Reinsalu: Legalizing soft drugs out of the question
Though alternative punishments and therapy were an option in the case of underage drug offenders, the production and distribution of hard drugs needed to be punished more severely, Justice Minister Urmas Reinsalu said at a drug policy conference today.
Minister of Justice Urmas Reinsalu (IRL) said at his ministry’s drug policy conference earlier on Monday that alternative forms of punishment as well as therapy would gain in importance dealing with underage drug addicts. At the same time, the production and distribution of hard drugs should be punished more severly.
Reinsalu said that the goal was to make underaged offenders understand the consequences of their actions, and to direct them towards therapy programs and make them see that drugs weren't harmless.
The minister also pointed out that it was important to address the risks of drug policy and the fight against hard drugs like fentanyl. The state prosecutor’s office had the means they needed to fight hard drugs, but they needed to put them to use, Reinsalu said.
Legalizing lighter drugs like marihuana wasn’t an option, Reinsalu made clear. “My clear point of view is that the use and selling of drugs is not a basic right, and that in our situation, where we have such a serious drug problem, we can’t send conflicting signals,” Reinsalu said.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn