Pubdate: Thu, 03 Dec 2015
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2015 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248

World Briefing

PRESIDENT OPPOSES LEGAL POT

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto came out strongly against 
legalizing marijuana, the same day his government announced a 
national public debate on the issue.

He suggested the recent, informal debate has already created 
confusion. Mexico's Supreme Court ruled in November that growing, 
possessing and smoking marijuana for recreation is legal under the 
right to freedom, but that ruling applied only to the four people 
involved in the case.

"I am not in favor of consuming or legalizing marijuana," Pena Nieto 
said in a speech announcing a child welfare program. "However, I am 
in favor of debate so that specialists can give us some indication of 
where we should be going."

Earlier, Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong announced that 
the government would open a national debate on the use of marijuana, 
with public sessions to be held in the second half of January. Some 
debates will be held at four regional forums and will also be 
available on the Internet.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom