drug addiction, criminal justice & human rights

1. LL.M. Part 1.
Roll No. 20.
Criminal Law Group.

2. • Drug
• Narcotics
• Psychotropic Substance
• Dependence
• Addiction
• “Crimes” without “Victims”
• “Trafficking” in “drugs”
• Drug Abuse

3.  Drug has variety of meanings
 Weiss man has observed that drug is any substance which by
its chemical nature affects the structure or functioning of
living organism.
 Paul Fuqua :- Any compound that effects the functioning of
the organism. Drugs may cause changes in both the bodily
process & behavior.

4.  Ordinary sense drug means any substance, other than food
.
 Change the taste of an individual.
 Direct or indirect impact upon the overall behavior.
 Impact may be physiological or psychological.

5. • Narcotics can be defined as any of a class of substances.
• Blunt the senses as opium, morphine, heroin, codeine,
belladonna etc.
• Produce euphoria, stupor in large quantities.
• If used constant can cause habituation or addiction.
• Used in medicine to relieve pain, cause sedation & induce
sleep.

6.  Narcotics can be divided as Narcotic- Analgesic Agonists &
Narcotic Antagonists.
 Cocaine like Marijuana is classified as Narcotics.
 Narcotics means a drug which induces drowsiness, stupor, or
insensibility & relieves pain.
 Ex. Pethidine, opiate, sleeping pills, painkillers.

7.  Chemical substance that changes brain function & results in
alterations in perception, mood or consciousness.
 Use for recreation to alter one’s consciousness.
 Enthogens for ritual, spiritual or shamanic purposes.
 A tool for studying & augmenting the mind.

8.  Some psychotropic substance having medical therapeutic
value are prescribed by doctors & health care professionals.
 Some psychotropic substances used in the detoxification &
rehabilitation programs for psychoactive drug users.

9.  Implies a permanent physiological change causing an
individual to persistently crave the consumption of particular
dependence.
 If drug is withheld the user suffers from chills, pain,
restlessness, respiration, twitching of muscles, nausea &
diarrhea.
 Frequency & intensity depends upon particular drug &
subside with time.

10.  Glenn gave the view that substances most frequently
associated with dependence are those with pain killing
potential.
 Social, Psychological, Physical pain. Produces stress, tension
or anxiety in the individual.
 Paul Fuqua observed that drug dependence is of two types:
Physical Dependence & Psychological or Psychic
Dependence.

11.  Traditional Medical Usage, addiction refers to a condition
brought about by the repeated administration of any drug.
 Continuity of such drug is necessary to maintain normal
physiological function.
 Discontinuance leads to abnormal physical and mental
symptoms.
 Drug Addiction is defined as…

12.  Chronic, relapsing brain disease.
 Compulsive drug seeking.
 Despite harmful consequences.
 Considered as a brain disease.
 Leads to harmful, self-destructive behaviors.

13.  Act that is illegal but has no direct victims.
 Voluntarily acting & consenting adults.
 No harm directly imposed upon another person as a result no
victim.
 Some of the victimless crimes are:

14.  Prostitution
 Drug Use
 Trespassing
 Traffic Citations
 Drunkenness
 Suicide
 Gambling

15.  Drug trafficking laws penalize the selling, transportation &
illegal import of unlawful controlled substances.
 Punishment for drug trafficking depends on several factors.
 Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamines & other
illegal drugs are prohibited.

16.  Sentences for drug trafficking can generally range from 3
to 5 years and extend to life imprisonment.
 Drug trafficking more serious crime than drug
possession.
 Applies to prescript drugs also such as pain killers or
sleeping pills.

17.  Patterned use of a drug.
 User consumes the substance in amounts or with methods.
 Harmful to the user as well as others.
 Different definitions used in relation to public heath, medical
& criminal justice contexts.
 Drug most often associated with this term includes:

18.  Alcohol
 Barbiturates
 Cannabis
 Cocaine
 Opioids
 Methaqualone
 Heroin

19.  In 2013, drug use disorders resulted in 127,000 deaths
up from 53000 in 1990.
 Highest number of deaths were from opioid use 51000.
 Cocaine 4300 deaths & amphetamine use disorder
resulted in 3800 deaths.
 Alcohol use disorder led to 139000 deaths.

20.  Long term of abuse of drugs causes physiological
distortion of brain chemistry.
 Social isolation.

21. Thank you