Hashish No Worse Than Alcohol, Swiss Assert
The Swiss Supreme Court on Thursday reduced the penalty for casual dealers of hashish, saying the drug is no more dangerous than alcohol.
The ruling means that those convicted of selling even large quantities of hashish on an occasional basis will no longer be classed as “serious” offenders and will face a maximum three years’ imprisonment.
But members of professional hash-dealing rings still face up to 20 years in jail or fines of up to $700,000.
Thursday’s decision reversed a 1983 ruling that anyone convicted of selling more than 8.8 pounds of hashish was guilty of a serious offense because of the health risks it posed.
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