Legislative authority makes  more rigid   measures of struggle with drug abuse.

In 2001 as a result of the action on suppression of an illegal dissemination of drugs six men were involved to the administrative responsibility for an illegal storage of narcotic means in the small quantities. Earlier legislative authority decriminalized clause, which provided the administrative responsibility for the use of narcotic substances without purpose of the doctor. It was clause 44 Codes of RSFSR about administrative offences and provided the responsibility as the penalty at rate of up to 100 rubles.

Since July 1, 2002 the new Code of Russian Federation about administrative offences inures. It`s  characteristic that legislative authority again has established the administrative responsibility for consumption of narcotic means or psychotropic  substances without purpose of the doctor and makes  more rigid this responsibility, having allocated two structures of offences: for illegal purchase or storage of narcotic means or psychotropic of substances, and also for dissemination of narcotic and psychotropic  substances and their analogues, which are similar on organism of the mans` influence  with above mentioned. Imposing the administrative penalty at a rate of from 5 up to 10 of the minimal size of payment of work here again is already provided, and it means, that the size of the penalty has grown essentially; and also administrative arrest for about 15 day. On the first sight such measure of punishment can seem frivolous, however indeed absence of a doze during such time becomes for the man dependent from drugs a heavy test.

The Code also provides clearing of the administrative responsibility of the persons, voluntary, who have handed over narcotic substances and their analogues acquired without the purpose of selling.

In the new Code there is clause �Using the alcoholic production, or consumption of narcotic means and psychotropic means at public places�. The second part of this clause says, that consumption of narcotic means or psychotropic substances without purpose of the doctor, or the consumption attracts others intoxicants of substances in streets, stadiums, squares, parks, vehicles of general usage and other public places, imposing the administrative penalty at a rate of from 10 up to 15 minimal sizes of payment of work, that is it will make from 1000 up to 1500 rubles, and in future if the minimal size of payment of work that will be increased, the sizes of the penalties will increase accordingly.

The new Code will considerably facilitate work of the employees of policy department on struggle with distribution of drugs. If previously for attraction to the administrative responsibility it was necessary to detain suspected in selling or use of drugs and psychotropic  means on a place, now, according to the new Russian Code, fact of a presence of the person in a condition of narcotic intoxication or intoxication as a result of the not medical use of the above-stated substances without purpose of the doctor is sufficient. Thus, the opportunities of suppression of offences connected to narcotic substances and psychotropic means, will considerably be extended.

I am sure, that making measures of struggle with drug abuse more rigid will bring positive result.

Alexander Polkovoi,

The chief of public safety militia.