Mexico Is Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Before May 1, 2020

Mexico’s senators have an additional 6 months to create regulations for marijuana legalization after being granted an extension by the Mexico Supreme Court. Initially, the court set a deadline of October 31, 2019, but the new deadline is April 30, 2020. The Court has forced Mexican lawmakers to legalize marijuana because they found that it is unconstitutional to keep it illegal.

The senate sought an extension due to an inability to agree on the rules within the Morena party, Mexico News Daily reported. The lawmakers also cited a lack of agreement between several other entities such as civil society organizations and receiving pressure from other companies that have attempted to throw the legislative process off.

Some of the proposed rules:

• 20% of the cultivation licenses to be awarded to cooperatives in areas where illegal marijuana crops have been eradicated
• Small/micro-plot cultivators will receive priority
• Focus on reducing cartel-related violence

The Mexican Cannabis Institute wants to have the recreational marijuana industry up and running no later than January 1, 2021. Debates regarding legalization legislation will resume by the end of November.

Lawmakers want to ensure that they are taking the right approach to legalization with an ideal regulatory framework in place.