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UN: Nations agree to differ on drug policy
Karin Kamp Swissinfo.org
Friday 18 Apr 2003 Health officials at a United Nations conference on narcotics in Vienna remain divided on whether repressive or liberal policies work best. Several European countries, including Switzerland, were criticized for their liberal drug policies - but for the Swiss it was the first time they were not singled out. The head of the conference, Patricia Olamendi, called on countries to "abandon lenient and inconsistent policies toward cannabis and other drugs". She was referring to several European countries, including Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. But for the Swiss, taking part as a fully fledged United Nations member for the first time, it was a new experience not to be singled out by the UN's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), said Thomas Zeltner, head of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. "Some elements of Swiss drug policy and specifically policies that deal with harm reduction programmes, such as syringe exchange and the establishment of injection rooms, had been criticised," Zeltner told swissinfo. But he said the countries present had agreed to differ on drug policy and that there was "no intention by the UN to harmonise laws internationally to combat the illegal use of drugs". Liberal policies Zeltner said Switzerland as well as Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, believe that more liberal policies are necessary to deal with crises such as the Aids epidemic. "In Switzerland, we feel a heroin programme is something we need, but its not something that we feel all other countries need to copy," Zeltner said. He added that the number of countries which "are seeking to deal with drug problems in new and innovative ways was growing, particularly in western Europe". In the opposing camp are countries such as the United States and Sweden, which backed Olamendi's position, according to Zeltner. For the US, the issues of terrorism and money laundering are linked with the illicit drug trade and Washington is pushing for so-called integrated programmes that fight terrorism, poverty and drug abuse. Possession of small amounts of cannabis in Switzerland is now only a minor offence, but in countries like the United States it can be a very serious crime. Cannabis tax One proposal of Switzerland's raised eyebrows - notably the idea of a tax of cannabis, which Zeltner said might be introduced following a vote on the decriminalisation of the drug. "The INCB has voiced their concerns about the tax and we will continue discussions on this issue," Zeltner said. What most countries could agree on was that the UN goal of attaining a drug-free world by 2008 - put forward five years ago - would remain a dream. "Hopefully, we will at one stage achieve this in the history of mankind," Zeltner told swissinfo.
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