HILVERSUM, Netherlands, Aug 16 (AFP) Dutch Health Minister Els
BorstEilers said Saturday she favoured distributing heroin free to
around 750 addicts on a trial basis. Speaking on television, she said
the most addicted herointakers should be given preference, but that
the test should be carried out on a large scale. "If the number of
test subjects is too limited, we may not be able to detect the
beneficial effects of the test," she said. She suggested the ideal
number would be around 750 addicts. A commission which has advised
the minister on the subject had suggested testing betweem 600 and 900
people. If the Dutch parliament refuses to give the goahead for a
test on such a large scale, she said, she would refuse to conduct a
more limited experiment. "That would just be throwing money down the
drain," she said.

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