The News
Friday 29 of March 2024

Senate Committees Start Debate on Marijuana


The legal amount of marijuana tolerated remains a contentious subject,photo: Reuters/Jaime Saldarriaga
The legal amount of marijuana tolerated remains a contentious subject,photo: Reuters/Jaime Saldarriaga
Senator Peña Gomez went as far as showing a bag with 28 grams of marijuana to make her point during the meeting

MEXICO CITY — Mexican senate committees met to start discussing the judgment on the medical, scientific and therapeutic use of marijuana, but will not touch on the augmentation of the amount of grams tolerated for personal use. The committees present were those of Health, Human Rights, Interior and the Second Commission of Legislative Studies.

Senator Angélica de la Peña Gómez made her point by showing exactly what 28 grams of marijuana represented. Photo: Cuartoscuro/Senate
Senator Angélica de la Peña Gómez made her point by showing exactly what 28 grams of marijuana represented. Photo: Cuartoscuro/Senate

The judgment poses the modification of the General Health Law and the Federal Criminal Code to allow the use of medical and therapeutic marijuana in Mexico. The discussion has been considered historical for breaking with social and ideological preconceptions.

Senators stated that the changes would improve the quality of life for thousands of people in the country, and benefit those who suffer from epilepsy, sclerosis or cancer, among others.

Senator Angélica de la Peña Gómez from the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) lamented that, in addition to this, no consensus could be reached to augment the quantity tolerated for personal use from 5 to 28 grams. Peña Gomez went as far as showing a bag with 28 grams of marijuana to make her point during the meeting.

“What are 28 grams? These are 28 grams, 28 grams of marijuana, this is its size, what we propose in the initiative and which fits in the hand. I know the Public Prosecutor will now come and get me (laughs) but I’ve got my lawyers here to protect me.” 

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