Amendments to Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law passed

AMMAN — The Lower House on Wednesday approved amendments to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law of 2021, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The deputies approved not to consider a number of actions as precedents or security records against the first-time perpetrators, including abuse, dealing, smuggling, importing, exporting, taking out, purchasing, delivering, transporting, producing, manufacturing, storing or cultivating narcotics and psychotropic substances, or plants from which narcotics or psychotropic substances are produced for abuse purposes. 

The legislation will prohibit the manufacture of narcotics, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors for non-medical or scientific purposes. 

It also makes the use of chemical substances from which narcotic or psychotropic substances can be created illegal, and made the exchange of narcotic substances illegal, whether in exchange for money or not. 

The draft law expanded the scope of powers regarding the confiscation of illegal materials and imposed the precautionary seizure of funds if it is found they were obtained as a result of violating any of the acts stipulated in the law, according to Petra. 

The bill also made it illegal to use any information networks, media or other means of dissemination to incite illegal dealings with narcotics, psychotropic substances. 

Lawmakers also referred the draft Jordan Integrity and Anti-Corruption (JIACC) law, which was returned by the Senate, to the House legal committee.