The law amending the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law, which was approved by the House of Representatives yesterday, caused a contrast and controversy between the popular and legal circles, especially the legal part related to the non-recording of a criminal precedent against the abuser for the first time.

Last Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved amendments to the law to increase the penalty for drug traffickers or those who put a narcotic substance or a psychotropic substance to another, and also decided not to register a security record or a criminal precedent against anyone who used, brought in, brought in, escaped, imported, exported, taken out, possessed or Possesses, purchases, receives, transports, produces, manufactures, stores or cultivates any of the narcotic substances for the first time with intent to use.

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The head of the Jordanian Anti-Narcotics Association, Dr. Musa Al-Tarifi, said, “The association supports toughening and tightening penalties to become more deterrent. It also supports expanding the powers in the articles of the law to include electronic promotion and control of chemicals used in the manufacture of narcotics and psychotropic substances, and considers it a positive and important addition to the law.”
He added that the association calls for tougher penalties for dealers, distributors, smugglers and manufacturers of all natural and industrial narcotic substances, noting that the association records its reservation not to record a criminal precedent in the text of the article related to abuse, manufacturing, smuggling, agriculture, receiving and fetching for the first time. Al-Tarifi explained, “We understand that the article came to remove the stigma and shame on young people and to assume good faith for the first-time drug user, especially since there are those who deceive our youth and take advantage of their psychological conditions and their spare time, but this does not justify the inclusion of all criminal behaviors because narcotic substances can only be manufactured or cultivated for commercial purposes. frequently”.

He pointed out that the association agrees with any amendment that encourages drug abusers to take treatment, calling for the need to support and develop addiction treatment centers and provide them with resident medical cadres and not visiting medical staff for a few hours per week to increase the reception and treatment of addicts who want treatment at all times, especially cases that require immediate treatment.
For his part, director of the Sawaed Al-Tagheer Center, Abdullah Al-Hanatle, said that the law increased penalties in some cases on trafficking, agriculture, industry and others, and also took into account that the first-time user is not a criminal and does not deserve to be registered with a security record against him, and this is recorded for members of the Legal Committee in the House of Representatives. Hanatleh pointed out the need to involve civil society institutions that provide psychological and health care for this category and the specialists in discussions related to the amendments of the law, as they are familiar with the causes of abuse and addiction and have information about the causes of abuse and addiction and can present proposals that enrich the law.

He said: “As an institution that aims to raise awareness and health education about the dangers of drug abuse and its effects, we are not with a punitive perspective for the abuser, but we encourage treatment, care and integration of the abuser with society and preparing him to become a productive member,” stressing that many countries have succeeded in following this policy and have been able to convert abusers in particular. Young people to normal people who lead their lives normally and serve their communities. Lawyer and researcher in the field of drug abuse prevention, Muhammad Al-Nasser, said that the article that stipulates not recording a criminal precedent does not contain a clear text about exemption from punishment, explaining that “a criminal precedent sentence means that he has never committed a crime, and according to this article in this way.” Execution of the penalty or not remains the prerogative of the authority responsible for implementation, which is the court. He said: “If the legislator wanted punishment and did not want to register the security restriction on the abuser for the first time, it was first not to use the phrase “criminal precedent” because its denial means that the act does not deserve the offense and therefore does not require punishment,” indicating that there are cases of drug users for the first time. They were sentenced to prison, but their behavior worsened and they became more addicted. The prison was not a deterrent, but inside it they got to know dealers and promoters and they were deceived, and after their release from prison they became promoters and merchants. And he indicated that there are scientific studies confirming that psychological and health treatment is more beneficial for the abuser and his recovery, because if he abuses it for the first time, he must be dealt with as a patient who needs treatment. .

In a press statement issued by the Head of the Legal Committee in the House of Representatives today, Dr. Muhammad Al-Hilalat, stated that the failure to record the act of abuse for the first time as a criminal precedent or restriction does not prevent the imposition of punishment for this act, so that the perpetrator is punished with imprisonment and does not escape punishment, referring to the legislator’s intentions In considering drug control interference in the reform of society and as a kind of punitive policy that he resorted to in order to give an opportunity to reform drug abusers from returning again, but he did not escape punishment and be relegated to it.

Petra