Senator Monreal: marijuana legislation on the way; marijuana could be legal by end of month

A proposal to create a state-owned company to control the sale and distribution of marijuana in a regulated market appears to have no chance of succeeding: neither President López Obrador nor the ruling party’s leader in the Senate has offered support for the idea.

Mario Delgado, leader of the Morena party in the lower house of Congress, presented a bill on Tuesday that proposed that a state company called Cannsalud would have exclusive authority to purchase marijuana from legal producers and sell it to both authorized franchisees – who would supply the recreational retail market – and pharmaceutical companies.

On Wednesday, he clarified that his draft General Law for the Control of Cannabis was a proposal that doesn’t have the backing of the president and other Morena lawmakers.

The deputy rejected claims made on social media that his bill, which would also allow adults to grow up to six cannabis plants for personal use, would turn Mexico into a narco-state.

Delgado explained that under his proposal, 25% of marijuana sales profits would go to the implementation of social programs in communities where authorities have eradicated illegal cannabis crops and 20% would be spent on the detection and treatment of drug addiction.

But Morena Senate leader Ricardo Monreal poured cold water on Delgado’s state pot company, declaring that there should be a regulated market for marijuana but not one in which the government has a monopoly.

He also said that the Senate has nearly completed its own bill for the legalization and regulation of marijuana.

e are already very close to having the opinion of the law on marijuana matters and we are going to call it through it to the deputies so that they could join the work that we are developing in the Senate that comes from an open parliament and that we can coincide and incorporate some of the proposals that he presented on Tuesday on his initiative. To take a single effort of regulation and law about it, ”he said.

Delgado’s proposal includes reforms to the General Health Law, the Federal Criminal Code, the Special Tax Law on Production and Services (IEPS), and a new General Law for the Control of Cannabis is issued, to also allow the Mexicans can grow their own weed without the need for a license or permit.

In this regard, Monreal Avila declared, at a press conference, that “there are 12 initiatives of law in this area. If you add the Chamber of Deputies are already 13, and the idea is to try to make a law as best as possible. We have had hours and hours discussing this issue in the Senate and we will invite you in a respectful manner to accompany us in the next discussions.

“But we are thinking at the end of October and to take out the law, pass it. That is the calendar we have. I will speak personally with him so that his proposals contained in the initiative presented yesterday can be contemplated here in the opinion that we will have to approve at the end of October, ”he added.

“. . . We’re very close to having a draft marijuana law,” Monreal said, adding that he will seek input from Delgado and other lower house lawmakers.

Source: el financiro, heraldo de mexico, la republica

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