MÉXICO, (June 28, 2021).- Activists in favor of the recreational consumption of marijuana demonstrated this Sunday 27, in the center of Mexico City, a few hours after the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation discusses a project that would invalidate, with general effects, the prohibition of individual consumption of cannabis for recreational purposes; if it is approved, would be classified as unconstitutional five articles of the General Health Law related to consumption and cultivation non-profit marijuana.
“We are practically a few hours away from discussing the declaration of unconstitutionality, which was our bet from the beginning,” says Miguel, a member of “Plantón 420” and the Mexican Cannabis Movement, who is demonstrating right in front of the Mexican Senate.
In the midst of a persistent drizzle, about 100 activists marched from their sit-in in front of the Mexican Senate, a camp that lasted almost a year and a half (they arrived in February 2020), in protest at the promise of a law to regulate the consumption and cultivation of marijuana. -, towards the SCJN, located in the capital’s Zócalo.
According to the group, the camp is a peaceful area and a true “seedling” where cannabis plants grow in the city’s flower beds. The activists themselves have planted more than 300 and some reach up to 2.5 meters high.
Although dispersed, the activists walked along Paseo de la Reforma until they reached the capital’s Zócalo, and on their way, they moved the tent of their initial camping site since they settled outside the Supreme of Mexico where they spent the night waiting for the vote on Monday.
Two weeks ago, the activists had sought to establish themselves on the side of the Supreme Court, but some 300 police officers did not allow them to reach the building.
“Our protest is peaceful and it is civil disobedience, our movement is not interested in the sale or market of cannabis, but for what is not for profit,” said Pepe Rivera, coordinator of Plantón 420.
He specified that “there are five types of non-profit crops through which people could have access to the plant without having to buy in the black market to consume and we think that what may happen today in the Supreme Court may be historic.”
In this way, both non-profit consumption and cultivation would be legal, but they would find themselves in legal limbo, so the Legislative Power would be forced to legislate on this issue.
Both recalled that if 8 of the 11 magistrates vote in favor of the declaration of unconstitutionality, the 5 articles that would be declared unconstitutional would no longer apply to any citizen and would cease to exist.
Stop criminalization against marijuana
“What we demand are not privileges, but human rights. In our sit-in demonstration, we have shown that neither we nor the plants are a danger to society and what they want to do to us is to mistreat us, give us a differentiated treatment ”, said Pepe Rivera.
He added that Mexican society, through its representation, is one step away from all people who use cannabis in a responsible and non-profit manner being “treated with dignity to begin to inform and break myths and stigmas from the law.”
Among its demands are free non-profit cultivation, non-profit free possession, spaces for shared consumption, dignified treatment before the law, and the right to free development of the personality.
