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Monday, August 20, 2018

Guerrero Congress approves decriminalization of poppy cultivation

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat  from ElFinanciero and Mexico Daily


The Guerrero Congress has approved — almost unanimously — a legislative proposal to decriminalize the cultivation of opium poppies for medicinal purposes.

The proposal, which passed by 43 votes to one, will now go to the Senate, which must also approve the bill in order for it to become law.

Guerrero Governor Héctor Astudillo first raised the idea of legalizing opium poppy cultivation for medical use in early 2016, just months after he took office. Later that year a proposal to do so was taken to the state Congress but rejected.

Now, just two weeks before the current legislature finishes its term, lawmakers have reached consensus on the issue.

The bill was presented by Citizens’ Movement party Deputy Magdalena Camacho Díaz, who contended that prohibition of the cultivation of the plant had only served to generate a crisis of severe violence both in Guerrero and other parts of the country.

She said many opium poppy farmers had shown interest in ceasing to grow the illicit crop and transitioning into other lines of work but most were unable to do so out of economic necessity.

Lower demand for opium paste, largely due to the increasing use of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in heroin production, has led to a drastic price slump, which in turn has had a devastating impact on parts of the southern state, especially the Sierra region.

With profits plunging, criminal organizations in Guerrero have become even more determined to control larger swathes of poppy-growing territory, which has led to bloody turf wars.

The plant is grown on 60% of the state’s entire territory, according to a report published today by the newspaper El Financiero, making it the largest poppy-producing state in Mexico.

Only Afghanistan and Myanmar produce more opium poppies than Mexico, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Last month, a group of community leaders from the state’s Sierra region appealed to president-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador to legalize poppy production for use in the manufacture of legal pharmaceuticals.

Olga Sánchez Cordero, tapped to be interior secretary in the incoming government, has said that legalizing drugs is a possibility as part of the quest to bring peace to the country.

The new federal Congress, in which the López Obrador-led government will have majorities in both houses, will  first sit next month.

18 comments:

  1. It's just a proposal that will go to the Senate, may go up or down. It's hogwash, just like when they said, homeowners, family members will be able to carry guns, for protection, but you see, that too never went through.

    Luna Apaghta

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    Replies
    1. Even thier Congress lies, they wanted the people, to protect themselves, with a revolver. That propspro died, none of the Congress took action.

      Delete
    2. Bunch of bozos in the Mexican Congress.

      Delete
  2. Great. Now what about the cartels that control the farmers?

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    1. Good question.. ct, viagras, cjng, la familia, los rojos, los tequileros, guerrero's unidos are all fighting for control of that area.

      Delete
    2. Dont be surprised if those farmers under the control of a subsidiary department of government to run operations. A dire need for those impoverished communities where a lack of jobs and opportunities are limited.
      It will not be a simple transition in the beginning to enforce. However, the killing will subside which is what Mexico is needed.
      Columbia's peace accord with FARC has not made any progress of coca production. According to statistics it has doubled in size of agriculture production due to economic reasons.
      Pesticides and agriculture alternatives have failed to what is clearly evidence of a high demand for drugs.

      Delete
  3. Its all just bullshit . Makes it easier for the farmers to produce opium . Very difficult to be competitive with synthetics when your product has roots and don't bloom until it matures in the second season . If its legal these little hillside farmers wont be able to compete with the big open farms to come .

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    Replies
    1. Good point 12:43 about the big farms to come.I just see Corona beer just bought the biggest pot producing company in the country (Canopy Growth for $5 billion for a 38% stake)in time for Canada's legalization.Where does that leave the smaller growers and farmers be it California,Canada or Guerrero?Will the Cartels like this or not is the biggest question.And what's the fallout or consequences to this?Another thing is will the Cartels now control Big Pharma in Mexico with handsome bribes to unleash opiates and get them hooked on the general population like was done north of the border?

      Delete
    2. That was what i thought at first- theres no way mexico could put out a product anywhere close to what is needed for what theyre talking about- mexicos shit is pretty much trash as far as the world scale of strength of their poppy

      Delete
  4. It's ridiculous that we live in a world where a plant species can be considered illegal in the first place.

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    1. Im not sure growing them is illegal . Actually in the USA its not . Grows in flower beds and yards . You can purchase poppy seeds off the net or many places .

      Delete
    2. I think there is some legal gray area, but Papaver Somniferum is technically illegal to grow due to its high alkaloid(codiene, thebaine, and morphine) content. Overall I just think it's dumb to regulate anything that grows naturally, no matter how destructive and/or helpful it may be for people. I.E. Cannabis, Poppies, Coca, khat, Psylociban mushrooms, Mitragyna speciosa(kratom) etc.

      It's not regulated cause it's "dangerous", it's regulated because it allows big business and institution's the maximum amount of control.

      If they really cared Monsanto would have never been allowed to be a thing.. they are far more dangerous then one can even describe. They should be called Monsanto: Bringers of destruction

      Phelpso

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  5. Its a smart idea and i hope it passes easy. However, i believe the cat is out of the bag, meaning the violence, lawlessness, move to synthetics like fenantyl, and meth are going to be very hard to stop.

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  6. Soon the fields of Mexico will turn into one big pharmacy :-)

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  7. Mexico produces h for US but the afgans they supply dee whole fucking rest of the world. Fact

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    1. That is 100%, Afghanistan went from supplying less then 5% of the world Heroin supply pre U.S. invasion to over 90% post invasion. Only reason we aren't using Afghan heroin over here is the CIA learned after the contras scandal that they shouldn't be shitting where they eat.

      Same thing happened during Vietnam too.

      Phelpso

      Delete
  8. Its a good move to help the Campesinos to make a better living. This is The first step. Others must follow, if you start then fighting impunity, crime will decrease. But the people itself also must change to make Mexico a better place.

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  9. Most of the farm areas in GRO are de facto 100% controlled by the cartels. Re-ubification (SP?) is where the gentes malo tell the local residents that they have xx hours to leave or face expiration. Good luck with all of that,...

    ReplyDelete

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