From: [n--e--i] at [iis.ee.ethz.ch] (Matthias Neeracher)
Newsgroups: alt.drugs
Subject: Re: Swiss vote, please post reference
Date: 19 Jun 1994 15:36:38 GMT

[Marc Emery] at [mindlink.bc.ca] (Marc Emery) writes:

>Can someone post any document (NEWSPAPER CLIPPING, MAG ARTICLE, ETC.) that
>confirms the postings to the effect that Switzerland legalized or
>otherwised permits use of heroin as of now. Its for my newsletter
>(Marijuana & Hemp Newsletter) and I'd need a confirmation from a reliable
>(?) source. A Swiss Usenet alt.drugs or alt.hemp person out there, can you
>e-mail me info? Thanks, folks. [marc emery] at [mindlink.bc.ca.]

Here is what the Zurich newspaper "Tages-Anzeiger" wrote about it. My 
translation follows.

------- German -------
Ja zu liberaler Drogenpolitik in BaselStadt
Referendum gescheitert

Die Basler Stimmbuergerinnen und Stimmbuerger lehnten am Wochenende
ein Referendum gegen den Kantonsbeitrag an den Versuch zur
kontrollierten Opiatabgabe an 150 schwer Drogenabhaengige deutlich
ab. Die Zustimmung zum Heroinversuch des Bundes ist ein positives
Plebiszit fuer die liberale kantonale Drogenpolitik insgesamt.

VON FELIX MAISE, BASEL

In der Volksabstimmung vom Wochenende sprachen sich 43 000
Stimmbuergerinnen und Stimmbuerger (65,6 Prozent) fuer den
Kantonsbeitrag von 1,24 Millionen Franken an den Bundesversuch fuer
eine kontrollierte Opiatabgabe an Drogenabhaengige aus. Der
deutliche Entscheid fiel bei einer Stimmbeteiligung von 53 Prozent.

Das Referendum gegen den Kantonsbeitrag, der im Januar im Grossen Rat
mit ueberwaeltigendem Mehr gegen nur gerade neun Stimmen aus der
Fraktion Schweizer Demokraten/Auto-Partei gesprochen worden war, galt
als Test fuer die gesamte Basler Drogenpolitik. Diese zeichnet sich
durch eine relativ liberale, pragmatische Haltung gegenueber den
Drogenkonsumenten aus: Seit zwei Jahren bestehen ueber die Stadt
verteilt drei Gassenzimmer. Gleichzeitig geht man gegen die offene
Szene, vor allem die Dealer, durch aus repressiv vor. So vertrieb die
Polizei kurz vor dem Urnengang abstimmungstaktisch geschickt Fixer und
Dealer aus der Rheingasse, dem bevorzugten wilden Drogenumschlagplatz.

--------- English ---------
Liberal drug policy for the city of Basel approved
Referendum failed

Basel voters this weekend refused a referendum against a cantonal contribution
to the experiment of controlled opiate handouts to 150 heavily dependent 
persons with a significant majority. (Uff! what this means is that:

 - The Swiss state is experimenting with providing junkies with Heroin and
   Cocaine.
 - The City of Basel wants to participate in the experiment by contributing
   150 of their drug users (:-) and money.
 - People gathered signatures to bring the issue to a vote ("Referendum").
 - Voters voted overwhelmingly against the referendum, meaning that the
   Basel government may go ahead with its plans.

Isn't German a wonderful language). Approval of the federal Heroin experiment
is a positive plebiscite for the whole liberal drug policy of the canton 
(Switzerland is divided in 26 cantons, one of which is Basel).

In the vote this weekend, 43000 citizens (65.6%) voted in favor of the
SFr. 1.24 Million (approx. $900'000) contribution to the federal experiment.
Voter participation was 53%.

The referendum against the cantonal contribution, which had passed parliament
against only 9 votes from Swiss Democrats (a xenophobic, somewhat ecologist
right wing party) and Car Party (a xenophobic, vehemently anti-ecologist 
right wing party), was considered a test vote for the whole drug policy of 
Basel. The policy takes a relatively liberal, pragmatic stand towards drug
users: For the last two years, three "Alley rooms" (= rooms where shooting up,
but not dealing, is tolerated) exist, distributed over the city. At the same
time, a quite repressive stand is taken on the open drug scene and in 
particular the dealers. E.g., shortly before the vote, police in a clever
voting tactics move chased junkies and dealers from the Rheingasse, the 
preferred illegal drug dealing point.
------------- End -----------------------

Matthias

-----
Matthias Neeracher <[n--e--i] at [iis.ee.ethz.ch]> http://err.ethz.ch/members/neeri.html
  "I wouldn't recommend sex, drugs or insanity for everyone, but
   they've always worked for me." -- Hunter S. Thompson