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The Americas

Mexico is poised to legalize marijuana, but advocates don’t like the details

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November 8, 2020 at 6:00 a.m. EST
An activist from Planton 420, a group that advocates legalizing cannabis in Mexico, speaks to a marijuana plant outside the Senate building in Mexico City in July. (Fernando Llano/AP)

MEXICO CITY — It's the moment for which advocates of legal marijuana here have been waiting: Mexican lawmakers, working under a court order, have until mid-December to finalize rules that will make the country the world's largest market for legal pot.

Advocates have long argued that legalization would put a dent in the black market; allow for safe, regulated consumption; create jobs; and cut down on crime.