Newsgroups: alt.politics.libertarian,alt.drugs,alt.privacy,alt.hemp,talk.politics.drugs
From: phz@cadence.com (Pete Zakel)
Subject: Frankfurt Resolution
Message-ID: <CI5tF8.53z@Cadence.COM>
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 03:23:31 GMT

The latest issue of The Drug Policy Letter (from the Drug Policy Foundation)
contains the text of the Frankfurt Resolution, which is basically a statement
of purpose and an outline of the need to legalize drugs and how to go about
it.

As of August 1993 the Frankfurt Resolution has been signed by representatives
of the following cities:

	Netherlands:	Amsterdam, Anhem, Rotterdam and Venlo
	Germany:	Frankfurt, Hamburg and Hannover
	Switzerland:	Basel, Luzern and Zuerich
	Belgium:	Charleroi
	Greece:		Kallithea
	Slovenia:	Ljubjana
	Croatia:	Zagreb

and a representative of the province of Terramo, Italy, has also signed it.
The article also mentioned that more cities were expected to sign at the
Fourth Conference of the European Cities on Drug Policy in Hamburg, which
ended 3 December 1993 (I'd be interested if anyone knows whether any more
signatures were gathered and from which cities).

The text of the Frankfurt Resolution is:

    We have ascertained that:

	1. The attempt to eliminate both the supply and the consumption of
	drugs in our society has failed.  The demand for drugs persists to
	this day, despite all education efforts, and all the signs indicate
	that we shall have to continue to live with the existence of drugs and
	drug users in the future.

	2. Drug addiction is a social phenomenon which cannot be eradicated by
	drug policy but rather regulated and at best limited.  For many drug
	users dependence is a transitional phase of crisis in their personal
	history that can be overcome by process of maturing out of drug
	dependence.  Drug policy should not impede this process but must
	instead offer assistance and support.

	3. A drug policy which attempts to combat drug addiction solely by
	criminal law and compulsion to abstinence and which makes motivation
	for abstinence the prerequisite for state aid has failed.  The demand
	for drugs has not decreased, the physical suffering and social misery
	of addicts is increasing, more and more addicts are being infected by
	the HIV virus, more and more addicts die, illegal drug trafficking is
	expanding and making larger and larger profits, the fear of city
	dwellers in the face of drug trafficking and acquisitive criminality is
	rising.

	4. Drug problems are not derived solely from the pharmacological
	properties of drugs, but are primarily due to the illegality of drug
	consumption.  Illegality makes drugs impure and expensive, and the
	dosage is hardly calculable.  Illegality is the primary factor causing
	misery of the addicts, the deaths and the acquisitive criminality.
	Criminalization not only is a barrier to assistance and therapy, but
	also forces the police and the judiciary system to perform a task which
	they cannot fulfill.

	5. Drug users live, for the most part, in large cities or gravitate to
	the cities because that is where they find the market, the drug scene
	and the facilities for help.  Consequently, it is the larger cities
	which are primarily affected, but their influence on drug policy is
	modest and stands in stark contrast to the burden they must bear.


    We therefore draw the following conclusions:

	1. A dramatic shift in priorities in drug policy is essential.  Help
	for drug addicts must constitute together with preventive and
	educational measures an equally important objective of drug policy.
	The maximum amount of social and health assistance must be made
	available when dealing with drug addiction and drug users, and
	repressive interventions must be reduced to a minimum.  Criminal
	prosecution should focus its priorities on combating illegal drug
	traffic.  The protection of the population is, in particular, a task of
	the police.

	Anyone who wants to reduce the suffering, misery, and death must
	firstly free the drug addicts from the threat of prosecution simply
	because they use drugs.  Secondly, offers of help must not be linked to
	the target of total drug abstinence.  Help should not only be aimed at
	breaking away from dependence, but must also permit a life of dignity
	with drugs.

	2. It is essential that drug policy distinguish between cannabis and
	other illegal drugs whose addictive potential, danger and cultural
	resonance differ enormously.

	3. The distribution of sterile syringes to drug users and maintenance
	with methadone are important means contributing to harm reduction.

	4. A legal basis must be created in order to permit the establishment
	of "shooting galleries" in which drugs can be consumed under
	supervision.

	5. The medically controlled prescription of drugs to long-term drug
	users should be analyzed without prejudice and in view of harm
	reduction.  A trial within a scientific framework should be made
	possible.

	6. We require better cooperation of drug policy between the large
	cities and their regions, amongst the cities themselves and also
	between European countries.  If only a few major cities implement a
	drug policy accepting the reality of drug addiction and offering
	low-threshold help, these cities will attract drug users like magnets
	and soon be overwhelmed by the problems with which they are confronted.


    We consider it necessary:

	1. That our drug policy concept receive the necessary legal,
	organizational and financial support from the national and regional
	governments.

	2. That purchase, possession and consumption of cannabis no longer
	constitute a penal offense (Amsterdam model).  Trade should be legally
	regulated.

	3. That users of other illegal drugs are not punished for the purchase,
	possession and consumption of small quantities for their own personal
	needs.

	4. That legal, organizational and financial guidelines be created to
	expand the necessary prescription of methadone in our cities.

	5. That the legislators and the national governments create the
	prerequisites for low-threshold prescription of methadone (Amsterdam
	model) and for a medically indicated and scientifically accompanied
	trial with drug prescription.  In this connection, psychosocial
	assistance must be guaranteed.


<Whew!>

Any typos are mine...

-Pete Zakel
 (phz@cadence.com or ..!uunet!cadence!phz)

There is a theory that states: "If anyone finds out what the universe
is for it will disappear and be replaced by something more bazaarly
inexplicable."

There is another theory that states: "This has already happened ...."
		-- Donald Adams, "Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy"