According to industry sources, a group of individuals representing US-based cannabis industry vendors were detained earlier this week by Mexican customs officials. The individuals in question were attendees of the C3 counterculture B2B trade show in Cancun, Mexico. The event held January 9-13, 2023, is billed as the “leading Counter Culture Expo” for “cannabis, vape, and counter-culture industries’ top brands, stores, websites, and manufacturers.”
According to sources, C3 has acquired an attorney to address the situation.
Reports are unclear as to the type of products or the amounts being transported. One individual, who was carrying only “empty boxes” was reportedly released.
The Mexican government has taken a zero tolerance stance on vape products, passing a decree in May of 2022 that prohibits the “circulation and marketing” of electronic tobacco delivery systems.
The decree orders the following:
- The circulation and commercialization within the Republic, whatever their origin, of Electronic Nicotine Administration Systems, Similar Systems without Nicotine, Alternative Nicotine Consumption Systems, electronic cigarettes, and vaporizing devices with similar uses, as well as the solutions and mixtures used in said systems is prohibited.
- Whoever fails to comply with what is stated in the first article will be subject to the sanctions indicated in the applicable legal provisions.
In 2021, the recreational use of cannabis was decriminalized in Mexico. However, this only applies to the possession and use of cannabis within the country, and it doesn’t apply to bringing Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8 THC) into the country. Although the Mexican Supreme Court has declared that the laws prohibiting marijuana possession and use are unconstitutional, commercialization, which includes processing, manufacturing, and selling of marijuana products remains illegal.
This is a developing story. We’ll give updates on the situation as we learn more information.
