The Associated Press: Mexico decriminalizes small-scale drug possession

MEXICO CITY — Mexico decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and heroin on Friday — a move that prosecutors say makes sense even in the midst of the government’s grueling battle against drug traffickers.

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

Damn. This is major, but I wish they’d taken it even further. Full drug legalization would put the cartels nearly out of business almost overnight. Without being able to jack up prices for dope, thanks to its illegality, drug gangs wouldn’t have the income they need to thrive.

Of course, their biggest market is the United States, where insane drug laws ensure that bribery, violence, corruption, social breakdown, and utter disrespect for the rule of law will continue to flourish right along with their profits. So this is a start, but until America comes to her senses and ends her lunatic War on (Some) Drugs, I expect the cartels to continue pretty much as they always have. We are a gigantic cash cow for dope gangs, and we have done that to ourselves.

Still, if this move helps to quell the violence in Mexico, it might send a helpful message to the suicidal morons in the U.S. who still thing their idiotic “war” is a great idea.

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