The Cabinet of Ministers has adopted amendments to the law that exempt minors from criminal liability for drug use, writes Diena.
This is done to promote the resocialization of juvenile offenders, protect the interests of society, and prevent the growth of demand for narcotic and psychotropic substances in Latvia. Justice Minister Inese Lībiņa-Egnere promised to explain this decision to the public and the Saeima, as objections may arise without proper study of the issue.
Amendments will be made to the law on the legal circulation of narcotic and psychotropic substances and medicines, as well as precursors. The amendments were supported by the Coordination Council for Drug Control and Drug Addiction Prevention.
Currently, minors who use drugs, aware of the possible legal consequences and their impact on the future, are afraid to turn to law enforcement and seek medical help. At the same time, minors convicted of repeated drug use and sentenced to imprisonment have less chance of successful resocialization and effective treatment for drug addiction.
The main advantage of decriminalizing drug use is the reduction of stigma, which is important for seeking medical help and various harm reduction measures aimed at preventing overdoses and reducing the spread of infectious diseases among drug addicts and society as a whole. Studies show that the implementation of such measures improves the health of dependent individuals and reduces the number of deaths from drug overdoses, according to the annotation to the bill.
As noted by the Ministry of Justice, such amendments will prevent the formation of a sense of impunity and permissiveness among minors, as well as eliminate potential risks of involving minors in the illegal circulation of narcotic and psychotropic substances, since criminal liability for the acquisition or possession of these substances remains.
