Parliament on Wednesday deliberated on the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Bill, 2023, aimed at curbing the escalating challenges of drug abuse and trafficking within its borders.
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Bill, 2023, was introduced in May after the Constitutional Court nullified the previous Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 2015.
Parliament heard from two committee’s including the Defense and internal affairs and Health committee that gave recommendations.
During the parliamentary deliberations, Hon. Wilson Kajwengye, the Chairperson of the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs, highlighted that cannabis, a widely abused drug, constituted a significant portion of the cases reported.
The statistics showed that cannabis abuse accounted for 68.2% in 2021, 80.1% in 2022, and 76.4% in the first half of 2023. The Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs recommended restricting cannabis and khat consumption to medical purposes and research, in a bid to address the alarming trend.
One of the contentious points of discussion revolved around the economic benefits versus the potential adverse impacts of legalizing cannabis and khat.
Hon. Christopher Komakech from Aruu County expressed his concerns, emphasizing that the potential economic gains should not compromise the well-being of the youth. He recounted his own experience working at Butabika Hospital, where he admitted numerous youths struggling with drug addiction during his 8 hour shifts.
Hon Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala County) asked Government to tread carefully to avoid criminalizing khat (miraa) growers because it is not a prohibited plant.
Hon. Christine Kaaya (Kiboga District) raised doubts on the government’s capacity to control the consumption of narcotics.
“I see no funds to monitor adherence to mechanisms that we are providing for. Who is going to monitor that from production, no one is going to consume [narcotics]?” she stated
Hon. Ephraim Biraaro (Buhweju West) said cannabis growing is part and parcel of every herdsman’s life as a drug.
“It’s a fact in our communities that people use these plants as a drug against coccidiosis, etc. It is part and parcel of every herdsman’s life.” he said
The Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, said medical practitioners, including dentists and pharmacists who abuse the use of narcotics in their possession, will not only be fined or jailed but also deregistered from their profession as proposed in clause 8 of the Bill.
However, the debate extended beyond the economic dimension. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker, reassured the House that the categorization of prohibited plants, including khat, would be addressed in the bill’s schedule, allaying concerns about criminalizing khat growers.
“There should be no panic over this because the crops being prohibited are in the schedule which we have not yet discussed.” Tayebwa said
He however stated that it is ‘inhumane ‘to legalise marijuana growing to feed animals, at the expense of human lives.
With discussions on a clause-by-clause examination, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Bill, 2023 stands poised to reshape the nation’s approach to drug abuse, trafficking, and transit.
Instituting deterrent measures against rampant local drug abuse that has brought about adverse health, social, and economic consequences, establishing mechanisms for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Enforcing stringent measures against drug trafficking to prevent Uganda from becoming a drug transit route and consumer. Underscoring the importance of international cooperation in the battle against drug trafficking. Paving the way for the establishment of mechanisms to generate resources that will be dedicated to bolstering the capacity of law enforcement agencies in their fight against drug-related activities.
The Debate on the Narcotics Drugs Bill will resume on Friday at 2pm.
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