Belgium and Italy Move To
Decriminalize Cannabis, Moving Further Toward Dutch Policy
April 24, 1998From DRCNet
BELGIUM DECRIMINALIZES CANNABIS
http://www.drcnet.org/rapid/1998/4-24.html#belgium
Belgium, which has long been stuck, both legally and geographically, in-between the
cannabis-tolerant Dutch and the prohibitionist French, announced this week (4/21) that
personal-use amounts of cannabis will now receive the "lowest priority" from the
police. While insisting that possession will remain a punishable offense, the government's
action effectively decriminalizes marijuana. The move is the latest sign of a mounting
trend in Europe away from cannabis prohibition. Sources in Europe are estimating that
"personal use amounts" will likely mean five grams or less.
(Ed. note: Five grams is the "official" limit on how
much anyone is supposed to be able to buy in one trip to a Dutch coffee shop. This should
be good for business for those near the Belgian border. The northern part of Belgium,
Flanders, is Dutch speaking. The South, Wallonia, is French speaking. The drive to ban
marijuana use by Olympic athletes is being led by a Walloon prince. [Who put the loon in
Walloon?]
One of the most significant things about this is that Brussels is the seat of the
European Union, the effective capital of Europe.)
Italy wages war on ecstasy but softens policy over cannabis
From The Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
April 24, 1998
By Bruce Johnston in Rome
ITALY'S centre-Left government is preparing a draft law to decriminalise
the possession, use and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis.
The move coincides with government action, including a media campaign to begin today,
against ecstasy and other synthetic drugs, which are being blamed for many late-night
weekend road deaths. If the Bill becomes law, people found in
possession of marijuana for personal use, or to be taking it "with friends" or
at home, would no longer be committing a criminal offence, but an administrative offence.
Such offences are punishable by minor penalties such as the temporary surrender of a
driving licence, passport or gun licence. Users might also be told to attend courses on
the dangers of drugs, sign on at a local police station, or be ordered to stay out of
discotheques.
A person found growing cannabis on a window-ledge or in a kitchen
garden would also be committing an administrative offence. But the growing of acres of the
drug would still be a crime. Selling the drug would also continue to be punishable by
imprisonment.
As the law now stands, anyone caught preparing or even taking "soft" drugs in
the company of friends risks being jailed for "passing" them to third parties.
Italy's Justice Ministry said yesterday that it had decided to design a new law to soften
what it called "the very harsh and even prohibitionist" terms of the
present 1990 law and to make it less confusing.
This was necessary after a referendum five years ago altered the law, by decriminalising possession of drugs, so long as they were for personal use
and amounted to a "daily dose". A number of conflicting Supreme Court
interpretations of the legal amount made a change in the law more important.
Although the bill is a government proposal, the ruling coalition is divided, with the
conservative and Catholic elements that underpin it strongly opposed.
(Ed. note:"CORRECTION: In
"For the Record" (Feb. 24) NR reported that Pope John Paul II wanted the Italian
government to ban tobacco as a hard drug. In fact he was talking about marijuana. So
the Pope is right about tobacco, though wrong about pot." National
Review Magazine / March 24, 1997 page 6. )
Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1998.
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