Public debate on revising the law on preventing and fighting drug use and traffic and associated risks
March 1st, 2010
Friday, February 26th 2010, the public debate on "Optimization of the legislation on preventing and fighting illegal drug use and traffic" was organized at the Parliament.
Organized at the initiative of the President of Chamber of Deputies, the debate targeted the proposals of changing Law 143 / 2000 concerning the fight against illegal drug traffic and abuse and associated risks.
In her introductive speech, Mrs. Roberta Alma Anastase, President of the Chamber of Deputies, underlined that the fight against trafficking and abuse of illegal substances represents "a battle we have an obligation to fight and a duty to win".
Participants in this debate were, together with representatives of non-governmental organizations active in the field and from the media, Mr. Daniel Funeriu, Minister of Education, Research, Youth and Sports, Mr. Marian Preda, President of the Commission for Assessment of Social and Demographic Risks, Mr. Tudor Ciuhodaru, member of the Commission for Health and Family within the Chamber of Deputies (CoD) and other MPs and representatives of institutions involved in fighting against drug abuse and associated risks: Ministry of Health, National Anti-Drug Agency etc.
Civil society active in the area of preventing drug use and associated risks was largely represented at this public debate. Among non-governmental organizations present there were many of those implementing the HIV/AIDS prevention program coordinated by the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation and financed through Round 6 of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM): Romanian Association Against AIDS (ARAS), Integration, ALIAT, Romanian Harm Reduction Network, Health Aid Romania Foundation etc.
At the meeting were also present representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), UNICEF, APADOR-CH and other organizations developing activities and programs destined to preventing drug use and to providing support to drug users.
During the debates moderated by Dragos Bucurenci and Magor Csibi, the non-governmental organizations present at the meeting expressed once again their concern related to how the interventions for HIV, hepatitis B and C prevention will continue one the international financial support will cease (most at June 30th and some at the end of the year).
The issues discussed included:
· Differentiating punishment for possession and use of illegal substances for own use;
· Solutions offered by the non-governmental organizations for preventing and fighting the use of illegal substances and for reducing associated risks;
· A clearer specification in the legislation of the competencies for each of the institutions responsible for preventing and fighting the use of illegal drugs and for reducing the associated risks;
