Court ruling in Mexico could lead to legal marijuana

A ruling brought about in the Mexican Supreme Court could pave the way to legalising personal marijuana use.

A court ruling has made it legal for 4 people to grow their own marijuana in Mexico Image by Katheirne Hitt / CC BY 2.0

By a ruling of 4-1, the Supreme Court in Mexico on Thursday allowed four members of the Mexican Society for Responsible and Tolerant Personal Use to grow marijuana on the grounds that it was unconstitutional to prevent it. The ruling affects only the individuals who brought the case to the Supreme Court in 2013, seeking permission to grow plants.

Mexico experiences drug violence on a huge scale.  Marijuana is sold illegally there, but there are some who believe this ruling could be a precedent for Mexico’s future and could help legalise cannabis and diminish the power of the cartels.

Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto is firmly against changing the country’s policies so it’s likely to be a long and arduous battle.