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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Belgium: Cannabis Use No Longer Illegal
Bart Dobbelaere De Standaard (Belgium)
Friday 19 Jan 2001 Pubdate: Fri, 19 Jan 2001 Source: De Standaard (B) Copyright: De Standaard Contact: standaard@vum.be Website: http://www.standaard.be/ Author: Bart Dobbelaere Translation: Harry Bego CANNABIS USE NO LONGER ILLEGAL Who Wants A Joint, Should Grow Or Go To The Netherlands BRUSSELS - Soon, use of 'soft' drugs will no longer be illegal. To this aim, the 1921 law will be adjusted and there will also be a royal decree. This means more legal security for occasional users of cannabis. But where they get their stuff, they will have to find out for themselves. The core cabinet has resolved the drugs issue yesterday with an honorable compromise. Use of cannabis will not be removed from the penal code, as the Greens and the PS wanted initially. The user gets more legal security than is the case now, with the circular letter. In the drugs law of 1921 a provision is written that allows a separate approach to soft- and hard drugs, and to problematic and non-problematic use. What this other approach exactly entails, will be regulated with a royal decree and a circular letter. Someone who smokes cannabis will at least no longer receive a booking. Using cannabis is allowed, as long as there is no social nuisance or problematic use. Driving under the influence is not allowed; and whomever is seriously addicted will be guided into drug aid. The government has not chosen to determine the amount of grams of cannabis allowed. In this way, the discussion about 5 grams as in the VLD-version versus 15 grams as in the Agalev-version was neatly avoided. No problem, says Department of Health Minster Magda Aelvoet. The police services have sufficient experience to know from how many grams use of soft drugs becomes problematic. But, she admitted, there will always be room for interpretation for police services. Problematic use may mean something different in the city of Brussels than in Betekom-village, just like nuisance means something else in both municipalities. About growth and sale the drugs compromise says nothing. Positions were too far apart for that. Who wants to smoke a joint, will have to grow themselves or make a trip to the Netherlands. In the case of hard drugs there no longer is an abbreviated booking in the case of use, a left-over from the original drugs proposal. There will always be a booking. But the ways in which the office of the prosecutor deals with the booking will be extended. In this, it will always be the intention to keep drug users out of prison and guide them to drug aid. The drugs proposal gives a lot of attention to aid and prevention. Half a billion franks will be spent additionally for it as well. VU thinks the proposal is a half-hearted compromise Senators Patrick Van Krunkelsven and Vincent Van Quickenborne (VU&ID) think the government's compromise on use of cannabis is half-hearted. It still contains unclarities. "Growing is not allowed, so where will you get the stuff. Supply from the Netherlands is cumbersome and illegal, since importation of cannabis remains an offense." Moreover, the prosecutors continue to judge who is a problematic user. This leaves room for interpretation, according to the VU&ID-senators, who stick to their proposal: a maximum of 15 grams in your pocket, no booking or seizure below that limit, and as much transferral to drug aid as possible.
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