Will Lawmakers In Mexico Finally Pass Cannabis Legalization This Session?

The path towards adult-use legalization in Mexico has proven to be long and full of twists and turns. For many years Mexico prohibited cannabis in all forms, however, in 2017 it finally legalized cannabis for medical use to some extent.

That following year, in 2018, Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that cannabis prohibition as it pertains to personal use was unconstitutional. It was a landmark ruling that was celebrated at the time around the world. Similar decisions were also handed down in South Africa and Italy.

In Mexico specifically, the Court tasked lawmakers with passing legislation to fully implement the Court’s decision and initially gave a one-year deadline. Lawmakers requested an extension and were granted one that expired in April 2020.

Due to the onset of the pandemic, lawmakers requested another deadline. And then another. As it stands right now, it’s anyone’s guess as to when Mexico will finally get a legalization bill to the finish line.

With a new session starting next month, international cannabis enthusiasts are hopeful that a bill will finally be passed this time around. Per Politico (translated from Spanish):

Proposals have been submitted; however, these have not prospered due to the lack of consensus on the subject. In this sense, it is expected that in the next ordinary period, which begins on February 1, the parliamentary groups that have a presence in the Senate will begin with the analysis of the issue.

Parts of Mexico are developed and full of economic opportunity, however, much of the country lives in poverty. It is no secret that Mexico has been ravaged by the War on Drugs, and that cannabis prohibition fueled the issue to some extent. Creating a regulated adult-use industry will do a lot to help Mexico’s citizens.

The desire to legalize cannabis for adult use in Mexico is strong among lawmakers, and it’s not a question of if Mexico will pass a bill, it’s a question of when? Lawmakers in Mexico have argued over provisions of a regulated industry for far too long. Hopefully this session proves to be the one that yields a successful, fair, and equitable legalization measure.