​A 25-year-old man wept openly in Malaysian High Court court this morning when the judge sentenced him to death for marijuana.

Shahrul Izani Suparman was convicted of possessing 622 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver, reports Azreen Hani of The Malay Mail. Shahrul was 19 years old when he was arrested on Sept. 25, 2003.

According to police, Shahrul tried to get away from them on foot when he was ordered to stop while riding his motorcycle in Klang, Malaysia. Authorities said Shahrul had made a U-turn, and was riding without his lights on.

After years of controversy, Denmark opened its first clinic on Monday to distribute free heroin under medical supervision to people who are heavily addicted to the drug.

The Scandinavian country joins Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany to allow prescriptions for medicinal heroin.

The clinic is set to serve only 120 of some 300 hard-core heroin addicts — or only about one per cent of all drug addicts in the country.

Only addicts who have been referred from a methadone centre for treatment and who voluntarily request to enter the clinic will be permitted to participate.

A year ago, Mrs. Olga Vladimir, a 75 years old granny, inhabitant of Teleseuca village, was sentenced to 4 years of prison for growing cannabis for personal treatment.

Olga Vladimir does not consider that she has committed a crime, yet knowing from her parents about the therapeutic effects of the cannabis plant. She sent a petition to the Acting President of the Republic of Moldova - Mihai Ghimpu. She asked to pardon and allow her "to die at home and not in jail". Mihai Ghimpu said that he would personally examine her file.

On 1 January 2010, Act No. 40/2009 Coll., the Criminal Code, as amended by Act No. 306/2009 Coll., which was promulgated in Part 11 of the Collection of Acts on 9 February 2009, comes into effect. Chapter VII (Crimes against public order) Division 1 (Crimes of general endangerment) of the Criminal Code sets forth under the provisions of sections 283–288 thereof a list of crimes directly connected with unauthorised handling of drugs (hereinafter “narcotic and psychotropic substances” – “NPSs”).

, says Gerd Leers.former lord mayor of Maastricht (NL)

No issue in the Netherlands (but also outside) is charged with so much hypocricy as the policy on soft drugs. We know that we cannot reduce their use – therefore we tolerate sale and possession – but we still want to follow other European countries. And that is why we prohibit cultivation and purchase of large quantities.