By Tom Armitage Source: Reuters Zurich - Angry parents protested outside the Swiss parliament on Monday over government plans to decriminalize cannabis -- a step they say would make Switzerland a Mecca for dope smokers. The demonstration organized by the Swiss Association of Parents against Drugs was timed to pre-empt a debate in the lower house on Thursday on relaxing the laws on cannabis use. Parliament's upper house has already approved the proposals. Despite Switzerland's staid reputation, it is not unusual to see people smoking joints in parks, clubs or on ski lifts. The government has proposed a Dutch-style decriminalization to bring laws in line with the widespread social acceptance of the drug. The laws would tolerate a certain number of registered cannabis outlets. At the moment so-called "hemp shops," where cannabis masquerades as herbal tea or pot-pourri, constantly run the risk of being closed by the police. But memories are still fresh in Switzerland of a liberal heroin policy in the 1990s which led to the nightmare of "Needle Park" in central Zurich, prompting concern that a Dutch-style acceptance of the narcotic could encourage use of harder drugs. "With this event, the demonstrators want to show members of parliament and also the general public that these suggestions are ill-conceived and unacceptable," the association said. "Switzerland would become a European drugs Mecca." With an estimated 500,000 regular or occasional cannabis users in a nation of 7.3 million, the government says it is time for the law to reflect reality. While growing and dealing would remain illegal, they would be tolerated under certain conditions. "For example, if it is not sold to minors and there is no advertising, then the grower or the vendor will not be pursued either by the police or by the courts," said Maria Saraceni of the Health Ministry's addiction and AIDS department. If the lower house follows the upper house in approving the plans, any differences in the legislation will have to be worked out. Opponents could also try to force a binding referendum on the measure before it becomes law. Question marks remain over how the government would control consumption and production. One proposal is for an anonymous registration system for cannabis users living in Switzerland who could then buy a certain amount of the drug a month. There would also be a system to trace growers and dealers. However, opponents say the proposals will only encourage youngsters to take drugs and could make the problem of the black market worse, especially if plans to levy a tax on production and purchase were adopted. Source: Reuters Author: Tom Armitage Published: May 06, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Reuters News Service Website: http://www.reuters.com Contact: http://about.reuters.com/custhelp/