c-ray
02-23-2007, 06:38 PM
from http://www.namibian.com.na/2007/February/letters/077B047137.html
Friday, February 23, 2007
DRUG abuse is a serious problem in Namibia, but the sentences recommended are outrageous.
The acceptance of the recommendations of the committee assigned to scrutinise the Abuse of Drugs Bill, is very disappointing.
If this bill is to become law, it will destroy many young lives.
In addition to destroying youngsters, it will also add to the burden placed on the prisons system.
One would like to believe that the law of the land is supposed to protect society from crime and punish offenders.
However, this Anti-Drug Bill will do more harm than good.
Our lawmakers should ask themselves questions like: 1.
Can Namibia afford to take care of convicts for such long periods? 2.
How does sentencing addicts for such long periods protect society? 3.
How does sentencing productive (taxpaying) addicts for such long periods benefit society? 4.
The prohibition of alcohol in the US strengthened criminal organisations like the Mafia.
Will stiffer sentences strengthen or weaken the drug barons? If the new legislation goes through, narcotics prices will go up to compensate for the risk.
With this money, these people can buy more Police and political protection and the drug traffickers will become stronger.
Seeing that men can kill and still get away with nine- and ten-year sentences, drug traffickers may only become more ruthless.
The fact that cannabis is still illegal shows that this committee has not listened to the public and does not care about a great portion of the country's youth.
Whether cannabis possession is punishable by death or whether it is legal does not change the fact that youngsters will experiment, and some will continue to use it.
Some users may become productive citizens while others may not, but there will always be cannabis consumption and jailing these people with hard-core criminals (in what the Ombudsman describes as unconstitutional prison conditions) will only be to their detriment, and to the detriment of society at large.
The solution of rehabilitating drug addicts is good but impractical because the 'regular' State hospitals are in such a state that none of the lawmakers would spend a day in those places.
It may be a good idea for the lawmakers to consider the best interests of the electorate who they are supposed to represent, especially when considering the legality of cannabis.
Friday, February 23, 2007
DRUG abuse is a serious problem in Namibia, but the sentences recommended are outrageous.
The acceptance of the recommendations of the committee assigned to scrutinise the Abuse of Drugs Bill, is very disappointing.
If this bill is to become law, it will destroy many young lives.
In addition to destroying youngsters, it will also add to the burden placed on the prisons system.
One would like to believe that the law of the land is supposed to protect society from crime and punish offenders.
However, this Anti-Drug Bill will do more harm than good.
Our lawmakers should ask themselves questions like: 1.
Can Namibia afford to take care of convicts for such long periods? 2.
How does sentencing addicts for such long periods protect society? 3.
How does sentencing productive (taxpaying) addicts for such long periods benefit society? 4.
The prohibition of alcohol in the US strengthened criminal organisations like the Mafia.
Will stiffer sentences strengthen or weaken the drug barons? If the new legislation goes through, narcotics prices will go up to compensate for the risk.
With this money, these people can buy more Police and political protection and the drug traffickers will become stronger.
Seeing that men can kill and still get away with nine- and ten-year sentences, drug traffickers may only become more ruthless.
The fact that cannabis is still illegal shows that this committee has not listened to the public and does not care about a great portion of the country's youth.
Whether cannabis possession is punishable by death or whether it is legal does not change the fact that youngsters will experiment, and some will continue to use it.
Some users may become productive citizens while others may not, but there will always be cannabis consumption and jailing these people with hard-core criminals (in what the Ombudsman describes as unconstitutional prison conditions) will only be to their detriment, and to the detriment of society at large.
The solution of rehabilitating drug addicts is good but impractical because the 'regular' State hospitals are in such a state that none of the lawmakers would spend a day in those places.
It may be a good idea for the lawmakers to consider the best interests of the electorate who they are supposed to represent, especially when considering the legality of cannabis.