BERNE, SWITZERLAND The Swiss government has endorsed a draft law that would legalize the consumption of marijuana and hashish and allow a limited number of "dope shops." The bill, submitted to the parliament Friday, seeks to bring Swiss law into line with the reality that one in four Swiss age 15 to 24 regularly gets high, according to a poll commissioned last month by the Swiss government. "Decriminalizing the consumption of cannabis and the acts leading up to this takes account of social reality and unburdens police and the courts," the government said in a statement. [continues 53 words]
BERNE, Switzerland -- The Swiss government endorsed a draft law today that would legalize consumption of marijuana and hashish and allow a limited number of "dope shops." The bill submitted to Parliament seeks to bring Swiss law into line with the reality that one in four people ages 15-24 regularly gets high in the Alpine state, according to a poll commissioned last month by the Swiss government. "Decriminalizing the consumption of cannabis and the acts leading up to this takes account of social reality and unburdens police and the courts," the government said. [continues 80 words]
The Swiss government Friday endorsed a draft law that would legalize the consumption of marijuana and hashish and allow a limited number of "dope shops." The bill submitted to parliament seeks to bring Swiss law in line with the reality that one-fourth of the people aged 15-24 regularly use the drugs in the Alpine state, according to a poll commissioned last month by the Swiss government. "Decriminalizing the consumption of cannabis and the acts leading up to this takes account of social reality and unburdens police and the courts," the government said in a statement. [end]
The Swiss Government is recommending to parliament the legalisation of cannabis, as well as the sale and production of small amounts of soft drugs. The government argues that the move brings the law into line with reality. Surveys have shown that one in four young people smoke cannabis and it is widely available in big towns. Some shops even sell it openly, while cannabis farms are legal as long as they do not sell the crop to smoke. The cabinet agreed in principle in October last year to legalise cannabis smoking. [continues 208 words]
The Swiss government endorsed a draft law that would legalize the consumption of marijuana and hashish and allow a limited number of "dope shops." The bill submitted to parliament seeks to bring Swiss law into line with the reality that one in four people ages 15 to 24 regularly uses cannabis in the Alpine state, according to a poll commissioned last month by the government. The Cabinet has recommended that police be allowed to turn a blind eye to people growing and trading small amounts of soft drugs. [end]
The government has proposed legislation that would permit consumption of marijuana and hashish, acting on findings of a study that showed use of the substances is pervasive. Under the proposed law, the police could ignore cultivation and trading of small amounts of soft drugs and devote more resources to large-scale production and export. The legislation faces scrutiny by Parliament, where passage is far from certain. [end]
BERNE, March 9 (Reuters) - The Swiss government on Friday endorsed a draft law that would legalise the consumption of marijuana and hashish and allow a limited number of "dope shops." The bill submitted to parliament seeks to bring Swiss law into line with the reality that one in four people aged 15-24 regularly gets high in the Alpine state, according to a poll commissioned last month by the Swiss government. "Decriminalising the consumption of cannabis and the acts leading up to this takes account of social reality and unburdens police and the courts," the government said in a statement. [continues 203 words]
Majority Of Swiss Want Cannabis Liberalization, Says Study BERN, Switzerland (AP) -- More than half the population of Switzerland backs a liberalization of laws banning cannabis, according to a survey by a drug and alcohol agency. The figures, released Thursday by the private Swiss Institute for Alcohol and Drug Problems following a study in November, say that 54 percent favor a softening of penalties for smoking, possessing and selling the drug. "Cannabis consumption is becoming normal," said institute director Richard Mueller. In the survey of 1,600 people aged 15-74, more than a quarter said they had smoked a joint at least once in their life, with the figure rising to 50 percent among teen-agers and young adults. [continues 189 words]
[Sidebar] "Cannabis consumption is becoming normal." -- Richard Mueller, Director Swiss Institute for Alcohol and Drug Problems Bern, Switzerland (Associated Press) -- More than half of the Swiss support loosening the laws banning marijuana, according to a survey by a drug and alcohol agency. The figures, released Thursday by the private Swiss Institute for Alcohol and Drug Problems following a study in November, say that 54 percent favor a softening of penalties for smoking, possessing and selling the drug. "Cannabis comsumption is becoming normal," institute director Richard Mueller said. [continues 198 words]
Dealing With Drugs The Swiss Way Drugs project officer at the United Nations Office for Project Services (Unops); formerly drugs policy coordinator for the city of Berne (1997-2000). In the early 1990s Berne, along with other Swiss cities, achieved international notoriety when drug addicts began appearing in municipal parks injecting themselves in full view of the passing public. The American media coined the term "needle parks" to describe this much talked about phenomenon. How had such a situation come about? The police and drugs welfare people had very different views of the addicts' presence in the cities but they agreed on one thing: having the addicts grouped together in the defined limits of a public park and left more or less to their own devices meant that they were not seen in other parts of town. [continues 1584 words]
Autumn in Ticino. All around, the fruits of the season are being harvested. Grapes are pressed to make Ticinese Merlot; funghi porcini are gathered from forests to be served as an expensive delicacy in restaurants; chestnuts fall, to be roasted on every fireplace. And thousands of pounds of cannabis is harvested, to be sold as pot-pourri. According to Swiss federal law, it is strictly forbidden to use cannabis as a narcotic but it is perfectly legal to grow, possess and openly sell cannabis in strengths high enough to be deemed narcotic. Swiss citizens may purchase sachets of cannabis from any one of 150 cannabis outlets throughout Switzerland, so long as they intend to use it solely to perfume their homes. Each sachet of pot-pourri carries a warning that its contents are not to be smoked or ingested. [continues 406 words]
BERNE, SWITZERLAND The Swiss Cabinet proposed Monday making it legal to smoke marijuana but said other illicit drugs should remain so. The government decided in principle to decriminalize the consumption of cannabis products. It left open whether it would also eventually give a green light to growing and selling marijuana and hashish. It will now submit to parliament the proposed drug law revisions. The government said that a period of public comment on the amendments showed "broad support." Swiss voters in 1998 rejected a proposal to legalize all drug consumption. [continues 101 words]
GENEVA, Switzerland -- Switzerland is preparing legislation that effectively would allow the consumption of marijuana, adding to the country's pioneering but contentious record on drugs policy. The government said it would draw up legislation next year after consultation among local authorities and community associations revealed that there was widespread support for decriminalizing marijuana. "Two-thirds of the organizations consulted said they were in favor of this move," Interior Minister Ruth Dreifuss said. But the same groups opposed any such move on hard drugs, and officials ruled out softer laws on possessing or using such substances. Switzerland has the most liberal approach in Europe towards the treatment of heroin addicts. Since 1998 it has provided clean needles and allowed the distribution of heroin to addicts under strict medical supervision. [end]
GENEVA, Switzerland -- Switzerland is preparing legislation that effectively would allow the consumption of marijuana, adding to the country's pioneering but controversial record on drugs policy. The government said it would draw up legislation next year after consultation among local authorities and community associations revealed there was widespread support for decriminalizing marijuana. "Two-thirds of the organizations consulted said they were in favor of this move," Interior Minister Ruth Dreifuss said. But the same groups opposed any such move on hard drugs, and officials ruled out softer laws on the possession or use of such substances. [continues 285 words]
GENEVA -- Switzerland is preparing legislation that effectively would allow the consumption of marijuana, adding to the Country's pioneering but controversial record on drugs policy. The government said it would draw up legislation next year after consultation among local authorities and community associations revealed widespread support for decriminalizing marijuana. Two-thirds of the organizations consulted said they were in favor of this move," Interior Minister Ruth Dreifuss said. But the same groups opposed any such move on hard drugs, and officials ruled out softer laws on possessing or using such substances. [continues 76 words]
The Swiss cabinet has proposed making it legal to smoke marijuana, but said other drugs should remain illegal for now. The proposed revisions of the country's drug laws must now be submitted to Parliament. In 1998 the Swiss voted down legalizing all drug consumption, but cannabis is widely used in the country. [end]
The cabinet proposed yesterday to make pot smoking legal but said other illicit drugs should remain outlawed for now. The government decided in principle to decriminalize cannabis consumption. It left open whether it would also eventually give a green light to growing and selling marijuana and hashish. It will present the proposed drug law revisions to parliament. [end]
BERNE, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The Swiss cabinet proposed on Monday making it legal to smoke pot, but said other illicit drugs should remain outlawed for the time being. The government decided in principle to decriminalise the consumption of cannabis products. It left open whether it would also eventually give a green light to growing and selling marijuana and hashish. It will now submit to parliament the proposed drug law revisions. The government said in a statement that a period of public comment on the amendments showed ``basically broad support.'' [continues 138 words]
BERNE (Reuters) - The Swiss cabinet proposed Monday making it legal to smoke pot, but said other illicit drugs should remain outlawed for the time being. The government decided in principle to decriminalize the consumption of cannabis products. It left open whether it would also eventually give a green light to growing and selling marijuana and hashish. It will now submit to parliament the proposed drug law revisions. The government said in a statement that a period of public comment on the amendments showed "basically broad support." [continues 138 words]
During his quick visit to the Caribbean town of Cartagena this week, President Clinton seconded the Colombian government's insistence that the "Plan Colombia" is a plan for peace and not war. For months, President Andres Pastrana has been issuing tireless reassurances that political negotiations, rather than a military solution, constitute the plan's central strategy. But the two presidents' stance is difficult to defend. The American contribution to the three-year plan, from which Washington is hoping for a significant reduction in narcotics production, aims at an arms buildup for the Colombian military. [continues 1201 words]
Inside Switzerland
