Article 198 Federal Criminal Code

To whoever, dedicating themselves as their principal activity to the labors proper to the countryside, sows, cultivates or harvests plants of marijuana, poppy, hallucinogenic mushrooms, peyote or any other plant that produces similar effects, on their own account, or with financing of third parties, when limited education and extreme economic necessity concur in them, imprisonment of one to six years shall be imposed.

The same penalty shall be imposed on whoever, in a property of their ownership, tenure or possession, consents to the sowing, cultivation or harvest of said plants in circumstances similar to the preceding hypothesis.

If in the conducts described in the two preceding paragraphs the circumstances that are specified therein do not concur, the penalty shall be up to two thirds of that provided in article 194, as long as the sowing, cultivation or harvest are done with the purpose of carrying out any of the conducts provided in sections I and II of said article. If that purpose is lacking, the penalty shall be two to eight years of imprisonment.

If the crime is committed by a public official of any police corporation, in addition the dismissal from the public employment, office or commission shall be imposed and they shall be disqualified for one to five years from holding another, and if the crime is committed by a member of the Mexican Armed Forces in a situation of retirement, reserve or active duty, in addition to the indicated imprisonment penalty, the definitive discharge from the Armed Force to which they belong shall be imposed and they shall be disqualified for one to five years from holding public office or commission.

The sowing, cultivation or harvest of marijuana plants shall not be punishable when these activities are carried out for medical and scientific purposes in the terms and conditions of the authorization that for that purpose the Federal Executive issues.