Mexico's supreme court takes first step toward legalizing recreational use of marijuana

A supporter of the legalization of marijuana wears a Lucha Libre wrestling mask decorated with a marijuana leaf, as he celebrates outside the Supreme Court in Mexico City, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015. Mexico's court ruled Wednesday that growing, possessing and smoking marijuana for recreation are legal under a person's right to personal freedoms. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) (The Associated Press)

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A supporter of the legalization of marijuana smokes outside the Supreme Court in Mexico City, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015. Mexico's court ruled Wednesday that growing, possessing and smoking marijuana for recreation are legal under a person's right to personal freedoms. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) (The Associated Press)

Mexico's supreme court has ruled that growing, possessing and smoking marijuana for recreation are legal under a person's right to personal freedoms.

The measure was approved in 4-1 vote on the five-justice panel.

At this point, the ruling covers only the plaintiffs in one case, a group of people wanting to form a pot club.

The ruling Wednesday did not approve the sale or commercialization of marijuana, nor is it expected to lead to general legalization.

But if the court rules the same way on five similar petitions, it would then establish the precedent to change the law and allow general recreational use.

A similar process led to the court's recent ruling that Mexican laws prohibiting same-sex marriage are unconstitutional.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/mexicos-supreme-court-takes-first-step-toward-legalizing-recreational-use-of-marijuana