Pubdate: Sat, 22 Aug 2009
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Page: A - 4
Copyright: 2009 Associated Press
Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Mark Stevenson, Associated Press

MEXICAN PROSECUTORS OK WITH DRUG LAW CHANGES

Mexico City - Mexico's decision to decriminalize small amounts of
marijuana, cocaine and heroin makes sense even in the midst of the
government's grueling battle against drug traffickers, prosecutors
say.

Prosecutors said the new law enacted Thursday sets clear limits that
keep Mexico's corruption-prone police from shaking down casual users
and offers addicts free treatment to keep growing domestic drug use in
check.

"This is not legalization, this is regulating the issue and giving
citizens greater legal certainty," said Bernardo Espino del Castillo
of the attorney general's office.

The new law sets out maximum "personal use" amounts for drugs, also
including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those
quantities no longer face criminal prosecution.

Espino del Castillo says, in practice, small users almost never did
face charges anyway. Under the previous law, the possession of any
amount of drugs was punishable by stiff jail sentences, but there was
leeway for addicts caught with smaller amounts.

"We couldn't charge somebody who was in possession of a dose of a
drug, there was no way ... because the person would claim they were an
addict," he said.

Despite the provisions, police sometimes hauled in suspects and
demanded bribes, threatening long jail sentences if people did not
pay.

"It could open the door to corruption or extortion," Espino del
Castillo said.

Anyone caught with drug amounts under the new personal-use limit will
be encouraged to seek treatment, and for those caught a third time
treatment is mandatory.

The maximum amount of marijuana for "personal use" under the new law
is 5 grams - the equivalent of about four joints. The limit is a half
gram for cocaine, the equivalent of about 4 "lines." For other drugs,
the limits are 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams for
methamphetamine and 0.015 milligrams for LSD.

Mexico has emphasized the need to differentiate drug addicts and
casual users from the violent traffickers whose turf battles have
contributed to the deaths of more than 11,000 people since President
Felipe Calderon took office in late 2006.

Espino del Castillo said since Calderon took office, there have been
over 15,000 police searches related to small-scale drug dealing or
possession, with 95,000 people detained - but only 12 to 15 percent of
whom were ever charged with anything. 
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