No jail for drug use in Mexico?

Last Updated on Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:55 Written by admin Tuesday, 15 September 2009 12:44

Mexico decriminalizes small-scale drug possession

By MARK STEVENSON (AP) – Aug 21, 2009

MEXICO CITY — Mexico decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and heroin on Friday — a move that prosecutors say makes sense even in the midst of the government’s grueling battle against drug traffickers.

Prosecutors said the new law sets clear limits that keep Mexico’s corruption-prone police from extorting casual users and offers addicts free treatment to keep growing domestic drug use in check.

“This is not legalization, this is regulating the issue and giving citizens greater legal certainty,” said Bernardo Espino del Castillo of the attorney general’s office.

The new law sets out maximum “personal use” amounts for drugs, also including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those quantities no longer face criminal prosecution.

Espino del Castillo says, in practice, small users almost never did face charges anyway. Under the previous law, the possession of any amount of drugs was punishable by stiff jail sentences, but there was leeway for addicts caught with smaller amounts.

“We couldn’t charge somebody who was in possession of a dose of a drug, there was no way … because the person would claim they were an addict,” he said.

Despite the provisions, police sometimes hauled in suspects and demanded bribes, threatening long jail sentences if people did not pay.

“The bad thing was that it was left up to the discretion of the detective, and it could open the door to corruption or extortion,” Espino del Castillo said.

Anyone caught with drug amounts under the new personal-use limit will be encouraged to seek treatment, and for those caught a third time treatment is mandatory.

The maximum amount of marijuana for “personal use” under the new law is 5 grams — the equivalent of about four joints. The limit is a half gram for cocaine, the equivalent of about 4 “lines.” For other drugs, the limits are 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams for methamphetamine and 0.015 milligrams for LSD.

Mexico has emphasized the need to differentiate drug addicts and casual users from the violent traffickers whose turf battles have contributed to the deaths of more than 11,000 people since President Felipe Calderon took office in late 2006.

But one expert saw potential for conflict under the new law.

Javier Oliva, a political scientist at Mexico’s National Autonomous University, said the new law posed “a serious contradiction” for the Calderon administration.

“If they decriminalize drugs it could lead the army, which has been given the task of combating this, to say ‘What are we doing’?” he said.

Officials said the legal changes could help the government focus more on big-time traffickers.

Espino del Castillo said since Calderon took office, there have been over 15,000 police searches related to small-scale drug dealing or possession, with 95,000 people detained — but only 12 to 15 percent of whom were ever charged with anything.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Recipe for DUI?

Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 September 2009 12:32 Written by admin Tuesday, 15 September 2009 12:32

‘After Office Tie’ is armed with a bottle opener

By KEVIN HALL

Updated 9:00 AM PDT, Tue, Sep 15, 2009

Argentina’s Sinapsis design studio has come up with this “After Office Tie” that’ll seamlessly take you from your nine-to-five to your five-’til-last-call. Nothing too fancy here, nor is the bottle opener even hidden. It’s right at the tip of the tie — your coworkers will know you’re ready to party.

The “After Office Tie” is one of 100 shortlisted entries in a contest by Designboom and will be displayed in the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.

Designboom, via Crunch Gear

For more gadget news, check out DVICE.com.

It’s Like Using a Vespa to Storm the Castle

Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 September 2009 12:21 Written by admin Tuesday, 15 September 2009 12:20

Border Patrol Seizes WaveRunner in Smuggle Attempt

By R. STICKNEY

Updated 3:01 PM PDT, Mon, Sep 14, 2009

People trying to smuggle illegal immigrants into the U.S. have used hidden compartments in cars, tractor trailers, boats and even tunnels.

U.S. Border Patrol agents report they confiscated a WaveRunner along the Imperial Beach coastline Saturday night that they believe was used to help two men cross the U.S./Mexico border illegally.

At about 9:20 p.m., an agent reported seeing a watercraft heading north into the U.S. from Mexico. Once the agents arrived at Seacoast Drive they found the abandoned Yamaha WaveRunner but no one else. They searched the area and arrested two men hiding in a bush near the WaveRunner, agents said.

Upon questioning, agents charged one of the arrestees with human smuggling and seized the Yamaha WaveRunner.