A bill for Mexico cannabis legalization just passed a key Senate committee. It is likely to have a floor vote sometime in April.

Last year the measure passed the Senate, but the Chamber of Deputies revised the bill and sent it back to the body. On Monday, the Senate Committee advanced the amended legislation toward a final floor vote.

It still needs to make its way through two more panels in the coming weeks. But it passed the Senate Justice Committee in a 6-5 vote. They did not make any new revisions to the bill and advocates do not expect it to undergo any crucial changes in the future panels.

Essentially, advocates expect the proposal will stay in its current form, despite some concern about certain provisions.

Up next the bill will need to pass through the Senate Health and Legislative Studies Committees.

Although the bill is making its way through the committees rather quickly. Some members of the Justice Committee have expressed opposition to components of the legislation. Like a requirement that adults will need to register with the government to be able to grow cannabis plants for personal use.

Despite these concerns, the legislature is under pressure to get the bill into law. Because in 2018 the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that the prohibition on the use and cultivation of cannabis is unconstitutional. They ordered lawmakers to change the policy and that was two, almost three years ago.

Originally lawmakers were given a deadline to legalize cannabis by 2019. But the court has accepted several requests for extensions. The current deadline is set for the end of April.

Mexico Cannabis Legalization Proposal

The proposal as it stands will allow adults 18 and older to purchase and possess up to 28 grams of cannabis. They could cultivate up to 6 plants for personal use. Lawmakers are still under negotiation for the regulatory structure, rules for the commercial market, and licensing policies.

Deputies approved additional revisions to the original Senate-approved bill to increase penalties for unauthorized possession of large quantities of cannabis. Along with protecting land from changing into areas for cannabis growing production. Finally, they will require regulators to develop permanent actions to deter and prevent usage from minors and coordinate campaigns against problematic cannabis use.

A notable change from the original Senate-approved bill is that the revised bill will not establish a new independent regulatory body to oversee licensing and implementation of the cannabis programs. Now it will give the authority to an existing agency, the National Commission Against Addictions.

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