Govt to introduce drug law amendments in Q1 2023
Imad said that one of the biggest challenges in finding a solution to the drug problem in the country is the lack of adequate legal framework.
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National Drug Agency (NDA) chairman Shamau Shareef said on Tuesday that efforts were underway to introduce a bill to amend the drug laws in parliament and is aiming to send it to parliament by the first quarter of this year.
Last year, the government was scheduled to send these bills to Majlis, which included a bill to amend the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. However, the bill has not been sent to parliament still.
Shamau told Atoll Times that the bill was delayed because the agency had to conduct a thorough review after the government transferred the NDA's mandate to the health ministry in May last year.
He, however, pointed out that now a major part of the bill has been finalised and drafted.
Shamau, who is also the deputy health minister, said:
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The attorney general's (AG) office is in the process of finalising
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The amendments will be made on the basis of experience from the last 11 years
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These include the points raised by the stakeholders and the drug court
When asked what amendments would be included in the bill, Shamau said, "One of the main things is to change the criteria for selection of people for treatment in terms of treatment."
With it:
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Will clarify the loopholes in the law at the moment and explain the procedures
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As decided by the government, the law will be strengthened to address the issue of drug abuse with the vision of public health
Amid criticism from people that there were serious flaws in the treatment system and that the NDA has been blown out of proportion, the government appointed Imad Solih as the CEO to streamline the functioning of the NDA.
In an interview to Atoll Times after assuming office, Imad said that one of the biggest challenges in finding a solution to the drug problem in the country is the lack of adequate legal framework for the issue.
As the law prepares to be amended to address the drug problem, the main thing that needs to be changed is that, according to Imad, the health 'approach' adopted in this regard can also be seen in the law.
