Speaking at a local event, César Hank, president of the Social Encounter Party in Baja California (PES BC), asserted that cannabis access is fundamentally a “right to health and life,” pointing to its widespread acceptance across parts of Europe and the United States.
Hank’s remarks came during the Fifth Annual “Cannabis and Democracy” Symposium held at the Tijuana House of Culture. Co-hosted by PES and the Carlos Hank González Foundation, the conference focused on personal autonomy, medicinal applications, industrial hemp, individual rights, and the evolving legal and political landscape surrounding cannabis.
The event brought together international and domestic speakers to address what Hank described as a pressing contemporary issue. He noted that support for the initiative extends to mothers caring for children with conditions such as epilepsy and Down syndrome, who have seen firsthand the therapeutic benefits of the plant.
In addition, Hank emphasized the need to debunk persistent myths, citing the plant’s 3,000-year history of human use. He reiterated that regular, controlled use has been shown to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, appetite loss, and several other health conditions.
While medical use and scientific research involving cannabis and its derivatives have been legal in Mexico since 2017, Hank expressed hope that forums like the symposium will accelerate the drafting of clear regulations to guarantee safe, real-world access for patients.
“There has been a profound lack of political will, a lack of knowledge, and a lack of respect for natural remedies,” Hank said, while also hinting at a potential alignment with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) on the issue.
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Addressing critics of legalization, Hank acknowledged differing viewpoints but criticized what he called a double standard, given the widespread legal availability of commercial substances like alcohol and tobacco.
“It is a plant that comes from the earth with three millennia of documented use,” Hank stated. “It helps manage a wide range of ailments, a fact backed by scientific studies worldwide.”
