Pubdate: Tue, 03 Oct 2000 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Copyright: 2000 Chicago Tribune Company Contact: 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611-4066 Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Forum: http://www.chicagotribune.com/interact/boards/ Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (cannabis clippings) CABINET PROPOSES MAKING MARIJUANA LEGAL TO CONSUME 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. Nonetheless, Switzerland already has one of the most liberal approaches in Europe toward treating heroin addicts, providing free drugs and needles to some of those who do not respond to other forms of treatment. A so-called four pillars approach to drugs aims at prevention, therapy, damage limitation and arresting users and those involved in the trade. Switzerland once had the distinction of being Europe's largest open heroin scene, concentrated in Zurich's "needle park," but city officials drove it underground in the mid-1990s after the park became a draw for Europe's drug addicts. - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder