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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bill who wrote (708878)	10/26/2005 11:57:24 AM
From: George Coyne	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 769670

I understand it was/is in Holland and it hasn't worked out very well.

To: Bill who wrote (708878)	10/26/2005 12:24:28 PM
From: Geoff Altman	Respond to of 769670

Quite right, while acquision of drugs is still illegal, personal use is not. Belgium Belgian law makes no distinction between hard and soft drugs. Instead, the law makes a distinction between personal and collective use of drugs. Drug use is not a criminal offense when it is an individual, but it is an offense when used collectively. Group use carries a penalty of three months to five years in prison and/or a fine of 1,000 to 100,000 Bfrs. Acquisition and possession of drugs is an offense, which carries the same penalty as collective drug use. No distinction is made between possession for personal use and possession for trafficking. So, in theory, it is possible to have a small quantity of drugs for personal use and be charged with a trafficking offense. The penalty for trafficking is three months to five years imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 to 10,000 Bfs. However, the reality of the situation is not as staunch. Belgium has become more lenient in their law enforcement practices which is consistent with the general trend in Europe towards a more liberal drug policy. In April of 1998, Belgian officials decided to relax the enforcement of prohibitionist laws regarding cannabis. Belgian laws have not changed. It remains illegal to possess and/or collectively consume marijuana, but the government has declared that cases of private possession and consumption will be the lowest priority of law enforcement. Denmark Denmark's legislation regarding drugs makes no distinction between hard and soft drugs, and drug use directly is not an offense. Acquisition of drugs is a criminal offense, and, the law makes no distinction between personal use and large scale trafficking, the latter subject to a penalty of up to six years imprisonment. In reality, the courts rarely view small amounts as "acquisition" and generally do not invoke severe penalties possible under the law. There are three categories of possession: for personal use, simple, and large scale. Possession for personal use is not an offense. If convicted, simple possession, meaning smaller amounts of less harmful drugs, can result in six years in prison. Large-scale possession of dangerous drugs can sentence one to up to ten years in prison. Although cannabis is categorized in Danish law with cocaine, heroin, and other highly addictive substances (in accordance with 1961 UN Convention), a directive from the Chief Prosecutor "provides for particularly lenient treatment of local trafficking in [cannabis] or possession with a view to use." The tendency of the courts' action for possession for personal use is most often a warning or a fine. Possession of small quantities of cannabis normally results in just a warning and confiscation of the substance.