Strasbourg, 11/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament rejected by 257 votes against, 169 for with 13 abstentions, the recommendation proposed by Dutch Green Kaathalijne Maria Buitenweg, demanding an assessment of UN defined conventions on drug classification. The rapporteur suggested that the EU request a debate on a possible change to the conventions of 1961, 1971 and 1988, during the UN conference planned for 16-17 April in Vienna. According to Ms Buitenweg, measures are needed for classifying drugs based on "scientific proof on the risks to human health". Commissioner Vitorino, the socialists and the liberals found the report "pragmatic" and balanced. The EPP-ED considered, however, that it would open the way to a liberalisation of cannabis. Hubert Pirker (EPP-Ed, Austria) declared that, "the situation in the EU is dramatic: a third of youngsters have already smoked a joint and 8% of youngsters aged between 16-25 smoke every day…There is not reason to liberalise cannabis, when studies and doctors agree that it provokes psychological dependency".
The Greens/EFA were happy that the report was finally rejected because the EPP-ED had succeeded before the final vote to pass an amendment requesting EU representatives participating in the Vienna conference to support the UN's application of conventions in force instead of challenging them as sought by Ms Buitenweg. It would be a mistake to send just this kind of message to the United Nations conference, exclaimed the Greens, who in these conditions, welcomed the rejection of the report of their colleague.
Italian Radical Marco Cappato, who has campaigned for years against the "prohibitionist" policy on drugs, welcomed the support given by most of the Parliament to the proposal to arrange an international conference on the assessment of the UN conventions on drugs, even if the Buitenweg report was finally rejected. The Lista Bonino MEP is hoping that the Greek Presidency will, "do what it has promised in the document on its priorities, namely, proceeding to an assessment of the international conventions on drugs".