Activists promote home-growing of marijuana in Mexico

MEXICO CITY – A three-day conference in Mexico City called “ExpoWeed” is promoting home-growing of marijuana, a practice still not legal in the country.

Some activists and promoters say the “grow” movement is an antidote to illnesses, while others tour it as an antidote to Mexico’s drug violence.

The conference that opened Friday features rows and rows of exhibitors showing off grow lights, hydroponic cultivation devices, fertilizers and new techniques.

Mexico has decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, but has not yet legalized production or purchase, leaving users in a bind.

Fabiola Bojorquez is a medical-marijuana promoter who notes “you can possess five grams but you can’t purchase them anywhere. It’s absurd.”

Guillermo Rodriguez distributes home-grow supplies. He says “promoting individual cultivation gets us out of the drug trade.”