Pubdate: Fri, 9 Mar 2001 Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI) Copyright: 2001 Honolulu Star-Bulletin Contact: P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802 Fax: (808) 523-8509 Feedback: http://starbulletin.com/forms/letterform.html Website: http://www.starbulletin.com/ Author: Star-Bulletin wire services Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) GETTING HIGH MAY SOON BE LEGAL IN SWITZERLAND 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. The Cabinet agreed in principle in October to legalize dope smoking. It has now recommended that police be allowed to turn a blind eye to people growing and trading small amounts of soft drugs, arguing that this will make it easier to differentiate between small- and large-scale production and export of drugs. The Cabinet also proposed a flexible approach to prosecuting use of other illegal drugs while still adhering to international treaties to fight abuse. - --- MAP posted-by: GD