years of life abroad and back home in Sweden working for a multinational company a few years before the 9/11 I had US friends and coworkers assigned to work at the headquarters in Stockholm that smoked Marijuana as if it was tobacco. When asking where it came from, one them replied he carried it from the states in a compartment in his shoe.

No, nothing will change with the coming legislation in Mexico unless Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroine, Meth and more have become legal north of the border in a nation with a severe and widespread drug craving.