Mexico Upset By California Efforts To Legalize Pot

[Mr. Lennon]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/08/mexico-upset-by-californi_n_755356.html

TIJUANA, Mexico — President Felipe Calderon said Thursday that a California ballot measure to legalize marijuana represents hypocrisy in U.S. drug policy for encouraging consumption while at the same time demanding that Mexico and other countries crack down on drug trafficking.

"For me, it reflects a terrible inconsistency in government policies in the United States," the Mexican leader said late Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press.

Put on your ROFL hats....

"It's very sad to see how drug consumption is, little by little, tearing apart American society and, if we don't watch ourselves, it will tear apart ours," the president said.

I think this tops his speech made during his last visit in Washington.

 

[OCGuy]

Because Mexico gets a bunch of US Federal $$$ to "fight" drugs on the border.

If we decriminalized/regulated all but the most harmful chemicals (meth, opiates), they would stand to lose a metric shit ton (mST?) of cash.

 

[werepossum]

We should politely tell Mexico that this relationship isn't working out and keep all our money to spend on stopping drugs and illegals on our side of the border, where we only have to fight ONE president (be he Republican or Democrat) to enforce the law.

 

[ayabe]

Because Mexico gets a bunch of US Federal $$$ to "fight" drugs on the border.

If we decriminalized/regulated all but the most harmful chemicals (meth, opiates), they would stand to lose a metric shit ton (mST?) of cash.

Exactly this. The state apparatus to fight the WoD in Mexico is huge and a good chunk of it is financed by the US taxpayer.

No more Blackhawk helicopters and what amounts to a gigantic jobs program in Mexico.

 

[Schadenfroh]

California should annex Mexico. That would solve a number of problems.

 

[TechBoyJK]

california should nix mexico. That would solve a number of problems.

fixed.

 

[brxndxn]

I pretty much disagree with everything Felipe Calderon says.. and pretty much disagreed with everything Vicente Fox said. They're looking out for Mexico at the US' expense.

 

[piasabird]

Why should people in the USA care what a few drug lords in Mexico think?

 

[Schadenfroh]

Why should people in the USA care what a few drug lords in Mexico think?

The violence in Mexico spills over the border into the U.S. because the Mexican government is either not able to contain it or are unwilling (due to fear, lack of resources and/or corruption).

We also cannot clamp down on the border with an iron fist to reduce the violence from spilling over because that would be racist (and expensive)...

 

[MotF Bane]

The violence in Mexico spills over the border into the U.S. because the Mexican government is either not able to contain it or are unwilling (due to fear, lack of resources and/or corruption).

We also cannot clamp down on the border with an iron fist to reduce the violence from spilling over because that would be racist (and expensive)...

Sure we can. End the "war on drugs", and we'll probably have money left over.

 

[Moonbeam]

Fuck Mexico.

 

[GoPackGo]

Fuck Mexico.

For sure....who the fuck are they to complain about STATE laws...

Legalize and regulate all drugs...the only thing the war has done is get innocent people killed and make the drug lords rich.

40+ years of fighting has been a complete failure.

 

[bfdd]

Well to bad for them, I want legalized marijuana. They can fuck off as far as I'm concerned.

 

[bamacre]

Mexico needs to follow CA, not demonize them.

 

[Fern]

Reading Mexican President Felipe Calderon's remarks left me wondering (1) how much of CA's push to legalize pot is a result of Mexico's problems, and (2) how might CA legalization affect mexico?

1) I think most people now recognize that (violent) problems from Mexican drug crime is a damn good reason to legalize pot. I'm not familiar with the details of the CA proposition, but legalization definately has the potential to eliminate/reduce that problem. Just like the repeal of prohibition ended the bootlegger/whiskey runner problems associated with Al Capone types, so too can this with the mexican/SA drug lords.

So, I think an argument can be made that Mexico's own inability to control it's people/criminals and their violent tendancies is forcing CA to legalize pot.

2) Assuming CA will implement legalization and do it intelligently (neither being a given), the profitablity, and motive, for the criminal activities ceases. Maybe they'll just move operation Eastwards to states that don't have decriminalization, but at least the Mexican gov will have a smaller geographical area to focus their law enforcement efforts towards. It may also be that their criminal orgs just relocate to CA, thereby removing the problem from their country. Why still grow (illegally) in Mexico and fight the Mexican soldiers when you can setup growing ops in CA and then smuggle eastwards across the less well defended state borders?

So, contrary to Calderon's assertion, Mexico may be a beneficiary of CA decriminalization laws.

Fern

 

[nobodyknows]

Fuck Mexico.

but... but... but... they're just trying to better themselves??

 

[Ns1]

It may also be that their criminal orgs just relocate to CA, thereby removing the problem from their country. Why still grow (illegally) in Mexico and fight the Mexican soldiers when you can setup growing ops in CA and then smuggle eastwards across the less well defended state borders?
Fern

This is a definite question and why I don't think legalization in CA will work.

You need to legalize all 50 states in order for this to truly work.

 

[Throckmorton]

Reading Mexican President Felipe Calderon's remarks left me wondering (1) how much of CA's push to legalize pot is a result of Mexico's problems, and (2) how might CA legalization affect mexico?

1) I think most people now recognize that (violent) problems from Mexican drug crime is a damn good reason to legalize pot. I'm not familiar with the details of the CA proposition, but legalization definately has the potential to eliminate/reduce that problem. Just like the repeal of prohibition ended the bootlegger/whiskey runner problems associated with Al Capone types, so too can this with the mexican/SA drug lords.

So, I think an argument can be made that Mexico's own inability to control it's people/criminals and their violent tendancies is forcing CA to legalize pot.

2) Assuming CA will implement legalization and do it intelligently (neither being a given), the profitablity, and motive, for the criminal activities ceases. Maybe they'll just move operation Eastwards to states that don't have decriminalization, but at least the Mexican gov will have a smaller geographical area to focus their law enforcement efforts towards. It may also be that their criminal orgs just relocate to CA, thereby removing the problem from their country. Why still grow (illegally) in Mexico and fight the Mexican soldiers when you can setup growing ops in CA and then smuggle eastwards across the less well defended state borders?

So, contrary to Calderon's assertion, Mexico may be a beneficiary of CA decriminalization laws.

Fern

As far as I know, the trend is to legalize possession. So people are now free to buy marijuana from Mexican drug cartels...

 

[ayabe]

This is a definite question and why I don't think legalization in CA will work.

You need to legalize all 50 states in order for this to truly work.

It's going to pass then go to the courts, probably all the way up the chain where hopefully the Controlled Substances Act is ruled unconstitutional.

That may be a pipe dream, but I really do think it will pass in CA, the question then becomes...then what? I'd love to see CA National Guardsmen protecting pot clinics from the DEA.

 

[Saint Nick]

It's going to pass then go to the courts, probably all the way up the chain where hopefully the Controlled Substances Act is ruled unconstitutional.

That may be a pipe dream, but I really do think it will pass in CA, the question then becomes...then what? I'd love to see CA National Guardsmen protecting pot clinics from the DEA.

It will become a political firestorm, eh?

 

[nobodyknows]

This is a definite question and why I don't think legalization in CA will work.

You need to legalize all 50 states in order for this to truly work.

Why should Mexico get to make all the money off of pot? California has budget problems so they should be entitled to their fair share of the market for "medicinal" pot, shouldn't they??

 

[Aegeon]

As far as I know, the trend is to legalize possession. So people are now free to buy marijuana from Mexican drug cartels...

In California Proposition 19 is about full legalization regarding growing it and everything.

This could presumably be followed up by laws to track where the marijuana is being grown (presumably allowances are made more small scale personal growing, but cracking down on smuggling or being grown illegally on public land) and make dealers and shops buying from the cartels actually a significantly more serious offense than it current is if they don't follow the proper procedures to avoid this. (Basically its no longer a case where they can argue they don't have other options.)

 

[Ns1]

Why should Mexico get to make all the money off of pot? California has budget problems so they should be entitled to their fair share of the market for "medicinal" pot, shouldn't they??

mexico does not grow MMJ quality pot.

 

[peonyu]

I like how Mexico's President comments fast as hell whenever illegals are brought up or Drugs. Mexico should keep its nose to itself and while they are at it take back their 20 million illegals. Also as far as hypocrisy goes look at Mexico's immigration laws...

 

[Fern]

As far as I know, the trend is to legalize possession. So people are now free to buy marijuana from Mexican drug cartels...

I think it depend's on how CA implements the law.

We can all buy alchohol, but 'moonshiners' do not proliferate.

CA need only excercise similar requirments to exclude non US source pot from the pot stores. Or only that imported through proper channels. Since it's illegal in Mexico there can be no proper channel there.

As long as CA doesn't go crazy with any taxes on it, there's no good reason to buy 'illegal' pot from some Mexican smuggler on the street corner. Even if CA did put a high tax on it, I think (illegal) Mexican pot coming through illegal channels would take a big hit to demand.

Fern