Pubdate: Fri, 14 Feb 2014
Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
Copyright: 2014 Houston Chronicle Publishing Company Division, Hearst Newspaper
Contact:  http://www.chron.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/198

LAWMAKERS LOOK TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

MEXICO CITY - Leftist lawmakers in Mexico City's legislature 
introduced a bill Thursday that would legalize the sale of marijuana 
within the capital, expanding on a national law that already 
decriminalizes the possession by users of small amounts of pot 
throughout the country.

It wasn't immediately clear how wide support was for the idea within 
the local assembly, which is controlled by the leftist Democratic 
Revolution Party, but Mayor Manuel Mancera backed the idea, and the 
legislature is one of the most liberal in Mexico.

Lawmaker Vidal Llerenas, who proposed the bill, said the objective is 
to allow authorities to focus on more serious crimes.

"Mexico needs to lead a discussion about how we can deal with drugs 
in a different way," Llerenas said. "This is a country that has been 
destroyed by the war against drugs that has been based on prohibition."

 From wire reports
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom