California's Cannabis Vote Divides Mexico

[Jim Finnel]

California's referendum on legalising cannabis has divided Mexico into those who consider it a potentially catastrophic betrayal and those who think it could signpost a way out from the horrors of the drug war.

The president, Felipe Calderón, has led criticism of Proposition 19 as a dangerous experiment that would undermine US and Mexican efforts against ruthless and powerful narco-traffickers. The conservative leader and other establishment figures have accused the US of hypocrisy in pressuring Latin America to confront drug traffickers, often at grisly cost, while doing little to rein in the US consumption that drives the trade.

Some fear California's example will blow across the border and boost consumption in Mexico, where drug education and rehabilitation programmes are feeble. "It would be the worst thing. It might cut the cartels' income a bit but we'd see more addicts, and trust me we've already got enough," General Carlos Villa, a police chief in Torreón, told the Guardian.

Cannabis accounts for an estimated half of cartels' income but some studies suggest legalisation in California, which produces its own weed, would barely dent profits and that narcos could in any case expand other operations.

However, a small but growing number of dissenting voices in Mexico, including two former presidents and reportedly four putative presidents, have endorsed legalisation as a way to hit the cartels, reduce corruption and stamp down drug-related violence which has claimed almost 30,000 lives in four years.

If California votes yes, Mexico's government will come under pressure to follow suit, a former foreign minister, Jorge Castañeda, told Nexus magazine. "It is going to be impossible to ask Mexican society to put up with the number of lives at risk and the violence for a fight that Americans, or at least Californians, would have said they don't want to fight any more," he said.


NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: guardian.co.uk
Author: Rory Carroll
Copyright: 2010 Guardian News and Media Limited
Contact: Contact us | guardian.co.uk
Website: California's cannabis vote divides Mexico | World news | The Guardian

 

[RaysDad]

What Hypocritical rich Beaners!!! STOP THE METH PRODUCTION which is what fuels the violence . Get a life R.D. By the way I am married to a Mexican American and she's voting for Prop 19 and so are all my inlaws. What right does any Mex. National have to tell us how to vote.

 

[G-Dog]

One of the biggest problems with illegal drugs is a Narco Economy. For instance, Pablo Escobar used money from his cocaine trade to get elected in congress in Colombia. So what does this have to do with this thread? A Narco economy effects the vote and Mexico has a significant Narco economy. Politics in Mexico are therefor impacted by the cartels. The Cartels do not want marijuana to be legal and are using their power in politics in Mexico and the USA to keep it that way. Propaganda is the biggest gun of a politics. Cartels in Mexico influence leaders in Mexico and those leaders in Mexico influence Mexican nationals in the USA. Many people predict, that just like Medical Marijuana, many of the states will follow California. It is a complete change in many economies for many people. To me it is a very exciting shake up.

 

[Siscokid]

Mexico is going to have more violence? More Mexicans are going to use drugs? That's the same shit they are trying to push on us over here. My mother is a Citizen of California and she is voting Yes on 19. It's not about getting High to her it's about stopping the killings in Tijuana where she plans on retiring.

 

[Liquid Metal]

Not only is mexico crying foul with OUR laws Canada is doing the same by saying it will hurt their economy. Fuck that with the way our country is and California being $40bn + in the hole this can help alot if taxed correctly.

Like the user Raysdad said if they quite producing meth at a alarming rate they wouldnt be were their at now.

My only concern is if Prop 19 passes will it spark violence / killings in these legal marijuana clinics causing panic and fear for people buying at them.

 

[G-Dog]

In the 80s the US government put on a massive blockade of drugs from Colombia to Florida. They managed to secure the sea and air routes into Florida in part with help from the US military. People like Pablo Escobar and his Narco Economy influenced that move. So the Colombians just moved operations from the open sea to the land routes between the countries through Central America. Those trails were already in use for the illegal aliens and drugs from mostly Mexico. Since the Colombians started working with the Mexicans it has become increasingly more violent. Mexico use to be a safe place for a person to travel throughout. Nowadays you are really taking a chance traveling through Mexico. It is because of the influence of the Colombians. I suggest reading the book, Killing Pablo (Escobar), for a history lesson on the politics of Colombia. It has a history of mob activity that compares to the Italians. Mexico was ripe for the picking once the USA effectively blocked the Florida coast. They were poor, corrupt, and bordering the USA.

 

[Siscokid]

All I know is that when I make a mistake I "man-up" and appologize, so our government here in the U.S. needs to do the same...

 

[TorturedSoul]

Not only is mexico crying foul with OUR laws Canada is doing the same by saying it will hurt their economy.

Translation: "Our countries are making a bundle from smuggling contraband into your country. Please do not kill the golden goose by attempting to straighten out one of your many problems. Keep it illegal so that we may continue to make vast profits by breaking your laws."

Fuck that

Of course, Canada nets a fair chunk of change by exporting hemp and hemp-based products to us, and one assumes that if cannabis is legalized for recreational use then sooner or later it would be legal to grow its "industrial" sibling as well. (I would have thought the other way around would be slightly more logical, but...)

 

[randi2u]

You don't really beileve that only cool dudes, and old hippies are the only people who read things like 420Magazine

G-Dog your right about the border towns, and how dangerous it has become. Last month a friend of mine "an older friend" took a ride to Mexico to get drugs he needs for his heart, and other serious ailments. He got three-thousand dollars worth of meds for three hundred dollars. Why can't our government match those prices?

In the Middle East they'll chop your head off, jut to make you change your religion. (I don't mean every Muslim,) some of them you wouldn't know were Muslim if they didn't wear their home garments. I'd suggest that the women change to American garb just to keep themselves safe.

What does this have to do with Marijuana? Well, if we don't legalize it here in California other states will follow, or I should say, be influenced by our laws,

Remember, California was the firs state to do anything legal wth Marijuana, "Medical Marijuana".

I'm disabled because of an accident in 1986. I was paralyzed for 3 years (that is three years of Pain doing my best to exercise my legs, because altough I had a trade and was making good money) with no insurence I was doomed to the County Hospitl, L.A. County Hospital. It's the place where you go to get cured, but usually die. Don't worry, the basement is where they have the Morgue, so you don't have to go far when you reach the last line of your bucket list!
Randi2u, and maybe you too.

 

[Siscokid]

Mexican Rx is so freaking deadly! Lots of those scripts that are sold in the Super-market of drugs that have popped up in just about every corner can and have killed, or they are selling scripts made of Lactates.

I agree that what California does affects us all, but the Feds are another problem that just are not going to go down without killing a few more of us or destroying our freedoms.

I had my own (small) business and have had to pay out the ass for broken bones... I feel ya' on that.