On Friday a group of Mexican legislators met up virtually to discuss the latest version of a bill that would legalize adult-use marijuana in the country.
The steps taken on Friday were to help the legislation process get back on track and now an important vote is scheduled for as soon as next week.
Mexican lawmakers were originally given an October 2019 deadline, but after the Senate failed to reach a consensus, the Supreme Court extended the deadline to the end of April 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the April 2020 deadline was extended again until Dec. 15, 2020.
Three Senate commissions met in a virtual session on Friday and vowed to finalize the following initiatives on Nov. 18th:
Revoke a decision they made last March when they approved in general terms a marijuana legalization bill.
Approve a new bill, a modified version of the March document, bringing the Latin American country one step closer to the current goal of legalization before Dec. 15.
The legislators stated on Friday how they would vote.
The new version of the bill still must overcome several hurdles, such as:
Approval by the Senate commissions when they meet in person on Wednesday.
Approval by the full Senate, which might not happen next week.
Approval by the lower legislative chamber.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador signing the bill into law, assuming he has no objections.
After the law is approved, and before any sales can take place, the country must form a cannabis agency and secondary rules written.
Mexico approved medical cannabis in mid-2017.
