AMERICA/ECUADOR - Bishop Arellano launches the alarm concerning the new legislation on drug use, the country is divided

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Esmeraldas (Agenzia Fides) - "The new legislation on the use of drugs should not have been presented, without launching an aggressive campaign of prevention through the media", said the Apostolic Administrator of Esmeraldas Mgr. Eugenio Arellano Fernández, commenting on the new regulations presented by the National Council of Psychotropic Substances (Consep).
According to Mgr. Arellano this kind of action will lead to the decriminalization of drugs, representing a great danger to young people, because teenagers, unfortunately do not seek refuge in the family, but in other places, such as in the streets and gangs. "The legislation launched in this way, is not of great help, now we must warn everyone, especially through schools with regards to the adverse effects of psychotropic substances", said Mgr. Arellano.
In the note sent to Fides by a local source, we learn that the national community is divided about it.
According to those who support the new government legislation, this provision will avoid filling the prisons of young drug addicts that seek treatment within clinical-health care environments.
The new regulation establishes maximum limits for possession and personal consumption of drugs, in order not to criminalize drug use. The new limits are: up to 10 grams of marijuana, 2 grams of base paste cocaine, a gram of hydrochloride cocaine, 0.1 grams of heroin, 0,015 of metilendioxifenetilamina, 0,015 to 0,040 of ecstasy and amphetamines. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 10/07/2013)


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