Thousands of protesters gathered in Mexico City over the weekend, calling on lawmakers to legalize marijuana and end criminal penalties for personal use and cultivation.
The large-scale demonstration, held Saturday in the heart of the capital, featured marchers demanding the right to freely consume marijuana without fear of legal harassment. Many also called for the immediate legalization of home cultivation, a key issue that has been left unresolved by lawmakers despite multiple Supreme Court rulings on the matter.
Mexico’s Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that laws prohibiting personal possession of marijuana—particularly amounts over five grams—violate constitutional rights. However, despite the rulings, possession above this threshold remains criminalized under federal law, leading to continued arrests and prosecutions.
Efforts to fully legalize marijuana in Mexico have repeatedly stalled in the Senate, where legislation has been introduced and debated for years without final passage. Advocates say the delay is unacceptable given the Court’s clear position and the widespread public support for reform.
Protesters on Saturday carried signs with slogans like “No More Criminalization” and “Cannabis Is Our Right,” urging lawmakers to act on long-promised reforms that would create a legal marijuana market while allowing individuals to grow their own plants for personal use.
