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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Mexican president won't sign drug bill
Mark Stevenson Associated Press, Boston Globe
Thursday 04 May 2006 MEXICO CITY -- Mexican President Vicente Fox refused to sign a drug decriminalization bill yesterday, hours after US officials warned the plan could encourage ''drug tourism." Fox sent the measure back to Congress for changes, but his office did not mention the US criticism. ''Without underestimating the progress made on the issue, and with sensitivity toward the opinions expressed by various sectors of society, the administration has decided to suggest changes," said a statement from his office. Fox said he will ask ''Congress to make the needed corrections to make it absolutely clear in our country, the possession of drugs and their consumption are, and will continue to be, a criminal offense." On Tuesday, Fox's spokesman had called the bill ''an advance" and pledged the president would sign it. But the measure, passed Friday by Congress, drew a storm of criticism because it eliminates criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of heroin, methamphetamines, and PCP, as well as marijuana and cocaine. Weighing in, the US government yesterday expressed a rare public objection to an internal Mexican political development, saying anyone caught with illegal drugs in Mexico should be prosecuted or given mandatory drug treatment. ''US officials . . . urged Mexican representatives to review the legislation urgently, to avoid the perception that drug use would be tolerated in Mexico, and to prevent drug tourism," US Embassy spokeswoman Judith Bryan said. There are concerns the measure could increase drug use by border visitors and US students who flock to Mexico on vacation. The legislature has adjourned for the summer, and when it returns it will have a new lower house and one-third new Senate members following the July 2 elections, which will also make the outgoing Fox a lame duck. However, Senator Jorge Zermeno of Fox's conservative National Action Party -- a supporter of the bill -- said he thought Congress would be open to changing the legislation to delete a clause that extends to all ''consumers" the exemption from prosecution that was originally meant to cover only recognized drug addicts
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