Pubdate: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 Source: International Herald-Tribune (France) Copyright: International Herald Tribune 2001 Contact: 181, Avenue Charles de Gaulle, 92521 Neuilly Cedex, France Fax: (33) 1 41 43 93 38 Website: http://www.iht.com/ SWISS MAY LEGALIZE CANNABIS BERN Switzerland has taken a major step towards legalizing the consumption of cannabis with the government proposing a draft law in Parliament to decriminalize the drug. The proposal to overhaul Switzerland's drugs law, unveiled last Friday, could also allow the sale of cannabis under certain conditions. Ruth Dreifuss, the Swiss minister for social affairs, told journalists that outlawing cannabis completely had not brought the desired results. Addictive substances other than cannabis - such as heroin, cocaine and ecstasy - will remain illegal, but violators will not necessarily face prosecution. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D