Swiss Give Addicts Legal Heroin
A pioneering Swiss program to give drug addicts government-authorised heroin has been overwhelmingly approved by voters, who also rejected the decriminalisation of cannabis.
Sixty-eight per cent of voters approved making the heroin program permanent. It has been credited with reducing crime and improving the health and daily lives of addicts since it began 14 years ago. Only 36.8 per cent of voters favoured the cannabis initiative in a vote on Sunday.
Parliament approved the heroin measure in a revision of the country’s narcotics law in March but conservatives challenged the decision and forced a national referendum.
The heroin program has helped reduce the number of drug users shooting up in parks, supporters say.
The US and the United Nations narcotics board have criticised the program as potentially fuelling drug abuse but other governments have started or are considering programs modelled on the system.
The cannabis issue was based on a separate citizens’ initiative to decriminalise the consumption of the drug and growing the plant for personal use.
Tags: authorised, cannabis issue, citizens, conservatives, consumption, drug abuse, drug addicts, drug users, governments, health, initiative, legal heroin, narcotics, national referendum, parliament, personal use, united nations