Mexico top court decriminalizes recreational marijuana use

Mexico’s Supreme Court on Monday decriminalized recreational marijuana use for adults, declaring its prohibition under the health law to be unconstitutional, after a legalization bill stalled in Congress.

“Today is a historic day for liberties,” court president Arturo Zaldivar said after the decision was approved by eight of the 11 judges.

The ruling comes after Congress failed to enact legislation legalizing recreational marijuana use by an 30 April deadline set by the country’s highest court.

The landmark bill was approved by the lower house in March but still needs final approval by the upper house, the Senate.

In April, the ruling majority in the Senate said it was considering postponing the final discussion of the law until September.

The legalization push is partly aimed at curbing drug-related violence that claims thousands of lives each year in the Latin American nation.

— AFP