# Mexico decriminalizing drugs. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 29, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678 "2006-04-29T00:36:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/1 "2006-04-29T00:36:33Z")
[Mexico is decriminilizing pot, heroin, cocaine, LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, amphetamines and peyote!](http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060428/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_mexico_drugs;_ylt=An42dpIUx4HmPXMkxQqHDg_tiBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--) :eek: > [@](#): > > Under the legislation, police will not penalize people for possessing up to 5 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of opium, 25 milligrams of heroin or 500 milligrams of cocaine. > > People caught with larger quantities of drugs will be treated as narcotics dealers and face increased jail terms under the plan. This is the most sensible thing I’ve heard in years. I don’t have much hope the US will follow suit, but it will be interesting to see how this sways things. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/2 "2006-04-29T00:43:14Z")
Alex, I’ll take “Guaranteed ways to piss off the US, outside of immigration, for $800.” ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/3 "2006-04-29T00:46:14Z")
From what I’ve read, they’ll allow people to possess up to two _pounds_ of hallucinogenic mushrooms. That seems a bit excessive. Also, any sort of drug selling is still illegal. I imagine that Tijuana is going to become an even more popular tourist destinaton soon. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/4 "2006-04-29T00:53:47Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Also, any sort of drug selling is still illegal. Heh. How are people supposed to get the drugs? No wonder so many are trying to flee that country. Their laws make less sense than ours. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/5 "2006-04-29T01:15:29Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Heh. How are people supposed to get the drugs? Grow it in their backyard, or as a gift from a friend. Like certain cancer victims/chemo patients I know, who got gifts of marijuana. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/6 "2006-04-29T11:00:21Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > Grow it in their backyard, or as a **gift from a friend**. Like certain cancer victims/chemo patients I know, who got gifts of marijuana. I don’t believe anyone distinguishes between distribution for profit or not-for-profit. It is still distribution. Hmm…Actually, that might make a good Thread in GQ… -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/7 "2006-04-29T11:04:06Z")
Yeah, I’m interested to see how this works out as well. Lord knows that what we are doing sure isn’t working. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/8 "2006-04-29T16:55:08Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > Grow it in their backyard, or as a gift from a friend. Like certain cancer victims/chemo patients I know, who got gifts of marijuana. Except if you’re growing it in your backyard, you’re going to have a lot more than 5 grams worth, which is still illegal as per the law: unless it has a provision for home cultivation for personal use. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/9 "2006-04-29T17:00:38Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > From what I’ve read, they’ll allow people to possess up to two _pounds_ of hallucinogenic mushrooms. That seems a bit excessive. That depends on whether the mushrooms are fresh or dried. Psilocybe mushrooms are 90% water, so two wet pounds would be equivalent to 3.2 dry ounces. Of course, that is still an excessive amount compared to the other drugs. It works out to about 40 relatively large doses. The weights of the other drugs seem to be in the 2-10 dose range. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/10 "2006-04-29T17:04:45Z")
> [@neutron star](#): > > It works out to about 40 relatively large doses. :smack: My math skills are lacking today. That number should actually be closer to 25. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/11 "2006-04-29T23:53:41Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Alex, I’ll take “Guaranteed ways to piss off the US, outside of immigration, for $800.” More like a bargaining chip: read “we’ll kill the bill if you ease up on immigration.” ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/12 "2006-04-30T00:21:32Z")
I agree with you completely, **WhyNot**. They’ve got some _serious_ balls down there, and I love it, personally. Those quantities are no more than a week or two weeks’ stash for most users I knew back in my wilder days. I’ve known people who could get through one of the listed quantities in a day or two. I think this is great–stop filling up the jails with people who aren’t hurting anyone, and go after the movers and shakers. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/13 "2006-04-30T00:25:16Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > I think this is great–stop filling up the jails with people who aren’t hurting anyone, and go after the movers and shakers. Uh… but the movers and the shakers wouldn’t be hurting anyone either if they weren’t forced to operate outside the law… ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/14 "2006-04-30T00:42:04Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Uh… but the movers and the shakers wouldn’t be hurting anyone either if they weren’t forced to operate outside the law… I’ve written pages agreeing with you, but baby steps, man, baby steps. ---
**Author:** ![Phantom\_Dennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Phantom\_Dennis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantom_Dennis)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/15 "2006-04-30T00:43:56Z")
Wow. I’m sure they’re going to get a lot of pressure from the US drug warriers – I hope they don’t cave. It seems like a sensible policy to me – addicts should be treated rather than thrown in prison, and those who can use drugs responsibly in the privacy of their homes should be left alone. The current US attitude on drugs borders on McCarthyist paranoia. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/16 "2006-04-30T00:53:00Z")
> [@Phantom Dennis](#): > > Wow. I’m sure they’re going to get a lot of pressure from the US drug warriers – I hope they don’t cave. It seems like a sensible policy to me – addicts should be treated rather than thrown in prison, and those who can use drugs responsibly in the privacy of their homes should be left alone. > > The current US attitude on drugs borders on McCarthyist paranoia. I would add that if there is no violence during their arrests, IMHO people who are in jail only for drug use are political prisoners. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/17 "2006-05-04T01:37:46Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > From what I’ve read, they’ll allow people to possess up to two _pounds_ of hallucinogenic mushrooms. That seems a bit excessive. 2 pounds of Peyote (which contains mescaline), not mushrooms. Peyote is typically 1% mescaline, so 1 kilo peyote has 1 gram mescaline, which is 2-3 decent doses. Here’s the whole list: ## -------SOURCE: Associated Press---- Opium: (raw, to be smoked): 5 grams Heroin: 25 milligrams Marijuana: 5 grams Cocaine: 500 milligrams LSD: .015 milligrams MDA: 200 milligrams MDMA (Ecstasy): 200 milligrams Mescaline: 1 gram Peyote: 1 kilogram Psilocybin (concentrate, pure, active ingredient): 100 milligrams Hallucinogenic mushrooms (raw, off the farm): 250 milligrams Amphetamines: 100 milligrams Dexamphetamines: 40 milligrams Phencyclidine (PCP, or Angel Dust): 7 milligrams Methamphetamines: 200 milligrams Nalbuphine (synthetic opiate): 10 milligrams > [@Phantom Dennis](#): > > Wow. I’m sure they’re going to get a lot of pressure from the US drug warriers – I hope they don’t cave. [Mexican drug-use bill to be toughened](http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20060503-9999-7n3mexico.html): > [@](#): > > Stung by opposition to a bill that would permit the possession of small quantities of narcotics, a top Mexican senator said yesterday the legislation will be toughened to reassure critics that Mexico is not opening its doors to drug users. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/18 "2006-05-04T01:42:22Z")
> [@II Gyan II](#): > > 2 pounds of Peyote (which contains mescaline), not mushrooms. Peyote is typically 1% mescaline, so 1 kilo peyote has 1 gram mescaline, which is 2-3 decent doses. Ouch. At 1%, that’s 10 grams i.e. 20-30 doses. Although this is after drying. Not sure whether the weight mentioned is for dried peyote, or not. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexico-decriminalizing-drugs/354678/19 "2006-05-04T05:32:06Z")
Mexico’s quick backing-down is utterly silly. As the linked article notes, the new law is actually tougher and more specific than the old law. Apparently San Diego mayors are like Middle Eastern dictators; knock off one nutter and you get another nutter waiting to take his place. I’m sure the next one will be off his/her rocker too, and the next one after that. I’m ashamed.