SWISS REJECT LEGALIZING ILLICIT DRUGS

Geneva- Swiss voters Sunday decisively defeated a radical measure to
legalize marijuana as well as heroin and cocaine, turning aside
arguments that a government-managed narcotics network would curb
drug-related crime.

The proposal would have turned Switzerland into a virtual free-drugs
zone, with any resident 18 or older able to buy drugs at
state-approved pharmacies, after consulting a doctor.

Nearly 74 percent of voters rejected the initiative, which had been
expected to fail, but not to such an overwhelming extent.

"It was a surprise," said Francois Reusser, spokesman for the
committee backing the initiative "for a sensible drug policy."

"Voters reacted emotionally to the heroin aspect," he said. However,
Reusser said he hoped lawmakers would still consider liberalizing
policy on the use of cannabis, which federal statistics indicate is
regularly consumed by some 500,000 people in Switzerland, a nation of
7 million.

He said the committee, backed by Socialists, medical doctors, lawyers
and drug experts, would consider a new campaign to collect the
signatures necessary to force a ballot vote on legalizing cannabis.

Government officials said the vote confirmed Switzerland's policy of
battling illicit drugs, but also aiding drug addicts through a program
that gives heroin and methadone to a small group of abusers. The
Alpine nation has an estimated 30,000 to 36,000 hard-drug addicts, one
of the highest rates in Europe.

Thomas Zeltner, chief of the federal health department, said
Switzerland was ready to review policies on marijuana and hashish.

Checked-by: derek rea