Pubdate: Mon, 19 Mar 2001
Source: Associated Press
Copyright: 2001 Associated Press
Author: John Rice, Associated Press Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

FOX TALKS DRUG LEGALIZATION

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Struggling with the corruption and violence caused by 
drug trafficking, President Vicente Fox (news - web sites) says the 
solution might be to eventually legalize drug use.

In an interview published by two newspapers Sunday, Fox indicated agreement 
with a police official who suggested last week that the only way to win the 
war on drugs was to legalize drugs - eliminating the profits and violence 
caused by illegal trafficking.

"That's right, that's true, that's true," the newspaper Unomasuno quoted 
Fox as saying.

But the president quickly qualified that statement, saying Mexico could not 
move alone and indicating he did not expect such a step soon.

"When the day comes that it is time to adopt the alternative of lifting 
punishment for consumption of drugs, it would have to come all over the 
world because we would gain nothing if Mexico did it but the production and 
traffic of drugs ... continued here," he said.

"So humanity some day will see that it is best in that sense," he said in 
remarks also reported by El Sol de Mexico.

On Monday, Fox spokeswoman Martha Sahagun was asked to elaborate.

"The president was very clear in what he said, that drugs and drug 
smuggling is a serious affair not only for Mexico, it is an affair that 
affects many countries in the world," she said. "...We have to follow this 
problem closely, in a joint and global manner, taking solutions at the 
appropriate times."

Fox has vowed to cooperate closely with the United States against 
traffickers who have used Mexico both as a transit route and production 
site for narcotics.

On Jan. 24, the new president announced a "great crusade" against drugs, 
saying, "I pledge a war without mercy."

Fox promised to overhaul the nation's corrupt prison system and to follow a 
Mexican Supreme Court ruling last week that removed barriers to extradition 
of Mexicans for trial in the United States.

His government has announced record seizures of drugs since Fox took office 
Dec. 1.

Yet some Mexican experts - including Fox's Foreign Secretary Jorge 
Castaneda - have long suggested that the drug war is being lost and that 
some drugs should be decriminalized.

"One thing is (Fox's) personal attitude and another is pragmatism faced 
with the United States," said Luis Astorga, a sociologist at the National 
Autonomous University who studies the drug trade.

He said "Fox has gone further than previous governments" in accepting U.S. 
demands to fight drugs.

A U.S. expert, Frank Cilluffo of the Center for Strategic and International 
Studies in Washington, said that suggesting legalizing drugs "sends the 
wrong message to our children."

"While some of the gang violence may be mitigated, the bad consequences of 
drug use would not," said Cilluffo, who heads a task force on the narcotics 
industry for the center.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager