Mexico Court Ruling Sparks High Hopes for Marijuana Legalization

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/33327-mexico-court-ruling-sparks-high-hopes-for-marijuana-legalization

Mexico's Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the green light to growing marijuana for recreational use in a landmark decision that could lead to legalization in a country with a bloody history of conflict with drug cartels.

Supporters of reform sparked up joints to hail the court's decision, which, while not legalizing use of marijuana, is one of the boldest steps ever taken in that direction in a country long reluctant to liberalize drug laws.

"We've seen how drug policy and prohibition have only helped drug traffickers rake in money and commit terrible crimes to control drug markets," said 27-year-old Meliton Gonzalez, one activist celebrating outside the court.

Four more consecutive decisions of the same kind and the court's ruling would become jurisprudence, setting a legal precedent in Mexico, which has suffered well over 100,000 deaths due to drug-related crime over the past decade, and force the government to review the law.

Ruling on a case first brought in 2013 by an advocacy group that health regulators stopped from growing plants for private consumption, the court voted 4-1 that prohibiting people from cultivating the drug for personal use was unconstitutional.