| | |  Editorials | Issues | May 2009 
Doubts Surround New Drug Proposal
 The News
go to original
| | Mexico City Attorney General Miguel Angel Mancera Espinosa | |
Mexico City's top prosecutor said Monday that a drug decriminalization law which would give local police more anti-drug authority would not work in practice due to a lack of resources.
Mexico City Attorney General Miguel Angel Mancera Espinosa told the state-owned news agency Notimex that the "Ley de Narcomenudeo" - which was recently approved by both houses of Congress and only awaits President Felipe Calderón's signing before becoming law - will require a "large workload and significant investment" to enforce because local and state law enforcement agencies do not currently have the resources to go after drug dealers.
The bill - originally proposed by Calderón - aims to legalize possession of certain quantities of drugs, but also allow local and state law enforcement to go after dealers, who currently fall under the jurisdiction of federal authorities. The thinking is that this would free up federal authorities to go after the big guns in the war on drugs.
The bill passed both houses of Congress in late April, after being amended to exclude a clause that would have imposed mandatory rehabilitation treatment for anyone caught in possession of drugs and deemed an addict. Opponents of the clause - a key element of Calderón's bill - said such impositions violated personal rights and questioned the methods through which addiction would be determined. |
|
| |
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us