Voters back heroin policy, paedophile initiative

The Swiss have voted for the government's drugs policy, including the prescription of heroin to addicts, but have rejected a plan to decriminalise cannabis.

In a major upset on Sunday, a proposal to tighten legal provisions against paedophile criminals was carried. An early retirement scheme and plans to curb the powers of environmental organisations failed to pass at the ballot box.

Sixty-eight per cent of voters approved a plan to enshrine the government's four-pillar drugs policy in law, according to near-final results.

Opponents, notably in the small ultra-conservative Federal Democratic Union and the rightwing Swiss People's Party, challenged parliament's decision to a referendum.

They said the official policy has failed to reduce the number of addicts and leaves them in dependency, instead of promoting abstinence-based methods.

The official drugs strategy is based on prevention, harm reduction, therapy and repression. It was devised in response to the open drugs scene in Zurich and other Swiss cities during the 1990s.

Supporters, including a majority in parliament and many drugs experts, say the policy has helped reduce the number of drug-related deaths. They argue the prescription of heroin under medical supervision allows addicts to live a more normal life and even integrate into society.

There are about 3,000 registered addicts who benefit from the heroin distribution programme - some of whom later switch to a methadone-supported treatment.

Switzerland was a pioneer in 1999 when it introduced the scheme - restricted initially to a ten-year period.

Dope

A separate plan aimed at decriminalising hallucinogenic hemp for personal consumption was rejected by a 64 per cent majority. Under the plan, trade and cultivation would be subject to state control in an effort to limit access for minors.

The initiative, supported by centre-left and some centre-right parliamentarians, was launched in the wake of parliament's refusal in 2004 to adapt legislation to widespread practice.

An estimated 500,000 people in Switzerland say they regularly or occasionally smoke dope.

Opponents warn of the health hazards for cannabis consumers and fear Switzerland would attract hemp consumers from across Europe.

Ten years ago Swiss voters rejected a proposal to decriminalise cannabis.

Paedophile crimes

Also being voted on was an initiative by a group of parents aimed at extending indefinitely the statute of limitations for paedophile crimes.

Some 52 per cent of voters, and all 26 cantons, came out in favour of the proposal - despite opposition by the government and the main poltiical parties.

They had argued the scrapping of the time limit was disproportional and would be difficult to implement.

The Swiss People's Party was the only major group backing the initiative.

Currently a person suspected of a paedophile crime can be prosecuted for up to 15 years after the crime, or until the victim turns 25.

Parliament agreed a compromise to extend the time frame to the age of 33.

Pensions

Trade union plans to introduce a flexible retirement from age 62 were the latest attempt to reform the state pension scheme. The scheme has also been under review by parliament as it tries to secure the long-term funding of the social security system.

The unions, backed by the centre-left Social Democrats and the Greens, wanted to allow people who earn less than SFr120,000 ($99,700) annually to stop working with no loss of benefits.

They argued a flexible retirement age must no longer be the privilege of high income earners.

At present it is mainly the well-off who take early retirement. The construction industry has also introduced a scheme for employees from age 60.

Men officially retire at 65, while women are eligible for a pension at 64 in Switzerland.

The campaign focused on the costs of the reform with opponents pointing out the risks of the pension system getting out of sync because of the ageing population.

Voters also had the final say on a plan by the centre-right Radical Party to curb the powers of environmental groups in major building projects.

The initiative pitted the interests of business against those of environmentalists. It was launched in the wake of a legal battle over the construction of a new football stadium in Zurich four years ago.

swissinfo, Urs Geise