NETHERLANDS TO ALLOW USE OF MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - The Netherlands, famous for its permissive
attitude toward drug use, yesterday became the second country after Canada
to allow medical use of marijuana.

Marijuana use is widely tolerated in the Netherlands in "coffee shops" but
is not legal. The Dutch Cabinet agreed yesterday to change the law to allow
doctors to prescribe marijuana and chemists to supply it, Health Ministry
spokesman Bas Kuik said.

The Bureau for Medicinal Cannabis will supervise the growing of marijuana,
its quality control and distribution. Talks are to be arranged on the plans
with the International Narcotics Control Board of the United Nations.