cannabisnews.com: Cannabis Should Be Legal, Belgian Cabinet Decides Cannabis Should Be Legal, Belgian Cabinet Decides Posted by FoM on January 20, 2001 at 15:19:30 PT By Stephen Castle in Brussels Source: Independent (UK) Belgium's cabinet has approved plans to legalise the use of cannabis, while resisting calls for a drugs regime as liberal as that of its neighbour, the Netherlands. After a hot debate, Belgium's coalition government agreed on a compromise making it legal to grow or smoke cannabis, but not to buy or sell it. Smoking openly in the Grand Place of Brussels or other public places will still leave Belgians open to possible prosecution under laws to prevent "social nuisances," commonly used for those who urinate flagrantly in public (doing so discreetly is not considered a crime). The curious Belgian compromise over the weed has some logic, even for a country which says it wants to reduce drug use. Surveys shows that as many as 40 per cent of the country's 10 million population has experience of cannabis and, with the Dutch border, an hour away for most of the population, some liberalisation seems inevitable. At present, possession of any cannabis is technically punishable by a prison sentence. Paul Geerts, a spokesman for the Consumer Affairs and Health Ministry, said that plans to allow Dutch-style cafes, where cannabis is legally available, had been judged to "go too far". For people who want to obtain it there were two alternatives, he said: "You can grow it yourself or most people in Belgium know where you can buy it in the Netherlands". There will, he said, be no formal limit placed on the amount that people can possess for their own use because to do so "implies that there is not a problem; we want to help people avoid drugs". The new regulations treat cannabis on a par with alcohol and nicotine in terms of the health risks it poses. Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said a royal decree would be issued instructing prosecutors not to pursue people for possession. "This is a policy that is being followed in many of the countries in the European Union," he said. "We are not penalising individual users of cannabis, but we are concentrating on production, distribution or problematic use." Some other EU members take a tougher line on drugs, however. France, in particular, has attacked Dutch laws for promoting drug trafficking. The Health Minister, Magda Alvoet, said the new measure was a recognition that the judiciary should no longer intervene in the personal use of cannabis. Source Independent (UK) Author: Stephen CastlePublished: January 20, 2001Address: 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DL Copyright: 2001 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd. Contact: letters independent.co.uk Website http://www.independent.co.uk/ Related Articles:Cannabis Use No Longer Illegal http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8379.shtmlBelgium Agrees To Legalize Cannabishttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8378.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by Stuart Patterson on January 24, 2001 at 09:02:03 PT: US legislation relating to Drugs Use The reason the US is so far behind is because they thinkthey are so far ahead - they cannot contemplate or realise that ideas that appear as new to them - have been retoldand replayed a million times before - if its American thenits original and its right - and nothign else counts, cosall that other stuff - well, thats been done before.It is a shame Americans do not understand their country theway that others, inc the British, the Dutch and the rest of the world do: That it is an underdeveloped, over nourished, spoilt little brat, who cant see beyond its own nose - and doesnt want to - because everything the Americans think has to be right - Damn Right!Its in their consitution init? If not - Then at least it should be. :) [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Adam Jungwirth on January 21, 2001 at 10:26:45 PT: Why is the U.S. so out of touch? The new regulations treat cannabis on a par with alcohol and nicotine in terms of the health risks it poses. Exactly! Why is that the U.S., which is a world leader when it comes to a lot things is so far behind when it comes to drug policy? Belgium is coming closer to getting it right than the U.S. will ever be. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by J.R. Bob Dobbs on January 20, 2001 at 17:52:26 PT I wish I could buy stock in a Dutch coffeehouse! Of course, being able to own it but not to buy it brings the same legal absurdity that the Canadian courts just recognized in the Grant Krieger case. This is a positive step, but it's not the end of the road. Did anyone see mention of this in major media today? All I saw on TV was the inauguration, but the local paper had a paragraph about Belgian legalization on the back page of the front section, right next to the inauguration schedule. Another thing I didin't see in today's media coverage were any busses with Change The Climate's messages on them. Finally, I think Todd McCormick is much more deserving of a Presidential Pardon than Roger Clinton! Change The Climate [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on January 20, 2001 at 16:49:50 PT: La Drogue "France, in particular, has attacked Dutch laws for promoting drug trafficking."I lived in France in 1974-75, and it sounds as if attitudes have not changed that much. At that time, there were no such thing as different drugs, there was only "la drogue." All were considered dangerous, addictive, and highly illegal. Maybe they will be influenced positively by more progressive neighbors in the EU. 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