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Mexico's Defense Minister Supports Legalizing Poppies

Mexico is considering legalizing poppy growing. The outgoing Defense Minister advocates for it. He says the new President may be in favor of it also.

In August, the legislature in the state of Guerrero approved a measure to decriminalize poppies. [More...]

Gladys McCormick, a professor of history at Syracuse University in New York. "It is broadening legalization in ways which aren't common in the western hemisphere."

McCormick, an expert in the war on drugs in the Americas said "it's a new way of tackling the drug war that's more than just the guns-a-blazing strategy they've been practicing."

Under the plan, the Mexican government would buy the poppies from the farmers and turn it into pain medicine for exports to other countries. Mexico says its problem is ensuring the safety of the growers when they refuse to sell to the cartels. So it is beefing up the military presence in these communities to protect them.

The U.S. will hate this plan if it happens. I hope Donald Trump and Jefferson Sessions are too pre-occupied with their other issues to notice that support for legalizing poppies has grown significantly in Mexico the past few years.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Poppies.... poppies will put them to sleep. (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by desertswine on Sat Oct 13, 2018 at 01:11:26 PM EST
    Poppies to the south! (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 17, 2018 at 12:45:11 PM EST
    POT TO THE NORTH!!

    We are assailed from all sides .

    Isn't it awsum??!!

    POT will be on the ballot (none / 0) (#8)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Oct 17, 2018 at 12:47:50 PM EST
    In 2020

    Parent
    It better be (none / 0) (#11)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Oct 18, 2018 at 01:48:26 PM EST
    Or Canada will become the leader of the free world.

    And then there is also losing that position because WAPO reporters who are critical of the Trump administration can be tortured by cutting their fingers off with a bone saw before they are completely dismembered while still alive. There is that glitch too.

    Parent

    I only like to look at the poppies :) (none / 0) (#10)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Oct 18, 2018 at 01:43:43 PM EST
    Unless I develop some heinous painful disease I need to say goodbye from.

    Parent
    This almost seems like (none / 0) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Oct 12, 2018 at 08:18:37 PM EST
    An intentional poke in the eye for Trump and Sessions

    I like it.

    Sure would drain (none / 0) (#2)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Oct 12, 2018 at 08:22:54 PM EST
    The big profits out of the whole mess.

    Parent
    Not likely (none / 0) (#6)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Wed Oct 17, 2018 at 09:52:07 AM EST
    The cartels could pay more than the govt price.

    Parent
    Hahahahahahaha! (none / 0) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Oct 18, 2018 at 01:41:59 PM EST
    Take my word for it, legalization sucks the huge profits to bad guys right out of the drug trade outside of the US pharma companies.

    One of my neighbors has worked for the FDA forever though. He'll explain to you how the US pharmaceutical companies are cartels. But 1/4 of the best weed in the world is $60 in DC. I'm hearing it is the same in NYC, but that's hearsay ;)

    Parent

    Who's going to make all (none / 0) (#12)
    by jondee on Thu Oct 18, 2018 at 03:48:02 PM EST
    the heroin and fentanyl? Not the government, I'm guessing. And not the Keebler elves.

    Parent
    Who makes it now? (none / 0) (#13)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Oct 18, 2018 at 06:55:41 PM EST
    I am learning something new and very disturbing lately. My daughter's best friend is going through a horrible time. Her husband became addicted to opioids about 7 years ago. To wean off he began using methadone, but his methadone usage increased and he spends about $2,000 a month for his methadone. It is destroying his family, it is financially breaking them.

    I didn't even know there was a methadone clinic near our old house in Alabama. And I was always under the impression that methadone was a government run program and free for those fighting heroin addiction.

    But it would seem it actually is a huge profit making venture in Alabama, and those running it are happy to increase the dosage of those using it and they charge the hell out of them too.

    Parent

    My doctor told me (none / 0) (#14)
    by fishcamp on Fri Oct 19, 2018 at 06:18:26 AM EST
    he often prescribes Methadone as a pain killer.

    Parent
    Hmmm? (none / 0) (#15)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Oct 19, 2018 at 08:08:21 AM EST
    I had no idea

    I thought methadone's only approved use was in addiction.

    I didn't know people OD on methadone either.

    Parent

    The difference between heroin (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by jondee on Fri Oct 19, 2018 at 10:30:19 AM EST
    and methadone is like the difference between whiskey and malt liquor.

    From what I've seen, methadone is also much rougher on the body than clean heroin is. And some people stay on it for decades.

    Addiction is devastating for individuals and families, leads to crimes of desperation, and increases the jail and prison populations. If it isn't a critical public health issue, I don't know what is.

    Parent

    People interested in having (none / 0) (#17)
    by jondee on Fri Oct 19, 2018 at 11:24:37 AM EST
    a clearer understanding of what opioid addiction is like for the hardcore addict should read the brutally frank Straight Life by Art Pepper.

    One of the greatest musicians in world; with "a lot going for him" as they say, who ended up so desperate for a fix that he was willing to everything away without a second thought.

    One hell of a cautionary tale.

    Parent

    Yes very true jondee. (none / 0) (#18)
    by fishcamp on Sat Oct 20, 2018 at 08:11:54 PM EST
    The sickening effect of heroin can be "kicked" in about three days with methadone, but the desire may still be there.  They have a taper down process with methadone that works quite well if one has not been using heroin for very long.  People that use heroin for years have it "in their bones" as they say.  Those are the people that stay with methadone for a very long time, often forever.

    Parent
    Ha! (none / 0) (#19)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 22, 2018 at 12:42:33 PM EST
    They are supposed to help people wean off but my daughter says "the clinics" in Alabama do the opposite and are purely profit driven. Her friend's husband is now receiving the maximum dose he can receive but he did not start there.

    You cannot receive methadone at the clinic unless you show up there and your urine tests positive for illegal drug use. You can test positive for cocaine and they will put you on methadone. My daughter thinks someone needs to do an investigative journalism sting on the clinics, but it requires committing a crime to even get in the door.

    Parent

    We went to a party in Simi Valley over the (none / 0) (#20)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Oct 22, 2018 at 02:43:06 PM EST
    weekend.

    We hung out for quite some time with a wonderfully funny woman, who, after a bit, started telling us about her family...

    Sister, brother, sister-in-law, all have/are doing time for heroin. Sister was clean for years, but is now back on it. Brother in jail now. Maybe sis-in-law too, hard to keep track.

    The woman was/is legal guardian for three children of this group of relatives over the years, including the 5 y/o of her brother now.

    An absolute mess, but she has kept her sense of humor.

    Parent

    It has always been legal to grow poppies (none / 0) (#4)
    by Redbrow on Mon Oct 15, 2018 at 12:13:36 PM EST
    in the USA as long as you don't process opium from them.

    Where do you think poppy seeds for food come from?

    It obviously has not bothered the Trump administration one bit.

    YEP (none / 0) (#5)
    by jmacWA on Mon Oct 15, 2018 at 02:33:15 PM EST
    Castor beans too... we grow both every year and collect the seeds for next year.

    Parent