Ministry of Justice will not amend law on `minor' drug use

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) will not move to amend a law to empower the agency to detain people who use "minor" drugs and force them to undergo treatment, a ministry official said yesterday.

The Narcotics Endangerment Prevention Act (毒品危害防治條例) stipulates that selling or transporting drugs classified as class-three drugs -- also called "minor" drugs -- is a criminal offense, but those caught using the drugs do not face criminal charges and cannot be forced to undergo treatment for drug abuse.

Instead, minor drugs users are fined.

Kaohsiung police officer Yeh Ming-ter (葉銘德) said the effects of taking Ketamine were similar to those of taking class-one and class-two drugs and some police questioned the government's decision not to punish Ketamine users with more than a fine.

Vice Director of the ministry's Department of Corrections Chu Kun-mao (朱坤茂) told reporters yesterday that a study found class-three drugs like Ketamine were common.

But the ministry says Ketamine is not addictive, so it will not force users to undergo treatment.

Insufficient room for large numbers of class-three drug users at treatment centers also contributed to ministry's decision, Chu said.

Acknowledging that abuse of minor drugs was rampant among teens, Chu said that youths frequently take class-three drugs like ketamine, MDMA (ecstasy) and flunitrazepam in pubs or at KTV clubs, which had detrimental effects on their health and personal relationships.

Under the current law, those arrested for using class-one drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, or class-two drugs, such as amphetamines and marijuana, must undergo addiction treatment at an addiction center for up to one month.

Those who are seriously addicted and fail a test after one month must undergo further treatment, lasting up to one year.