807 drug addicts turned themselves in to authorities in 2014

AMMAN — More than 807 drug addicts turned themselves in to the authorities for treatment last year, benefiting from a legal provision that pardons those who voluntarily apply for rehabilitation from legal liability, a security source said Monday.

Article 14 of the Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law stipulates that those who approach the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) or any other police station to request treatment for addiction will not face any charges.

“This applies to those who come to us asking for treatment and not those we arrest,” Public Security Department Spokesperson Maj. Amer Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

In March 2013, the Lower House approved amendments to a previous version of the drugs and psychotropic substances law presented by the government which stipulated that those arrested for the first time for drug abuse violations will not be referred to the judiciary but to AND’s rehabilitation centre for treatment.

However, the amendments caused a controversy and the government withdrew the legislation. A new law was recently introduced for consideration by the legislation bureau before being referred to Parliament again for deliberations.

“The law is meant to reintegrate addicts into society and give them a chance,” Sartawi said, noting that the recovery process takes between one to two months according to the type of narcotic.

He added that the AND rehabilitation centre has dealt with 422 cases of drug addicts since the beginning of the year.

“All of them are being treated with the utmost privacy,” Sartawi said.