cannabisnews.com: Swiss Debate Whether To Legalise Cannabis





Swiss Debate Whether To Legalise Cannabis
Posted by CN Staff on September 19, 2003 at 12:36:37 PT
By Clare Kapp reporting from Geneva
Source: Lancet UK
The Swiss government, which already has one of the most liberal drug policies in the world, wants to decriminalise consumption of cannabis and put state provision of heroin to addicts on a permanent legal footing.The ruling four-party coalition hopes the proposed revision of its drug law will close loopholes and establish a constitutional basis for Switzerland's four-pillar policy of repression, prevention, treatment, and harm reduction-including heroin prescription-which is widely credited with bringing down the mortality rate, crime, and deprivation associated with severe addiction.
Ahead of a scheduled parliamentary vote at the end of September, passions are running particularly high about the proposal to legalise consumption and-under certain circumstances- production and sale of cannabis.An estimated 500 000 people-the Swiss population is 7 million-are occasional or regular consumers of cannabis, and "joints" are openly smoked in parks, outside schools, and on trains. The government argues that its police resources are too stretched to enforce outdated laws."For the sake of our own credibility we cannot allow that alcohol and tobacco, which kill 10000 people a year in Switzerland, are sold with all kinds of marketing wizardry, while consumption of cannabis, a less dangerous product, is a legal offence", said the Swiss Institute for Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, an independent research and counselling organisation.Ahead of general elections scheduled for Oct 24, drug policy has become a political football. The right-wing Swiss People's Party is expected to make considerable gains, and this has led to a more conservative tone in the drug law debate-with a strong chance that the government package may be thrown out."The whole issue has become too emotional and politicised", said Felix Gutzwiller of Zurich University's Institute for Social and Preventive Medicines, and one of the pioneering forces behind Swiss drug policy.Regardless of the outcome of the cannabis vote, Gutzwiller told The Lancet that this would not change Switzerland's four-pillar policy or undermine its injectable heroin prescription programme. This currently benefits about 1300 addicts-all of whom have longstanding, chronic heroin dependency, have made several unsuccessful therapy attempts, and have clear health and social problems.Gutzwiller and other advocates say there is growing international recognition of the positive effect of the heroin provision, as shown by a spectacular fall in the number of overdose-related fatalities. Last year there were a reported 167 deaths, down 15·2% on 2002 and the lowest level for 16 years. (In 1994, one of the peak years, 399 people died of drug abuse.)"The programme is not a perfect solution, but it's better than nothing", Health Minister Pascal Couchepin told parliament earlier this year.The cost is covered by Swiss health insurance to the tune of SwF11­14·5 million (US$8­10·5 million) per year because-according to Couchepin- "heroin addiction is an illness and controlled provision is a therapy".Critics disagree, with the UN International Narcotics Control Board saying that Switzerland and like-minded countries are "aiding and abetting drug abuse and possibly illicit drug trafficking, through drug-injection rooms and similar outlets."Continuing the pioneering approach, the cities of Basel and Bern are due to begin a 3-month pilot project this autumn to prescribe the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug methylphenidate (Ritalin) to 60 cocaine addicts in recognition of the trend towards consumption of heroin and cocaine cocktails and the fact that standard heroin treatment is not effective for cocaine addicts.The health ministry rejected a request by Zurich's social department to test controlled prescription of cocaine itself.Gutzwiller also said he found cocaine prescription was premature and that the methylphenidate experiments were a more reasonable approach."Switzerland is a small country and so we can't go too fast", he said. "Our drug policy has to be based on evidence rather than adventure." Note: Alcohol and Tobacco Pose Far Greater Danger, Way Advocates of Cannabis Legalisation.Source: Lancet, The (UK)Author: Clare Kapp reporting from GenevaPublished: Vol 362 - September 20, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Lancet LtdWebsite: http://www.thelancet.com/Contact: lancet.editorial elsevier.co.ukRelated Articles & Web Site:Swiss Hemp Coordinationhttp://www.hanf-koordination.ch/Swiss Panel Set to Back Cannabis Legalization http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15529.shtmlSwiss Move To Decriminalisation of Cannabis http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15507.shtmlSwiss Stand Firm Over Cannabis Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13573.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #15 posted by FoM on September 25, 2003 at 08:56:28 PT
Cannabis Decision Exposes Political Fears
 
 
  
September 25, 2003 
 
  Opponents of moves to decriminalise cannabis have scored a victory, with the House of Representatives throwing out the government’s proposals. 
But the Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Addiction told swissinfo the vote exposed a serious lack of courage. 
 
 
 
 
On Thursday, the House of Representatives rejected legislation that would have allowed possession and production of cannabis for personal use, as well as limited trade in the drug.The bill, which had already been approved by the Senate, would have resulted in Switzerland having one of the most liberal policies on cannabis in Europe. It won the support of those who believed it was time to bring legislation in line with reality.Michel Graf, deputy head of the institute, says he is sorely disappointed by the move.
 swissinfo: What is your reaction to the proposal being voted down? 
Michel Gras: I am disappointed by this lack of political courage. It shows that politicians are not comfortable with the issue of public health. They’re mixing up moral values with the interests of public health, both of which they have to defend.This means that cannabis users will basically still be considered as criminals, whereas we see them as people who are at risk – especially if they are young.
 swissinfo: Do you think that the rejection of the proposal was politically motivated and linked to the upcoming general elections? Or does it reflect a change in the way cannabis is perceived?
 M.C.: I think it’s a bit of both. On the one hand, parliamentarians are keeping their cards close to their chest ahead of the elections on what is a very complex issue. And because this is such a complex issue, experts haven’t been able to spell out what decriminalisation will mean exactly. We must not allow ourselves to be lazy. We have to find clearer, more effective ways of containing cannabis consumption. No politician wants to see everyone smoking [dope]. But the truth is that whether or not it’s forbidden by law, some of the population will continue to do so. Our job is to make sure that these smokers are well-informed and that their [use of cannabis] doesn’t become problematic… and that they don’t wind up as criminals.
 swissinfo: The media seem to have picked up on research showing the most dangerous side effects of cannabis. 
M.G.: Anything that anyone’s said during the past months on cannabis has been heavily banded about by the media.For instance, it was said that a joint was up to five times as toxic as a cigarette – a claim which was never backed up by the scientific community.There then were some psychiatrists who said [cannabis] caused mental disorders among teenagers. But they forgot to say that this applied only to a minority of them.The majority of occasional smokers never have a problem, and this is true for a lot of teenagers and young adults. But people mix up occasional and regular use, which of course is dangerous - irrespective of age.
 swissinfo: So is the institute going to continue informing people on this subject?
 M.G.: Of course! We were the first to do so and we’ll carry on informing people in the most objective manner possible. Opponents of cannabis reform play on fears and prefer to bury their heads in the sand. But they have to realise that just because the debate is dragging doesn’t mean that the situation will disappear. Everyone is very misinformed on this issue – it’s a dangerous situation.Opponents wanted to postpone the debate to make it clearer, but actually the debate is becoming more clouded. And our job is to remind people that, irrespective of the legal status of cannabis, we’re not in favour of it being consumed, especially not on a regular basis. swissinfo-interview: Anne Rubin (translation: Vanessa Mock) 
 
 
 http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=111&sid=4279769
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by FoM on September 23, 2003 at 19:42:01 PT
News Article from The AP Wire
Swiss Debate Whether To Legalise CannabisTuesday, September 23, 2003GENEVA (AP) - James started smoking cannabis when he was 12, insisting that it was "normal'' among all his friends. Now 14, he's growing his own marijuana plants - his mother discovered them by the gladioli - and has promised to work for better school grades if he's allowed to keep them. "What can I do?'' agonizes his mother, Liz. "If I let him grow it at least he will have his own supply. If he has to go and buy it, then he risks meeting older people selling Ecstasy and other nasty pills. And if I don't let him have any money, he will find ways of getting some,'' she frets, asking that the family name not be used. James is among a growing number of Swiss teenagers regularly smoking joints. A study earlier this year by the Swiss Institute for Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse found that 30 percent of teachers had 14- to 15 year-old pupils who were stoned and that 40 percent of girls and 50 percent of boys ages 15 to 16 had smoked marijuana. Concern about young potheads has inflamed passions ahead of a parliamentary debate starting Wednesday on government proposals to decriminalize use of cannabis and - under certain circumstances - sale and production. The move is part of a wider revision of Swiss narcotics laws that also would provide permanent legal footing to the state's provision of heroin to chronic addicts. The nine-year-old heroin program, authorized to last until 2009, allows around 1,300 hardened addicts to shoot up at approved centers with government-provided heroin. The annual cost of 11 million to 14.5 million Swiss francs (US$8 million-US$10.5 million) is covered by health insurance on the grounds that addiction is an illness rather than a crime. Although at first controversial - the United States and the U.N. narcotics board remain critical - the program has won recognition at home and abroad for cutting the crime and misery associated with addiction. This has been accompanied by a spectacular fall in overdose-related fatalities. Last year, reported deaths fell to a 16-year low of 167, down 15.2 percent from 2001 and just under half the 1994 peak of 399. The number of addicts has remained stable at around 30,000. "The whole debate about heroin has become much more reasonable because the good experiences with the program calmed people's fears,'' says Felix Gutzwiller, a professor at Zurich University's Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine and a leading proponent of a liberal drug policy. "By contrast, people are now very nervous and emotional about decriminalizing cannabis,'' he says. An anticipated shift to the right in the Oct. 19 national elections has brought a conservative tone to the cannabis debate. Gutzwiller said he fears the lower house of the Swiss parliament will throw out the proposed new law, which was approved by the upper house in December 2001. The government argues that at least 500,000 people out of a population of 7 million are occasional or regular users and that police resources are too stretched to enforce restrictive and outdated laws. The government's Youth Commission on Monday also spoke out in favor of decriminalization, saying that could focus more attention on prevention. Many professional organizations said they agree. "For the sake of our own credibility, we cannot allow that alcohol and tobacco which kill 10,000 people a year in Switzerland are sold with all kinds of marketing wizardry while consumption of cannabis, a less dangerous product, is a legal offense,'' says the alcoholism and drug abuse prevention agency. It wants a sales tax to try to discourage consumption and a ban on smoking cannabis in public places. Opponents are outraged. "The drama about cannabis is that young people who abuse it believe they are doing themselves no harm,'' Claude Ruey, a liberal lawmaker, wrote in the Geneva newspaper Le Temps. "And through its laxity and abdication of responsibility, the Federal Health Office is no longer setting standards for the rest of society.'' Philippe, a 36-year-old bank employee who has smoked joints for half his life, says liberalization would make little practical difference to him but would at least cut the profits of what he calls the drug mafia. Fearing for his promotion prospects, he asked that only his first name be used. He said he smokes daily and finds it no more harmful than alcohol, although his wife complains bitterly about his forgetfulness and dreaminess. "It's become a matter of habit, a state of mind. If I want a joint and can't have a joint, I can do without but not for too long,'' says Philippe. Liz says liberalization would at least keep her son away from dubious dealers. James has been hauled to the police station but just regarded it as a joke, knowing he was too young to face penalties. She says other parents in her small village - including the mayor, deputy mayor and the doctor - have reluctantly come round to her point of view. "They are all the sort of people who at one point said cannabis should never be legalized,'' Liz said. "And now their children are smoking and they realize there is absolutely nothing they can do about it.'' - AP Copyright: 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D) 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #13 posted by Patrick on September 21, 2003 at 12:50:22 PT
Drill home the obvious.
Here in America if we can drill home the obvious truth about prohibition and its "much higher" cost on society than drug abuse itself we can make cannabis as legal as beer and cigarettes!"For the sake of our own credibility we cannot allow that alcohol and tobacco, which kill 10000 people a year in Switzerland, are sold with all kinds of marketing wizardry, while consumption of cannabis, a less dangerous product, is a legal offenceGeez, duh, oh really??? Get this joe american, the DEA alone spends about 19 billion a year to fight drugs??? However in Switzerland….The cost is covered by Swiss health insurance to the tune of SwF11­14·5 million (US$8­10·5 million) per year because-according to Couchepin- "heroin addiction is an illness and controlled provision is a therapy".Wow what a difference in financial costs and priorities. Makes me think the fox is guarding the hen house of tax spending. Naturally people like Walters, Asshcroft and other prohibs….disagree, with the UN International Narcotics Control Board saying that Switzerland and like-minded countries are "aiding and abetting drug abuse and possibly illicit drug trafficking, through drug-injection rooms and similar outlets."But they have no problem justifying a country club cocktail with their cigars after of tough day of jailing cannabis smokers attending a peace and freedom rally!I have to agree with the Swiss when they say "Our drug policy has to be based on evidence rather than adventure."
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by drfistusa on September 21, 2003 at 11:18:09 PT
Hanf stores on the main drag
2 yrs. ago in Basil there were 16 maybe more Hanf shops, one on the main drag with live plants in the window, visible from the trolly. better selection than Amsterdam, the whitewidow was great. Just can't smoke in the store! yet! Still the freedom is there!!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by rchandar on September 20, 2003 at 13:20:38 PT:
swiss debate
um,well, i just hope they get it on the law books before the election. myself, would love to go to a more cannabis-friendly switzerland.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by mayan on September 19, 2003 at 18:25:08 PT
BigDawg...
You're absolutely right. Cannabis is all but legal in Switzerland anyway. It's kinda like the Netherlands...but I don't think they have the coffee shops like Amsterdam. If they pass this revision you can bet they will though! The way out is the way in...Kaminski: Arrest the president now! Enough 9/11 evidence exists to hang Bush, imprison thousands:
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?noframes;read=36952Meacher: "Both Wars were planned in advance before 9/11" 
http://new.globalfreepress.com/article.pl?sid=03/09/19/1527251Families Call for Release of 9/11 Materials:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/19/nyregion/19TOWE.html?ex=1064635200&en=250eaf247f9803b1&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE9/11 and the Bush Administration - Compelling Evidence for Complicity:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4582.htmOctober 25th - Mass March on the White House & Pentagon: 
http://www.internationalanswer.org/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by FoM on September 19, 2003 at 18:24:16 PT
Related News Article from SwissInfo
Cannabis Clampdown Yields Results 
  
September 19, 2003 
   
 
 
  A major police crackdown on the production and sale of cannabis in Italian-speaking Ticino has resulted in the closure of almost all the canton’s hemp shops.
 
The campaign was launched earlier this year to stamp out a flourishing trade in the canton. 
 
 
 
 Complete Article: http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=111&sid=4258139
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by Jose Melendez on September 19, 2003 at 17:27:56 PT
grueling, anyone?
http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/09190000aaa01168.upi&Sys=siteia&Fid=WORLDNEW&Type=News&Filter=World%20News
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by E_Johnson on September 19, 2003 at 17:23:54 PT
If only
""For the sake of our own credibility we cannot allow that alcohol and tobacco, which kill 10000 people a year in Switzerland, are sold with all kinds of marketing wizardry, while consumption of cannabis, a less dangerous product, is a legal offence", said the Swiss Institute for Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, an independent research and counselling organisation."If only American substance abuse treatment professionals cared as much about their credibility...
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by Virgil on September 19, 2003 at 15:46:58 PT
What people don't know may kill (imprison)them
I can only think of the sea/ocean of ignorance out there on the changing cannabis laws and attitudes across the globe. What happens when the subject comes up on a show hosted by someone like Bill Mahre and that bubble/balloon of ignorance gets popped?We will see it more and more that people get their balloon popped and Fantacyland goes away and they search in a new reality for things that are real.The situation is quite explosive as the media companies cannot sell their trash to people who are insulted by the lies and deceptions they print while they ignore the responsibility of the Fourth Estate in being the watchdog on the government. The New York Times people say there are 80 million people in the country intellectually capable enough to enjoy their paper. Their product only sells to a third of the people when they are not insulted as they fiddle while the country and Constitution burn.The sheltered life provided by the presstitutes cannot withstand the word of mouth of people that read the Internet. Call for the impeachment of the puppet and ending the War of Insanity marketed as a War on Drugs. Have them war on sugar. That is as big a problem as all the illegal drugs would be without criminal prohibition. And of course war on a prohibitionist, one at a time and one on one. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by afterburner on September 19, 2003 at 14:39:07 PT:
Here's the Script, ONDCP, Health Canada, BLF:
A graceful face-saving exit. Use it while you can."For the sake of our own credibility we cannot allow that alcohol and tobacco, which kill 10000 people a year in Switzerland, are sold with all kinds of marketing wizardry, while consumption of cannabis, a less dangerous product, is a legal offence", said the Swiss Institute for Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, an independent research and counselling organisation.ego transcendence follows ego destruction, time to face the truth.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 19, 2003 at 13:25:29 PT
Thanks Jose!
I'll watch it a little later on when I have a little more time.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by Jose Melendez on September 19, 2003 at 13:18:47 PT
want to feel proud?
watch this:http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-2188.html
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by BigDawg on September 19, 2003 at 12:53:53 PT
My understanding
is that it is technically illegal to grow/sell for the purpose of consumption. They get around it by selling "aroma therapy" pillows and "herbal" teas which are then promptly loaded into a bowl and consumed :).At this point it is all about being above board rather than pretending IMHO.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by WolfgangWylde on September 19, 2003 at 12:41:43 PT
Correct...
...me if I'm wrong. I know things have tightened up a little bit recently, but I think you can still buy cannabis over the counter is most Swiss cities, and plants are cultivated openly. Just what is there to debate at this point?
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment