New anti-narcotics bill may be counterproductive
While we are all for endeavours to clamp down on the onslaught of drugs that have had devastating consequences for our youth, imposing a death penalty for carrying, producing, trading and using more than five grammes of yaba and more than 25 grammes of heroin and cocaine, seems to be disproportionate to the crime. The Narcotics Control Bill 2018, that has been placed in parliament and has provisions for death or life imprisonment for these acts, overlooks certain ground realities and this is where this law may prove to be counterproductive.
For one thing we have already seen that ongoing anti-narcotics drives have led to a huge number of deaths that cannot be justifiably explained. According to reports, most of those killed were small-time traders and if they had been involved in drug peddling, they were not part of the coterie of drug lords who rule this business. It has been reported that even an MP is involved in the drug trade. None of the anti-drug drives so far have caught the actual ringleaders (including the suppliers) of the drug trade. The new law will thus be applied to the small fish in this dangerous trade leaving out the actual culprits.
What is most worrisome is the possibility of abuse of this law to frame and repress individuals. There have been reports of corrupt law enforcers placing yaba tablets in the pockets or bags of those they have apprehended and then accusing them of being drug peddlers. And if the death penalty is imposed on them, that would be a gross miscarriage of justice.
The government must also make sure that the main suppliers of these drugs are brought to book. And if the supply is to be stopped so must the demand which means the government must address the issue of drug addiction by helping rehabilitate addicts.
We urge our parliamentarians to take cognisance of these realities and refrain from passing this bill with such harsh provisions.
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