Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Argentina court allows personal use of pot


By Arthur Brice
CNN


(CNN) -- Argentina's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday it is unconstitutional to punish an adult for private use of marijuana as long as it doesn't harm anyone else.
A recent poll showed 29 percent of Americans believe the best way to deal with marijuana is to legalize it.

A recent poll showed 29 percent of Americans believe the best way to deal with marijuana is to legalize it. ~deja vu~

The unanimous ruling makes Argentina the second Latin American country in the past four days to allow personal use of a formerly illegal drug.

The case in question involved five young men who were arrested for having a few marijuana cigarettes in their pockets.

Supreme Court Justice Carlos Fayt, who at one time supported laws that make personal use of marijuana illegal, told the state-run Telam news agency that "reality" changed his mind.

Argentina's action came amid growing momentum in Latin America toward decriminalization of possessing small amounts of certain drugs.

Mexico enacted a law Friday that decriminalizes possessing low quantities of most drugs, including marijuana, heroin, cocaine and LSD.

Earlier this year, a Brazilian appeals court ruled that possession of drugs for personal use is not illegal.CNN

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