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Is recreational cocaine legal in Mexico?

The historic decision is seen as a step towards the decriminalization of drugs

In 2006, Mexico launched a war against drugs - Photo: US DEA/REUTERS

English| 21-08-19 |11:07|Alexis Ortiz | Actualizada |21-08-19 |11:07|

Redacción El Universal

An administrative tribunal in Mexico City ordered the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) to authorize the possession, transport, and use of cocaine, excluding its sale, to an NGO .

The two writs of protection were filed by members of an NGO called Mexico United against Crime (MUCD) , as part of a campaign to aims to put an end to the war against drugs , which was launched in 2006 and that has resulted in thousands of people dead and missing.

“The decisions are relevant because they are the first of its kind because they will spark a debate about the decriminalization of people who use different substances , and reinforce the current government 's intention to reformulate the fight against drugs ,” said the MUCD in a statement.

#Comunicado Como parte de la estrategia legal con la que, desde 2011, buscamos terminar la guerra contra las drogas y reorientar la política de seguridad del país, MUCD obtiene dos amparos sobre cocaína https://t.co/AvwjHWAIgY pic.twitter.com/FY3dRLgzxZ
— México Unido (@MUCD) August 20, 2019

Nevertheless, the NGO also explained that these writs of amparo do not make cocaine legal not can they be valid until they are confirmed by a collegiate tribunal .

Despite this, the ONG emphasizes that “this is a historic step towards the understanding of the drug phenomenon by the Judiciary and a unique opportunity to advocate for the end of the war and the reorientation of public resources towards the prevention of sanction of high-impact crimes .”