8 FEB 1999 SURVEY OF GERMAN LANGUAGE PRESS

Lothar Mark and Renate Gradistanac, in a long article (1,000 words) in the
Stuttgarter Nachrichten (http://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de) under the
headline "Addicts Must Be Decriminalized", give a very positive review of
the projected changes to be enacted in drug policy at the federal level.

Stuttgart/Bonn - The change of government in Bonn has given new movement to
the call for a change in drug policy.

The situation in Holland is reviewed favorably and mention is made of the
new proposals to consider all drugs, legal and illegal, from the point of
view of the danger they pose for the individual’s health. There are no
known cases of death from smoking marihuana, whereas the WHO 1995 figures
for tobacco related deaths were 1.2 million for Europe. The number of those
who die from cyrrhosis of the liver is also shockingly high.

This is also acknowledged in the new policy announced by the Jospin
government in France. A new three year program is to be introduced which
will range drugs in three categories determined by the health risk they
pose. Group 1 will contain heroin and the opiates, cocaine and alcohol.
Group 2: tobacco and most synthetic drugs such as Ecstasy and LSD. Group 3
will contain those judged to be least harmful, such as hashish and marihuana.

The trial of doctor controlled heroin distribution to hard core addicts,
which took place in England some years ago and has now taken place in
Switzerland, is also reviewed. The improvements in the general health and
social condition of the participants and the small percentage of
‘drop-outs’ have encouraged expansion of this program.

The article concludes with the observation that "It is in the national and
international interest to implement a change in drug policy. The topic has
been burdened, hitherto, with fear and prejudice. We must, therefore, with
the participation of the whole population, open up an intensive discussion
of all the advantages and disadvantages to the health, economic and public
order aspects of the different forms of decriminalization and
legalization."