Earlier this week, the Mexican Supreme Court opened the door to legalizing marijuana by giving four plaintiffs the privilege to cultivate cannabis for personal use.
In Canada, the newly sworn in prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has stated he has intentions to change the law so individuals can use cannabis recreationally; medicinal use is already legal in that country.
In the United States, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is looking for the Democratic nomination for president, recently introduced a bill that would let states make the choice if they want to make cannabis legal without worrying about conflicting with federal law.
Laws prohibiting the cultivation, distribution and possession of cannabis have caused major damage to society, with billions spent on imprisoning individuals for violating pointlessly harsh laws.
The Mexican Supreme Court’s decision, which applies only to the four plaintiffs looking to obtain the legal right to cultivate marijuana, does not strike down the country’s marijuana rules and regulations.
California was the first state to allow medicinal use of marijuana back in 1996, and it is a big market for illegal Mexican marijuana.
It would make no sense for Mexico to spend countless millions a year in drug enforcement to prohibit a substance that is legal and regulated all throughout its northern border all the way up the western coast to Canada.
Oregon and Washington have already legalized marijuana, as have Colorado, Alaska and the District of Columbia.
Voters did the made the right choice by turning down that measure because it would have granted a monopoly over the growing and sale of legal marijuana to a small group of investors.
Even the acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Chuck Rosenberg, who stands in opposition of legalization, described that ballot measure as an “Anomaly.” What’s needed now is responsible leadership from President Obama and Congress.
His bill would lift marijuana, or “Marihuana” as it is called in federal law, from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, which is meant for drugs that have a high potential for abuse and no medical use.
This change would allow states to make the decision if they want to make marijuana legal and how to regulate it without being limited by federal law.
Mr. Sanders’s bill would also make it against the law to deliver marijuana across state lines.
If Congress is not willing to act, Mr. Obama should move on his own by ordering the attorney general to request a study by the secretary of health and human services, which would be needed if the administration is to lift cannabis from the Schedule I list on its own.
A growing group of activists, judges and lawmakers are currently showing the world a road to more sensible drug policies.
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