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The Member of Parliament for Asene/Akroso/Manso constituency Yaw Owusu Boateng has mounted a stiff opposition to an attempt by Parliament to pass a bill that seeks to decriminalized drug use and addictions.
According to him, decriminalizing drug use in the country will spell doom for the future of the youth.
Asene/Akroso/Manso MP is of the view that, even currently that usage and possession of some hard drugs are unlawful and punishable by law, abuse of it is on the high side, therefore should the country allows the Bill to be passed into law decriminalizing drug use will mean more youths can freely and openly engage on the use of hard drugs and even abuse same.
He noted that “the attempt to decriminalized drug use and addiction is obviously attempt to give up on the fight against hard drugs. I do not support such move at all, let us not compare ourselves to other countries, how is the situation now and what are we doing about it, it will be sad to see more youths smoking indiscriminately in public”.
The Narcotic Control Commission Bill, 2015, went through second reading in Parliament on Monday and contained in the Bill is a proposal to decriminalized drug use and addiction. As a result, drug use and addiction would no longer be punishable offence. Deputy Minister of Interior James Agalga who moved the motion was quoted as saying “drug addiction would be treated as a health issue and offenders would be taken to correctional facilities for assistance”.
But Yaw Owusu Boateng, Member of Parliament for Asene/Akroso/Manso said he will vote against the Bill even if his leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu call for its support. He insisted that nothing will compel him to contribute to the passage of a Bill he described as ‘dangerous’. “I will not vote for the passage because it is not a good Bill, we cannot put our country in danger. And even if my leader in the House compel me, I won’t vote for it, I will vote against it” he told Bright Kwesi Asempa on Onua Fm Morning show.
He called on fellow Members of the August House to consider the future of the youth and the country at large before passing the Narcotic Control Commission Bill, 2015 into law. Asking for total rejection of the Bill as that will not be a good option for the country.
Bright dzakah
