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DEBUSMANN: Mexico's Hypocritical Tobacco Laws vs. Allowed Drug Use 

Last month, the Mexican government adopted a law that decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. In doing so, Mexico became the latest of a string of countries to eliminate criminal penalties for the individual user, thereby shifting the emphasis from punishment to treatment. With this change in policy, Mexico joins Colombia, Argentina, Spain and Portugal, all of which have taken similar steps. . . .

Little attention, however, has been paid to the fact that as far as tobacco is concerned, the Mexican government is going in the opposite direction.

Over the last several years, the Mexican government has become increasingly harsh and restrictive in terms of anti-smoking regulations. In February 2008, the Mexican Senate approved a law that banned the smoking of tobacco in workplaces, as well as public buildings and transportation. Mexico City's legislature took it a step further, modifying a standing regulation which allowed for special smoking areas in bars and restaurants. The new law bans smoking completely. Additionally, new health warnings were added to packs of cigarettes and street vendors were banned from legally selling individual cigarettes - a common practice in a country of poor people. . . .

Both laws have been applauded by those who consider drug and tobacco usage to be public health problems. Like drugs, there is no denying that tobacco usage is a serious threat to public health in Mexico. Every year thousands of Mexicans die from diseases related to tobacco smoking. Reports indicate that children, sometimes as young as ten years old, smoke regularly. But while the new law concerning illegal narcotics highlights the recognition that enforcing regulations on personal consumption is nearly impossible, the recent regulations on tobacco use seem to ignore that fact.

Tobacco has a long history in Mexico. As Allan Wall wrote in MexiData.info in February 2008, tobacco was used by the Maya, and "an Aztec goddess known as Cihuacoahuatl was portrayed as having a body of tobacco." . . .

The Mexican government should review its policies of harm reduction to make sure that they are not causing further problems. Furthermore, the Mexican government must realistically look at its ability to enforce such far-reaching laws before it passes them.

Until the manner in which enforcement is handled is made clear, this law, like many past laws in Mexico, is nothing more than a license for corruption.

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