Mexican drug rules bring worry to Oklahomans

While Oklahomans must show identification to buy certain cold medicines, Mexico residents can now get caught with "personal use” meth, cocaine, heroin or marijuana and walk free.

Mexico, which officials say supplies most of Oklahoma’s illegal drugs, decriminalized small amounts last month.

"That’s just a reckless policy to have,” said Mark Woodward, spokesman for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. "It takes a huge deterrent away for someone using drugs.”

Woodward, who has been inside more than 50 meth manufacturing labs in 15 years, spins a scary drug presentation to teenagers and other groups. In these talks, he said, teenagers have told him they have two big reasons to avoid drugs: They fear the health effects, and they fear getting caught.

Tortures, beheadings and more than 11,000 deaths since 2006 punctuate Mexico’s battle with drug trafficking, according to The Associated Press.

So the idea behind the new law is to shift the focus to big drug traffickers.

"We know that Mexican law enforcement authorities are continuing their efforts to target drug traffickers. Our friends and partners in Mexico are waging an historic battle with the cartels, one that plays out on the streets of their communities each day,” said Sheldon Sperling, U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Oklahoma.

"Here in the United States, we will continue efforts to enforce federal drug laws as we investigate, charge, arrest and prosecute cartel leaders and their subordinates.

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