Leaders debate plan to legalize drugs in Mexico

By Sandra Dibble
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

TIJUANA – A former governor's proposal that drugs be legalized in Mexico has set off a sharp debate in this region plagued by drug-related violence.

In the days since Ernesto Ruffo Appel brought up the subject at a business forum in Mexicali, it has drawn the attention of political, civic and religious leaders across the state.

“If someone wants to prick their veins, let them do so,” Ruffo, a member of the National Action Party, or PAN, said on Friday. “But they should no longer be allowed to drag down governments.”

The issue of legalizing or decriminalizing drugs has come amid a growing outcry against violence in Baja California, much of it related to drug trafficking. On Saturday, the Citizens Front for Security is expected to begin a 16-day march through the state to bring attention to the region's crime problems.