Worldwide, there is a growing number of drug-addicted individuals, including adolescents. Drug addiction is a serious medical and social problem of modern society, which, unfortunately, has taken on epidemic proportions in recent years.
Worldwide, there is a growing number of drug-addicted individuals, including adolescents. Drug addiction is a serious medical and social problem of modern society, which, unfortunately, has taken on epidemic proportions in recent years.
Official statistics on drug use clearly show that drug addiction is one of the most dangerous problems worldwide, and the prevalence of drug addicts among children and adolescents is a tragedy for many parents.
Unfortunately, there is still a significant increase globally in both the number of individuals using narcotic and psychotropic substances, and in the overall illicit drug trafficking. This problem is also characteristic of our state.
According to healthcare statistics, there are over 12,000 registered drug addicts in Belarus, and this figure only includes those who have been officially registered.
Liability for offences and crimes related to illicit drug trafficking is provided for by the administrative and criminal legislation of the Republic of Belarus.
Thus, Article 17.1 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offences provides for liability for the illegal sowing and (or) cultivation of plants or fungi containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances without the purpose of their sale or manufacture, or other acquisition of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, in the form of a fine of up to 20 base units.
Article 17.6 of the aforementioned Code provides for liability for illegal actions with non-combustible tobacco products intended for sucking and (or) chewing. Thus, the acquisition and storage of non-combustible tobacco products intended for sucking and (or) chewing in a quantity not exceeding fifty grams entail a fine of up to two base units.
The transportation, mailing, acquisition, and storage of non-combustible tobacco products intended for sucking and (or) chewing in a quantity exceeding fifty grams, as well as the sale of such non-combustible tobacco products in the absence of signs of illegal entrepreneurial activity, may entail a fine ranging from
from ten to twenty base units with confiscation of monetary proceeds obtained
from the sale of the specified non-tobacco products, instruments and means
of committing an administrative offense or without confiscation of such instruments and
means, or community service with confiscation of monetary proceeds obtained
from the sale of the specified non-tobacco products, instruments and means
of committing an administrative offense or without confiscation of such instruments and
means, or administrative arrest with confiscation of monetary proceeds
obtained from the sale of the specified non-tobacco products, instruments and
means of committing an administrative offense or without confiscation of such
instruments and means.
According to Part 3 of Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic
of Belarus, appearing in a public place
in a state caused by the consumption without a doctor's prescription of
narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or their analogues, toxic or other stupefying substances, offensive to human
dignity and public morality, as well as refusal to undergo the established procedure for examination (testing) for the determination of the state caused by the consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other stupefying substances, entails a fine in the amount of five to ten base units.
Criminal liability for
committing illegal operations with narcotic and psychotropic substances, as well as related crimes, is provided for by Articles 327-332 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.
For the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs without the purpose of sale, liability arises in accordance with Part 1 of Article 328 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus and provides for restriction of liberty for up to 5 years or deprivation of liberty for a term of 2 to 5 years.
Illegal manufacture, processing, acquisition, storage, transportation or dispatch for the purpose of sale, or illegal sale of
narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their precursors or analogues
entails liability in accordance with Part 2 of Article 328 and provides for deprivation of liberty for 5 to 8 years with or without a fine.
Everyone should remember that criminal liability
for these crimes can be avoided. Thus, a person who voluntarily surrenders
narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their precursors and analogues and
actively contributes to the detection or suppression of a crime related toillegal trafficking of such substances, the exposure of persons who committed them, the discovery of property obtained by criminal means, shall be exempted from criminal liability for this crime.
Assistant Prosecutor
of Lepel District
3rd class lawyer T.V. Lukutina