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Mexico City President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
Speaking in the state of Zacatecas, Lopez Obrador said that a recent proposal of the country's defense minister, who backed legalization of opium for medicinal use, was important and that it would not rule out anything.
"It's important what he proposed," Lopez Obrador said. "There should be a comprehensive approach to the terrible problem of insecurity and violence."
Lopez Obrador, who takes office on Dec. 1, said it would be a deterrent to planting poppy seeds.
Since 2006, Mexico has been mired in a military-led battle against drug gangs, which has now been broken down into smaller groups. Homicides hit a record in 2017, data from statistics body INEGI shows.
The president-elect has held town-hall reviews on violence and discuss potential "amnesty" for non-violent drug traffickers and farmers. Members of his team have previously said Mexico would have to create markets for marijuana and opium.
(Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
