Eldorado Posted November 20, 2020 #1 Share Posted November 20, 2020 Mexico’s Senate approved a landmark cannabis legalization bill in a landslide vote on Thursday, paving the way for the creation of the world’s largest legal marijuana market if the initiative passes the next hurdle in the lower house of Congress. Senators voted 82 to 18 to approve the measure, with seven abstentions. Lawmakers are rushing to secure final approval before the end of the current congressional session in December. If enacted, the reform would mark a major shift in a country where drug cartel violence in recent years has claimed over 100,000 lives. Full report at Reuters: Link 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+susieice Posted November 20, 2020 #2 Share Posted November 20, 2020 Watching to see how legalization affects the cartels will be interesting. There's been several reports on this in US states that have legalized pot. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/congressional-researchers-admit-legalizing-marijuana-hurts-mexican-drug-cartel-profits/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/02/20/mexican-cartels-switch-gears-after-u-s-states-relax-u-s-states-legalize-marijuana-mexicos-cartels-sw/343389002/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HandsomeGorilla Posted November 20, 2020 #3 Share Posted November 20, 2020 3 minutes ago, susieice said: Watching to see how legalization affects the cartels will be interesting. There's been several reports on this in US states that have legalized pot. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/congressional-researchers-admit-legalizing-marijuana-hurts-mexican-drug-cartel-profits/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/02/20/mexican-cartels-switch-gears-after-u-s-states-relax-u-s-states-legalize-marijuana-mexicos-cartels-sw/343389002/ The black market in US states will still be there, but thankfully now that many states are decriminalizing, that also means that growers in the US can operate more safely and that a very high quality product still reaches folks in states where it's still not so legal. Not much weed comes out of Mexico anymore. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+susieice Posted November 20, 2020 #4 Share Posted November 20, 2020 (edited) 3 minutes ago, HandsomeGorilla said: The black market in US states will still be there, but thankfully now that many states are decriminalizing, that also means that growers in the US can operate more safely and that a very high quality product still reaches folks in states where it's still not so legal. Not much weed comes out of Mexico anymore. Yes. It cuts deeply into cartel profits. Some say the violence has decreased and some say it's increased as a large sum of money is taken out of cartel hands. It will really hit them hard in Mexico. Edited November 20, 2020 by susieice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolltide Posted November 20, 2020 #5 Share Posted November 20, 2020 Marijuana is not that lucrative. Cartels are not getting rich from it. People don't "need" a pot fix. Cocaine was the main money maker in the 80s. Now its crack, meth and opioids. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor Witness Posted November 21, 2020 #6 Share Posted November 21, 2020 (edited) I do not use marijuana myself, but I know it is safer than alcohol, from the standpoint of violence. The difference is simple, one enhances dopamine, and the other primarily enhances serotonin. For too long, a conservative mindset has abused The People. This has caused unparalleled and unspeakable violence, across the entire landscape of society. Many human beings will go through a phase in their life, where they may feel the need to do this sort of thing, and then they outgrow it. Taxes raised can be used to treat those who want help, which is far more beneficial than throwing people in jail. All the jails did was to further destroy lives, and teach people violence. The wealthy walk through the justice system, as if they had never done a thing, whereas the poor often go to jail for many years. Not to mention that the jails are full of drugs, which sets a ludicrous example. Let the Earth show mercy to Mexico, for their wisdom. Edited November 21, 2020 by Raptor Witness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HandsomeGorilla Posted November 21, 2020 #7 Share Posted November 21, 2020 48 minutes ago, Rolltide said: Marijuana is not that lucrative. Cartels are not getting rich from it. People don't "need" a pot fix. Cocaine was the main money maker in the 80s. Now its crack, meth and opioids. That's why when a lot of weed DID come through Mexico, it was compressed. Logistics wise, cannabis is not a smart business move just in terms of relative weight. What's a kilo of bud worth compared to a kilo of coke? Which do you think they'll wanna take more risk with? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Due Posted November 21, 2020 #8 Share Posted November 21, 2020 (edited) Prohibition (January 17, 1920) did not stop alcohol abuse. Criminals are really businessmen aren't they? Like all good businessmen, they invest their money and time in those ventures that guarantees the highest rate of return. Why would anyone be surprised that gangs of criminals would be attracted to drug prohibition in order to capitalize and profit from it? It really does boggle the mind. Edited November 21, 2020 by Will do 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethereal_scout Posted November 21, 2020 #9 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Basically, the only way to make drugs nothing is to legalise everything and treat it like alcohol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aztek Posted November 21, 2020 #10 Share Posted November 21, 2020 (edited) 15 hours ago, Will Do said: Prohibition (January 17, 1920) did not stop alcohol abuse. Criminals are really businessmen aren't they? Like all good businessmen, they invest their money and time in those ventures that guarantees the highest rate of return. Why would anyone be surprised that gangs of criminals would be attracted to drug prohibition in order to capitalize and profit from it? It really does boggle the mind. prohibition also taught another thing, money are made on both ends with illegal stuff. it also creates a need for several gvmnt agencies, crooks make money, new agencies create thousand of jobs, politicians get kickbacks, cops abuse laws that are designed to be used against sellers of illegal stuff, but used against innocents to enrich crooked cops. (civil forfeiture which actually only makes things worse, cuz now cups do not bust dealers, and runners, they wait till they sell drugs, and then narcs move and takie the money, while drugs are sold on the streets , in schools., gangs are distributing them, while gangs terrorize residents....) that is exactly why they created war on drugs, not to fight drugs, cuz amount and market of illegal drugs is only growing, several busts a year that cops are so proud of, do absolutely nothing to stop or even it slow down. war on drugs is a misnomer. Edited November 21, 2020 by aztek 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz_Light_Year Posted November 21, 2020 #11 Share Posted November 21, 2020 Well U.S. states can legalize Marijuana all they want or any drug for that matter but as long as the federal government deems the practice illegal it will be illegal. The Feds may not have much jurisdiction at the state level but once traffic crosses state lines they can act even if the two states are in agreement on the legalization of the drugs. The Commerce Clause gives Congress the power to regulate not only interstate commerce but also intrastate and foreign as well. I personally think that the Commerce Clause gives the federal government way too much authority over the states. But it's in the Constitution so there you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bed of chaos Posted November 21, 2020 #12 Share Posted November 21, 2020 (edited) One of my favorite shows 'To catch a Smuggler'. Not surprisingly I never seen anyone smuggling marijuana. As previously mentioned, doubt there's much money involved. The cartels prob face stiff competition from medicinal shops (which are popping up everywhere in U.S.). Also marijuana's manufactured/sold differently today (unsure if this is related) many smokers are switching to liquid vape pens. More accessible off the black market, usually more potent, and easy to conceal. Edited November 21, 2020 by Bed of chaos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted March 11, 2021 Author #13 Share Posted March 11, 2021 Mexico's lower house of Congress voted on Wednesday to legalise recreational cannabis use – taking a step towards transforming the land of the drug cartels into a huge regulated market. UK Telegraph report at MSN: Link 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartikg Posted March 11, 2021 #14 Share Posted March 11, 2021 Drug cartels will most probably switch to human trafficking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aztek Posted March 11, 2021 #15 Share Posted March 11, 2021 22 minutes ago, kartikg said: Drug cartels will most probably switch to human trafficking. switch???? they already do that, as well as many other things, weed legalization in Mexico wont matter, their main customer is usa, and it is still illegal on federal level. not to mention, cartels already grow weed illegibly in usa's national parks, so they do not have to smuggle it in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan max2 Posted March 11, 2021 #16 Share Posted March 11, 2021 46 minutes ago, kartikg said: Drug cartels will most probably switch to human trafficking. They already do that alot. Sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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