Denmark aims to elevate penalties for opioid peddling by as much as quadruple the current amount.
Breaking: Denmark Toughens Up on Opioid Selling
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Denmark is set to crack down on opioid sales with a new bill that could result in some of the harshest penalties for drug dealing in the country.
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Under the proposed law, dealers caught peddling opioids, notably via social media or convenience stores, could face more than triple the current penalties, according to the Ministry of Justice. This change aims to curb the rising opioid addiction problem among young Danes, particularly those in urban areas.
Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard argued, "Cruel druglords and store owners with no conscience whatsoever who ruin young lives by selling opioids under the counter or on social media must face severe consequences."
The bill, which enters its initial hearing phase on Monday, could take effect as early as July 1st.
*The Nitty-Gritty of Crafting a Danish Law*
This law change forms part of a wider strategy by the government to combat opioid addiction. According to Hummelgaard, opioids are more dangerous than other illicit drugs, which is why the government is willing to yield its toughest sanctions against those selling these substances to the youth.
Several studies in Denmark have indicated that opioid pills may pose greater health risks to users than many other types of illicit drugs, including cocaine. The government hopes its proposed criminal law will better reflect the heightened risk associated with opioids.
For example, selling as few as 200 opioid pills would result in a four-month prison sentence, up from the current 30 days. Meanwhile, dealing 150,000 pills could land an individual a nine to ten-year sentence, up from the current three years.
The new law also targets dealers who operate out of vehicles and individuals who sell illegal drugs in their stores or on social media. Such offenders could face confiscation of their vehicles, revocation of business licenses, and increased sentences by a third.
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- The new law in Denmark proposes to confiscate vehicles and revoke business licenses of dealers selling opioids in their stores or on social media.
- The Danish government argues that opioids are more dangerous than other illicit drugs, and the new law aims to reflect this increased risk with severe penalties.
- Selling as few as 200 opioid pills could result in a four-month prison sentence, an increase from the current 30 days, under the proposed law.
- The government's strategy to combat opioid addiction in Denmark also involves promoting art, news, science, health-and-wellness, and mental health initiatives.
- Several studies in Denmark have revealed that opioid pills may pose greater health risks to users than many other types of illicit drugs, including cocaine.
- The bill, which targets dealers selling opioids via social media or convenience stores, is set to have its initial hearing phase on Monday and could take effect as early as July 1st.
