By Staff Writer
HARARE East legislator, Tendai Biti has called for the Amendment of the Dangerous Drugs Act in a bid to target the people who matter in the game as opposed to going after ordinary sellers on the ground.
Early this year thousands of suspected drug dealers were arrested early this year after the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) initiated an anti-drugs operation to curb their rampant abuse which has reached alarming heights, affecting the youths in most cases.
He said under the current laws, punishment is being extended more to the user oblivious to the pernicious role that is played by the middleman who is in fact importing drugs from South Africa, Latin America and so forth.
“I am proposing that there must be a decoupling of the offences so that the actual drug baron who is importing drugs into Zimbabwe gets a heftier penalty than the user who is walking in Mbare, Dotito or Chiendambuya.
“That one who is bringing drugs from Malawi gets the penalty because those are the people that are killing this country. Let us punish the drug lord as opposed to the user who is working on a few grams for his or her own use,” said Biti.
He said the Health Minister must be given powers in regulation of increasing the drug so that each time there is a new drug.
“By the time we get to Christmas, there will be 40 new drugs. Right now, as I am talking to you, people are smoking diapers, and globes.
“Give the Minister power to expand the list of drugs in regulation instead of amending the Act each time there is a new drug,” added Biti.
