Pubdate: Thu, 06 Apr 2006
Source: Cyprus Mail, The (Cyprus)
Copyright: Cyprus Mail 2006
Contact:  http://www.cyprus-mail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/100
Author: John Leonidou
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

DRUGS POLICY IS `STORING UP PROBLEMS'

ANTI-DRUGS campaigners have hit out at the current legislation,  
arguing amendments must be made or the problem of drugs on the island  
will get much worse.

Kyriacos Veresies, scientific director of KENTHEA, the Centre of  
Education about Drugs, was speaking after a drug dealer was jailed  
for three years yesterday for possession with intention to sell an  
illegal drug.

The 22-year-old man, who lives in the Nicosia suburb of Ayios  
Dhometios, was arrested by Drug Squad officers at his home on  
September 15, 2003. Arresting officers found 630 grams of cannabis at  
his home and charged him with six counts of illegal possession and  
intention to sell.

Last Month, a 34-year-old Liberian man was jailed for 15 years for  
importing, possession and intending to sell around 24 kilos of  
cannabis. In the same case, a Portuguese man had pleaded guilty to  
the charges and was earlier jailed for 11 years.

"It is a fact that the law in Cyprus is very strict when it comes to  
drugs and that has been epitomised by the long sentences being given  
to drug dealers especially in the past few years," said Veresies.

He added: "Although we are not against tougher sentences for drug  
dealers there are problems with the legislation on drug arrests. For  
example, if you are caught with 30 grams of cannabis you are deemed a  
user, while if you are caught with 31 grams you will be charged with  
dealing."

Under the current system, he says, drug dealers will able to find  
loopholes in the system.

"A drug dealer could easily just sell in smaller quantities and  
simply tell a court that he is a user. Also the dealer could be an  
addict as well and even carry a document from a doctor stating that  
he is an addict."

He outlined the dangers of how arrests were made, speculating that it  
could promote corruption in the police force.

"There are three ways in which a person can end up in the courts,  
through the court itself, the Attorney-general and the police. Who's  
to say that one day a drug dealer might not simply pay a police  
officer UKP 10,000 to say he found two plants of cannabis in his  
house instead of three plants?"

Simply putting them in prison is not the answer, he added, noting:  
"drug dealers could walk into prison with a bachelors or masters  
degree and come out with PHD in dealing in drugs.

"Police said they had 50 drug dealers in prison in 2005, serving  
around six to seven years. But a drug addict needs to be reformed and  
rehabilitated and not just thrown into prison with more drug dealers.  
The police need to look into this problem because the problem of  
drugs will only get much worse."
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