General Lighting
08-02-2006, 08:46 PM
not as harsh as I had feared, but this is clearly a rolling-back of a more tolerant stance of the early 1990s. incidentally it was introduced following a coalition between a centre-right and an extreme-right political party, a phenomenon could arise in many countries in Europe as the global security situation deteriorates and people become increasingly paranoid about economies, borders and immigration.
Source: ANSA.IT news agency
Distinction between 'hard' and 'soft' drugs ends (ANSA) - Rome, February 8 - Italy has approved a drug crackdown that puts marijuana on a par with heroin or cocaine .
The government hailed as ending tolerance towards marijuana users and affirming the principle that all drugs are bad .
The opposition slammed the law, claiming it put marijuana consumers at risk of incarceration at a time when the nation's jails are packed beyond capacity and about a quarter of inmates are addicts .
They claimed the law's distinctions between users and pushers were fuzzy .
The opposition also claimed the law penalised hospital-based rehabilitation centres in favour of privately run communities which allegedly do not apply the same scientific standards .
Several members of the opposition also pointed out that the 2006 budget cuts funding for rehab centres .
The opposition further accused the government of wanting to score electoral points with a measure that would appeal to voters in the run-up to April 9 elections. The government - which rammed the legislation through parliament with a confidence vote - angrily rejected opposition claims that marijuana users would face prison terms .
"It's a colossal lie," said Carlo Giovanardi of the centrist UDC party .
"Youngsters caught smoking pot will only have to fear the authorities telling their parents" .
Ignazio La Russa of the rightwing National Alliance (AN) party, which sponsored the law, said: "We have asserted three great civic principles: first, that drugs are bad for you and the State isn't indifferent; second, that only pushers are punished while young people and communities get more help; and third, that penalties for pushers are harsher" .
Another AN bigwig, Maurizio Gasparri, said: "No one's going to jail for smoking a joint. Mind you, if you find someone with 10-15 spliffs there may be more severe consequences" .
The law raises prison terms for anyone who imports, distributes or possesses narcotics, not for personal use, to 6-20 years .
Users will not escape punishment, as in the past, but penalties will be mild: ranging from an official warning to temporary confiscation of driving licenses and passports .
The law has been greeted mostly with dismay by drug treatment professionals .
Like their colleagues in other countries, they have been arguing for years that treatment should be given a much higher priority than incarceration .
Treatment specialists said the main problem facing Italy was a 80% rise in cocaine use in the past 10 years .
The crackdown has also sparked controversy because it would override a 1993 referendum in which Italians voted to decriminalise the use of drugs, allowing only pushers and traffickers to be prosecuted .
Critics argue that prohibition would force users underground, benefit the Mafia and do nothing to help addicts .
They say the drug possession amounts above which users face prosecution are very low .
According to recent statistics, 33% of Italian teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 have smoked pot at least once, while 10-12% have tried cocaine, 11% ecstasy and 7-10% crack .
Among adult Italians, almost 10% are reported to use pot on a regular basis .
There are an estimated 300,000-320,000 heroin addicts in Italy, more than 20,000 of whom are in jail. In 2001, 150,300 Italians were treated for drug addiction .
Source: ANSA.IT news agency
Distinction between 'hard' and 'soft' drugs ends (ANSA) - Rome, February 8 - Italy has approved a drug crackdown that puts marijuana on a par with heroin or cocaine .
The government hailed as ending tolerance towards marijuana users and affirming the principle that all drugs are bad .
The opposition slammed the law, claiming it put marijuana consumers at risk of incarceration at a time when the nation's jails are packed beyond capacity and about a quarter of inmates are addicts .
They claimed the law's distinctions between users and pushers were fuzzy .
The opposition also claimed the law penalised hospital-based rehabilitation centres in favour of privately run communities which allegedly do not apply the same scientific standards .
Several members of the opposition also pointed out that the 2006 budget cuts funding for rehab centres .
The opposition further accused the government of wanting to score electoral points with a measure that would appeal to voters in the run-up to April 9 elections. The government - which rammed the legislation through parliament with a confidence vote - angrily rejected opposition claims that marijuana users would face prison terms .
"It's a colossal lie," said Carlo Giovanardi of the centrist UDC party .
"Youngsters caught smoking pot will only have to fear the authorities telling their parents" .
Ignazio La Russa of the rightwing National Alliance (AN) party, which sponsored the law, said: "We have asserted three great civic principles: first, that drugs are bad for you and the State isn't indifferent; second, that only pushers are punished while young people and communities get more help; and third, that penalties for pushers are harsher" .
Another AN bigwig, Maurizio Gasparri, said: "No one's going to jail for smoking a joint. Mind you, if you find someone with 10-15 spliffs there may be more severe consequences" .
The law raises prison terms for anyone who imports, distributes or possesses narcotics, not for personal use, to 6-20 years .
Users will not escape punishment, as in the past, but penalties will be mild: ranging from an official warning to temporary confiscation of driving licenses and passports .
The law has been greeted mostly with dismay by drug treatment professionals .
Like their colleagues in other countries, they have been arguing for years that treatment should be given a much higher priority than incarceration .
Treatment specialists said the main problem facing Italy was a 80% rise in cocaine use in the past 10 years .
The crackdown has also sparked controversy because it would override a 1993 referendum in which Italians voted to decriminalise the use of drugs, allowing only pushers and traffickers to be prosecuted .
Critics argue that prohibition would force users underground, benefit the Mafia and do nothing to help addicts .
They say the drug possession amounts above which users face prosecution are very low .
According to recent statistics, 33% of Italian teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 have smoked pot at least once, while 10-12% have tried cocaine, 11% ecstasy and 7-10% crack .
Among adult Italians, almost 10% are reported to use pot on a regular basis .
There are an estimated 300,000-320,000 heroin addicts in Italy, more than 20,000 of whom are in jail. In 2001, 150,300 Italians were treated for drug addiction .