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Swiss vote on prescription heroin Swiss 'back prescription heroin'
(about 3 hours later)
Voters in Switzerland are going to the polls in a series of referendum votes to decide the country's policy on illegal drugs. Early results from a referendum in Switzerland suggest voters have backed a change in health policy that would provide prescription heroin to addicts.
One ballot asks voters to vote on whether to approve heroin prescription as a permanent Swiss health policy. With most of the votes counted, the extension of a pilot project - introduced in Zurich 14 years ago - appears likely to go ahead.
Opinion polls suggest voters are likely to approve the plan, which would make Switzerland the world's first country to include it in government policy. But in another referendum, the Swiss appear to have rejected the decriminalisation of cannabis.
But another proposal to decriminalise cannabis is not likely to pass. A series of referendums were held to decide policy on illegal drugs.
Switzerland has had an experimental heroin prescription programme for over a decade. Early results showed that some 69% had voted in favour of the prescription heroin measure.
Supporters say it has had positive results - getting long-term addicts out of Switzerland's once notorious needle parks and reducing drug-related crime.
SWISS HEROIN PROGRAMME Running since 1994Used by 1,300 addictsIncludes 23 centres nationwideAlso offers psychiatric counseling Radical Swiss planSWISS HEROIN PROGRAMME Running since 1994Used by 1,300 addictsIncludes 23 centres nationwideAlso offers psychiatric counseling Radical Swiss plan
The policy is described as one of last resort - prescribing addicts with the very drug that caused their problems in the first place - but supporters say it works, and Swiss voters appear to have agreed, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Berne says.
Switzerland would be the first country to include it in government policy.
Supporters say it has had positive results - getting long-term addicts out of Switzerland's once notorious "needle parks" and reducing drug-related crime.
Opponents say heroin prescription sends the wrong message to young people and harms the addicts themselves.Opponents say heroin prescription sends the wrong message to young people and harms the addicts themselves.
But polls suggest the Swiss - pleased that their streets are now free of addicts and used syringes - are likely to approve heroin prescription. Opinion polls prior to the vote suggested the Swiss - pleased that their streets are now free of addicts and used syringes - were likely to approve heroin prescription.
On cannabis things are less clear - Swiss police regularly turn a blind eye to moderate cannabis use.On cannabis things are less clear - Swiss police regularly turn a blind eye to moderate cannabis use.
But recent studies suggesting that long term use of the drug may be more harmful than previously thought look likely to encourage a "no" to decriminalisation. But recent studies suggesting that long-term use of the drug may be more harmful than previously thought looked likely to encourage a "No" to decriminalisation.