Parties disagree on fixes for Finland’s outsized youth drug death problem | News

Finnish parliamentary parties are sharply divided over how to reduce the harm caused by drug use.

Among European countries, Finland has the highest number of drug-related deaths among people aged 25 or younger, in proportion to its population.

Posted in summer European drug report (Seret Twisin with phyllon) 2022, an analysis of drug situation across the block. Among other things, it focused on illegal drugs as well as their harms, classified by country.

The drug-related deaths in Finland are often a combination of the opioid buprenorphine (Sobotex), alcohol, and sedatives.

Some cities, such as Helsinki and Turku, have seen a recent rise in gang violence, with conflicts often linked to drugs in one way or another.

The Finnish Party and the Christian Democrats share a hardline stance on recreational drug use, with zero tolerance and harsh sentencing policies.

On the other side of the political spectrum in this matter is the Left Alliance and the Green Party. They are now the only two parties calling for the decriminalization of drug use, while calling for drug dealers to be prosecuted.

Party of Finns and Christian Democrats

The nationalist Finns Party has called for the deportation of foreigners convicted of drug trafficking. Meanwhile, the head of the party’s parliamentary group confirmed, Phil TafeoHe said he opposes the creation of drug consumption control rooms that proponents say reduce accidental deaths from overdose.

Taveo said zero-tolerance policies prevent drug use and crime.

The Christian Democrats also subscribe to a hardline drug policy. head of its parliamentary group, Päivi RäsänenShe said she thinks decriminalizing drug rooms is a bad idea.

“Decriminalizing drug use and creating drug rooms would send a message that drug use is not harmful,” she said.

The Green Party, the Left Alliance

At the other end of the view are the aforementioned Green Party and Left Alliance.

According to the Greens, current criminalization policies have not helped reduce drug use or the harm it causes. In addition, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Group, Sarah HerkoHe said drug dealers and distributors should face punishment, not drug users.

“Removing penalties for drug use will make it easier for young people to get treatment,” she told Yale.

Head of the Parliamentary Bloc of the Left Alliance, Jussie SaramoHe said he believed the current punitive arrangement discourages people with drug problems from seeking help, while at the same time stigmatizing and marginalizing addicts.

“Drug policy should encourage people to seek rehabilitation, not punish those with substance use problems,” Saramo said.

NCP, SDP, and the center

Those at both ends of the drug policy spectrum include the National Coalition (NCP), Social Democratic (SDP) and centrist parties, all of which are not currently ready to decriminalize drug use.

However, all three parties agree that crimes must be prevented in advance and that drug users need to be treated.

A deputy from the National Coalition – and a former police officer – Carrie TolvanenA combination of soft and hard policies is preferred. He said there should be a low threshold for people to seek treatment for drug problems, but that financial consequences for traffickers are also needed.

“The proceeds of gang crime should be dealt with more effectively than they are now, for example, expensive cars should be confiscated for the state,” he said.

However, last weekend the youth wing of the National Congress Party called for the decriminalization of all forms of drug use in Finland, but this proposal was quickly silenced by the parent party.

In response to the Youth Party announcement on Sunday, the National Congress Party Secretary Christina Coco He said there was no reason for Finland to decriminalize medicines, unless such a solution was implemented on a large scale by other European countries.

Meanwhile, Vice Center Hanna Hutunin He clarified that the party does not support decriminalizing drug use, but said that facilitating access to treatment programs and providing other types of support is important.

Prime Minister Sana MarineThe Social Democratic Party emphasizes preventing drug problems from occurring in the first place, according to the deputy head of the party’s parliamentary bloc, Kim Berg.

“The best drug policy is to intervene in problems with families, the disadvantaged and excluded, and to offer drug education and identify problems early,” Berg said.

SPP

The Swedish People’s Party (SPP) wants Finland’s current criminal policies to continue, but the party’s head of parliament, Anders Adlerkreutz, said he would be willing to see if supervised drug rooms would help the situation.

“[Drug] Using rooms ensures that users get help.”

Aki Linden (SDP), who served as Minister of Family and Basic Services during Krista KeroParental leave (SDP) has suggested that Helsinki should try supervised drug use rooms.

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