{"id":23497,"date":"2020-12-09T05:34:41","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T10:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/?p=23497"},"modified":"2022-12-30T12:19:38","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T17:19:38","slug":"legal-weed-in-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/legal-weed-in-mexico\/","title":{"rendered":"Legal Weed in Mexico by 2023? Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Mexico to <strong>legalize weed before the year 2023 is over<\/strong>?<\/p>\n<p>Finally! Something constructive to come from what can only be described as a very weird year. #SilverLinings<\/p>\n<p>Wait&#8230; does this mean you can buy it legally in <strong>Cancun and the Riviera Maya<\/strong>?<\/p>\n<p>Where does it leave the cartels?<\/p>\n<p>Find out everything you need to know as the updates roll in, right here.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Landslide Vote to Legalize Weed in Mexico<\/h2>\n<p>Whether you&#8217;re a weed smoker (cannabis, marijuana, Mary J&#8230; whatever you want to call it) or not, this news is kinda a big deal.<\/p>\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n<p>If approved by congress around the 15th of December, this <strong>landslide vote<\/strong> would <strong>create the world\u2019s largest legal marijuana market<\/strong>&#8230; not to mention strip the power from the cartels.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"es\">Tema prioritario en el Senado para este periodo. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zvIEX35lSa\">pic.twitter.com\/zvIEX35lSa<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jesusa Rodr\u00edguez (@jesusardgz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jesusardgz\/status\/1300484090731192321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 31, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Will, there be a backlash, and what can we expect?<\/p>\n<p>Here are my musings based on the facts so far&#8230;<\/p>\n<h2>Legal Weed in Mexico &#8211; The Proposed Legislation<\/h2>\n<p>As it stands, this new legislation proposes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>that the farming and production companies<\/strong> will have access to <strong>40% of the cultivation licenses<\/strong> that will be handed out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Which begs the question where will the other 60% go?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p3\">The legislation also grants users the permit to <strong>possess up to 28 grams<\/strong> and grow up to <strong>six plants at home or eight if there are two consumers<\/strong> of legal age living at the same residence.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><strong>Sales to adults in authorized businesses<\/strong> would be allowed, provided the <strong>product abides by maximum levels of psychoactive ingredients<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><strong>Children under 18 would be prohibited from using the drug<\/strong> or any involvement in its cultivation and sales.<\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><strong>Driving while under the influence of marijuana would be illegal<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mexican_Flag.png\" alt=\"Mexican Flag\" width=\"760\" height=\"506\" data-id=\"23522\" \/><\/p>\n<p>National Action Party Senate Minority leader Dami\u00e1n Zepeda said his legislators largely opposed the measure because &#8216;it is not the Mexico that we want for our children and citizens&#8217; children.&#8217;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p3\">&#8216;Tomorrow they are going to go smoking in the park because they only get a fine, not even an administrative arrest,&#8217; Zepeda said. &#8216;Tomorrow it is going to be the neighbor smoking, the smoke and the smell reaching our children, and there is no way to avoid it.&#8217;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2>When Might They Approve The New Bill?<\/h2>\n<p>Is weed legal in Mexico? ALMOST. There&#8217;s just one more step needed in the legal process.<\/p>\n<p>Will it really get approved or are we just wishful thinking?<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s how it stands currently in the chain of command&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23512\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/legal_weed_Mexico1.png\" alt=\"legal weed in mexico\" width=\"760\" height=\"851\" data-id=\"23512\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The landmark cannabis legalisation bill won a landslide vote, from here Mexico City lawmakers are now rushing to secure final approval before the end of the current congressional session <strong>on December 15th<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Senators<strong> voted 82 to 18 to approve the measure<\/strong>, with seven abstentions.<\/p>\n<h2>How Does Mexico&#8217;s President Feel About It?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s predicted that President Andr\u00e9s Manuel L\u00f3pez Obrador will most likely pass the bill as his party has the majority in both chambers of Congress and have shown no resistance.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, even though he has steered away from publicly supporting it in recent years, back in 2018 he actually backed the legalization of cannabis before he took office.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Mexican President Andr\u00e9s Manuel L\u00f3pez Obrador has refused to congratulate Biden at this point, saying he would wait until legal challenges were resolved. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fWgtrshERm\">https:\/\/t.co\/fWgtrshERm<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cbUqi8EL15\">pic.twitter.com\/cbUqi8EL15<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 FOX 5 San Diego (@fox5sandiego) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/fox5sandiego\/status\/1325556840176955394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 8, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Senior cabinet members like Interior Minister Olga Sanchez have <strong>openly called for a shift to legalization and regulation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>I know it&#8217;s a bit shady to say but I hope he&#8217;s stepped up security in the run-up to this as I can&#8217;t imagine the cartel taking it lightly. Just sayin&#8217;<\/p>\n<h2>Where does Legal Weed Leave the Cartels?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p3\">If enacted, the reform would very well mark a major shift in a country where drug cartel violence has left more than 250,000 people dead since former President Felipe Calder\u00f3n declared war on criminal\u00a0organizations.<\/p>\n<p>Although I would like to note for everyone reading this most of that<strong> drug violence action happens largely in the northerly parts of Mexico<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">I understand that the goal of this new bill is probably to aim to diffuse drug violence&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>However,\u00a0 with a loose economy in many regions, and the backlash of Corona creeping in I fear that removing weed from the equation will simply lead to cartels upping the <strong>ante on harder drugs such as cocaine and heroin<\/strong> to make the money back.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23513\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mexico_Legal_Weed.png\" alt=\"legal weed\" width=\"760\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"23513\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I might be wrong, but what do you think?<\/p>\n<p>In my book, you can&#8217;t just treat the symptom without looking at the cause.<\/p>\n<p>And from what I&#8217;ve seen selling drugs is about money, because they are not getting that money anywhere else.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s about education, it&#8217;s about <strong>none-corrupt police forces<\/strong>, improved public services etc&#8230; let&#8217;s be honest Mexico has still got a long way to go.<\/p>\n<p>And it&#8217;s down to governments to get it done!<\/p>\n<p>Sure, you can take weed from the cartels but assuming it&#8217;s going to diffuse the violence, in my opinion, is naive.<\/p>\n<p>Not to mention it still needs to be grown SOMEWHERE and if Netflix documentaries have taught me anything during 2020 lockdown it&#8217;s that these cartels go to the ends of the earth to cash in on Avocado production for god&#8217;s sake,\u00a0 I doubt they are going to let the government grow it under their nose without a fight or a foot in the door&#8230;<\/p>\n<h2>How Might We Be Able to Get Hold of Legal Weed?<\/h2>\n<p>So, now that we now Mexico might be joining the list of best countries to smoke weed, which includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Canada<\/li>\n<li>Jamaica<\/li>\n<li>Uruguay<\/li>\n<li>The Netherlands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>How might we be able to get hold of it if and when it is made legal?<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p3\">&#8216;Cultivation, processing, marketing, exportation and importation and use for research purposes of cannabis are regulated. Medical and pharmaceutical use is regulated and established in the General Law of Health,&#8217; said Senate Majority leader Ricardo Monreal.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23514\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Weed_In_Mexico.png\" alt=\"legal weed\" width=\"760\" height=\"504\" data-id=\"23514\" \/><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p3\">&#8216;With this law, people can access cannabis under clear criteria, through licenses related exclusively to cultivation, transformation, commercialization, exportation, importation and investigation.&#8217;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>From this quote, I&#8217;m guessing we will all need a license of some sort&#8230; whether that is to simply buy it or sell it, it&#8217;s hard to say at this stage.<\/p>\n<p>In an ideal world buying weed should be as simple and as straightforward as it is in Canada.<\/p>\n<p>I wouldn&#8217;t say no to door-to-door deliveries&#8230; but considering we still have to order food via WhatsApp I&#8217;d say that&#8217;s a far stretch.<\/p>\n<p>I will be sure to update this section as more news comes in.<\/p>\n<h2>Will There Be Restrictions When Buying &amp; Smoking?<\/h2>\n<p>As it&#8217;s impossible to say at this stage here are my musings on the<strong> possible restrictions we might see<\/strong> (based off of how other countries around the world sell and distribute legal weed):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Not being able to buy it under the age of 18 (this is already proposed in the legislation, so it looks likely)<\/li>\n<li>Like Canada, the government might simply sign off on it, but not <strong>actively promote it<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Similar to the USA could we see weed being<strong> legal in some states and not in others<\/strong>?<\/li>\n<li>Could they cap the grammage on what is considered private and personal use (it&#8217;s predicted this will be around 28 grams)<\/li>\n<li>Will we be able to smoke in public spaces such as the beach? (it&#8217;s predicted that we will be able to smoke it wherever we are currently allowed to smoke tobacco)<\/li>\n<li>Similar to Argentina, could medical Marijuana be free?<\/li>\n<li>Will it be illegal to grow it without a license?\u00a0 (it&#8217;s predicted 6-8 plants will be allowed)<\/li>\n<li>Will we have to officially register with the government to buy it, or <strong>will tourists be able to buy it too<\/strong>?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23515\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Legal_Weed.png\" alt=\"Legal Weed\" width=\"760\" height=\"489\" data-id=\"23515\" \/><\/p>\n<p>How would you like to see legal weed sold in Cancun Mexico? Let me know if, in the comments section down below, I would love to hear from you.<\/p>\n<p>Are you for the legalization of weed or against it? We&#8217;re all entitled to an opinion and I invite you to share it. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<h2>What Will The Impact Be If Weed Is Legalized?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_qdq9r6-o_O-style_1tcxgp3-o_O-style_48hmcm-o_O-style_n5l1ea\" data-id=\"_zx59cv2uk\">Aside from stripping Cartels of some of their power, it&#8217;s predicted adult-use cannabis would drive the total global sales to<strong> $104 billion by 2024<\/strong>,\u00a0 a <strong>+850% increase\u00a0<\/strong>when compared to today&#8217;s figures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_qdq9r6-o_O-style_1tcxgp3-o_O-style_48hmcm-o_O-style_n5l1ea\" data-id=\"_zx59cv2uk\">At the same time, economists have forecasted that, with a potential base of over\u00a0<strong>1.4 million regular<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>domestic users,\u00a0<\/strong>Mexico could receive over\u00a0<strong>$1.2 Billion<\/strong>\u00a0in new, annual tax revenue.<\/p>\n<p data-id=\"_zx59cv2uk\">I would love to know how they plan on spending this revenue and personally would like to see it being reinvested into essential local infrastructures such as healthcare and education.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_1b9ltcz-o_O-style_1tcxgp3-o_O-style_48hmcm-o_O-style_n5l1ea\" data-id=\"_yrolsk9q2\">New Frontier Data estimates the country could reduce cannabis-related related law enforcement by nearly <strong>$200 million per year,\u00a0 <\/strong>while also creating\u00a0<strong>75,000 new jobs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-id=\"_yrolsk9q2\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23516\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/police_in_Playa.png\" alt=\"police in Playa\" width=\"760\" height=\"465\" data-id=\"23516\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-id=\"_yrolsk9q2\">I&#8217;d love to see new jobs being created,\u00a0 but at the same time, I&#8217;d also hate to see the police defunded.<\/p>\n<p data-id=\"_yrolsk9q2\">As I stated earlier I don&#8217;t think removing cannabis for the equation is the answer to all of Mexico&#8217;s problems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_1b9ltcz-o_O-style_1tcxgp3-o_O-style_48hmcm-o_O-style_n5l1ea\" data-id=\"_yrolsk9q2\">Naturally, tourism may also get a bump from neighbouring U.S. states such as Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, where adult-use cannabis remains illegal.<\/p>\n<h2>Could It Lead to Correctional Sentencing and Prison Reform?<\/h2>\n<p>I personally, would like to think so.<\/p>\n<p>However, I don&#8217;t have high hopes for it in Mexico&#8230;maybe one day, who knows.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s shocking when you read the statistics&#8230; according to the Drug Policy Program of the Center for Economic Research and Education, AT LEAST 41% of inmate populations in federal prisons arrested with narcotics that we <strong>LESS THAN $25 USD<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>How crazy is that!?<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m pretty sure most of us reading this have had 25 USD worth of weed on us at some point or you wouldn&#8217;t be here.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23517\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Marijuana_Mexico-1.png\" alt=\"legal weed in cancun\" width=\"760\" height=\"500\" data-id=\"23517\" \/><\/p>\n<p>However,\u00a0 I would like to stress I read this in the Daily Mail and in true Daily Mail fashion, it doesn&#8217;t state where they are pulling these statistics from.<\/p>\n<p>Are they talking about the USA, Mexico, South America in general? Who knows.<\/p>\n<p>Hey ho, that&#8217;s journalism for you. Laughable really.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, wherever this is happening it&#8217;s still pretty shocking. It&#8217;s wrong, and things desperately need to change.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m seriously rooting for a revolution of some kind at this point.<\/p>\n<h2>Corporations Ready To Cash In<\/h2>\n<p>The big weed corporations are eagerly awaiting updates as they hope to <strong>get their slice of the pie in the world&#8217;s biggest marijuana market<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Weed companies such as Canada&#8217;s Canopy Growth and The Green Organic Dutchman, as well as a unit of California-based Medical Marijuana Inc have already all expressed their interest.<\/p>\n<h2>Just One More Step Needed&#8230;<\/h2>\n<p>So, Marijuana isn&#8217;t legal just yet, but it&#8217;s very nearly there.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, there&#8217;s just one more step needed in the legal process to make it happen.<\/p>\n<p>The world is watching as Mexico toes the line toward what could become the globe&#8217;s most lucrative cannabis market.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23519\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Legalize_weed.png\" alt=\"cenote in riviera maya\" width=\"760\" height=\"789\" data-id=\"23519\" \/><\/p>\n<p>How do you feel about it? Let us know in the comments section down below, we would love to know your thoughts.<\/p>\n<p>Stay safe and roll on 2023! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<h2>Need Help Planning Your Next Vacation to Paradise?<\/h2>\n<p>Here at PlayaDelCarmen.Com, that&#8217;s what we do best!<\/p>\n<p>After the year we&#8217;ve all had you deserve a vacation, some sun, and endless cocktails.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23518\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screen-Shot-2020-12-09-at-09.58.30.png\" alt=\"legal weed\" width=\"760\" height=\"559\" data-id=\"23518\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s never been a BETTER TIME to get deals on travel!<\/p>\n<p>We have not seen\u00a0<strong>discounts like these<\/strong>\u00a0in 20 years\u2026 and we know they won\u2019t last forever.<\/p>\n<p>If it\u2019s time to book your family vacation,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/groups\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">group getaway<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/groups\/golf-vacations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">golf vacation<\/a>, or couples retreat you know what to do\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Call our travel agents free of charge at\u00a0<strong><a href=\"tel:888-537-9797\">888-537-9797<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and explore your options.<\/p>\n<h2>Additional Resources You May Find Useful<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/best-resorts-covid19\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Resorts with the best COVID safety standards&#8230;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/faqs-covid19-cancun-riviera-maya\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">COVID FAQ &#8211; everything you need to know<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/ocoba-mayan-encounter-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">My Coba Mayan Encounter tour review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/dreams-tulum-weddings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">My honest review of Dream Tulum weddings (with prices)\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/8-unusual-tours-playa-del-carmen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">8 of the most fun and unusual tours in Playa del Carmen\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Remember &#8211; we&#8217;re here to help.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mexico to legalize weed before the year 2023 is over? Finally! Something constructive to come from what can only be described as a very weird year. #SilverLinings Wait&#8230; does this mean you can buy it legally in Cancun and the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":23511,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[139],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23497"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23497"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23497\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28827,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23497\/revisions\/28827"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}