Church leaders and families unite to oppose legalization of drugs in Mexican prisons

Mexico City, Mexico, Nov 17, 2003 / 22:00 pm

A noted pro-family group has joined efforts with the Mexican bishops in urging the rejection of a proposal to legalize the use of drugs in the country’s prisons in order to “diminish” drug-trafficking.

During the 86th National Congress of the National Parents Union on life, family and education, Guillermo Bustamante, president of the pro-family group, warned that the proposal is senseless.  “How many times have we learned that drug use has preceded the commission of a crime,” he said. 

Bustamante said that “if drugs are legalized, crime Hill increase, security will be diminished, child prostitution will rise—and which parent is going to accept that next to the candy stand marijuana is being sold.”  

For his part Bishop Jesús Martínez Zepeda, Auxiliary Bishop of Mexico City, explained that despite the fact that authorities see the legalization as a way to solve drug-trafficking in prisons, it cannot be approved without considering the long-term risks it would bring to the public.

“We don’t want to see inmates as people who need to be put to sleep or to be kept still, I don’t think this is a solution.  It may be practical for traffickers but it isn’t practical for the rehabilitation of prisoners,” he said.

In his homily this past Sunday, Cardinal Norberto Rivera of Mexico City said the country should learn from the negative experience of other countries that have implemented such measures.  “It has not helped to suppress drug trafficking nor diminish drug addiction.  I don’t think this is the path for Mexico” to address the dangers of drug use, said the Cardinal.

The Cardinal pointed to “other ways of reducing drug use in prisons.  First of all prisoners need—and I say this as someone who has visited them frequently—they need to have a job, a worthy job, a job that is adequately compensated.  This would discourage many from using drugs.  And of course, they need an education, one that leads to human growth and not to the learning of new crimes…”