– The problem is that one has decriminalized, but there is no follow-up. So the goal is to put in place a drug reform where one goes from punishment to help. That is the victory of Conservative politician Sandra Bruflot. Her party is now trying to save the drug reform that was voted down in the Storting last year. – This is a difficult situation for everyone. Not least for the police, but also for users who have nothing to relate to. It is almost a lawless room, says Sveinung Stensland (H) in the justice committee. Drug-addicted Morten, whom news meets in Storgata in Oslo, says there is great confusion about what is actually punishable as the situation is today. – There is nothing good about the penalty plan. No one gets anything out of punishment. It does not help anyone, he says. The Conservatives emphasize that they did not decriminalize drugs. – But they should get another follow-up, says Stensland. Photo: Stringer / Reuters From punishment to help In the Storting last year, the Labor Party agreed to vote down the Solberg government’s proposal for drug reform, even though there was a parliamentary majority for the main principle: Drug policy must be changed to primarily be about health care, and no punishment. After this, the Supreme Court has said that it is not a criminal offense for drug addicts to have up to 5 grams of drugs for their own use. Up to 10 grams should only lead to a short suspended prison sentence. This has changed every day, says Anita Vårvik, who is undergoing heroin-assisted treatment. – I have noticed that people have been hacked safer by the police as well. They do not run when the police come. – Has it now in a way become free? – There is no one who feels confident that it is free. We do not know what is law. The political confusion after the Storting’s no must be resolved quickly, says Stensland in the Conservative Party. The Labor Party has said that they will present their proposal for a drug reform in 2023, but it is too long to wait, he says. – We are willing to look at this again, and invite the government to a new negotiation around drug reform, says Stensland. Those who voted down the drug reform have now ensured “the most liberal drug policy we have ever had in Norway”, say Sandra Bruflot and Sveinung Stensland. Photo: Leif Rune Løland / news Three measures His party proposes three measures that they hope can get the government to accept the drug reform proposal. The first is to reduce the limit on how much drugs one can carry without being punished. – We can help discuss the threshold values, says Stensland. The second is to increase the number of compulsory follow-up meetings for drug addicts. And thirdly, to strengthen the municipalities’ drug prevention cooperation with the police. – We want to make it mandatory, and in that way strengthen the police’s prevention work, especially aimed at young people. – What is the diver’s compromise proposal? – We base the principle on drug reform, we also see that we can move in the direction of what the Labor Party wants, and then we would like to point out solutions that get them to the table. Can not continue to play on their own level Ellen Rønning-Arnesen (Labor Party) in the Ministry of Health and Care Services says no thanks to the Conservatives’ outstretched hand. State Secretary Ellen Rønning-Arnesen in the Ministry of Health and Care Services says the Labor Party will present a more holistic drug reform than the Conservative government put forward. Photo: Esten Borgos / Borgos Foto AS – It is a bit premature to come up with a compromise proposal no. Now it is the case that we have announced that we will present a prevention and treatment reform in 2023. I hope then that they can be a constructive opposition when the plan is presented, and not just play on what is their own plan, which in fact did not get a majority last year. – What about the argument that it is now almost a court vacuum? – I do not think there is a vacuum. We are also concerned that the police should have good tools in meeting with users, and we are now also working to get this set up. Will negotiate – in 2023 Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp) thinks the police must be able to search them with user cans, something the Attorney General in April stated that the police should not do. – The police are less equipped to fight crime. It’s very serious. Deputy chair of the health committee, Cecilie Myrseth (Labor Party), thinks the Conservatives should, by and large, abandon the old drug reform. – When I turn right on the Conservatives, it looks right that we are now going to enter into negotiations on the Solberg government’s drug reform, which has twice received a strong majority against it in the Storting. Decriminalization of user doses will not happen, promises Cecilie Myrseth (Labor) in the health committee. Photo: Pål Hansen / news Myrseth says the majority that is against decriminalization of user doses, as the Conservatives proposed, has increased after the election. Myrseth says, however, that they are willing to talk to the Conservatives when the Labor Party presents its version of the drug reform next year. Bruflot in Høgre says she is not surprised by Ap’s lack of willingness to negotiate. – It is possible to come up with suggestions as well, we are constructive. But it has not yet been clarified from the Supreme Court or others who are dependent, or what is for their own use.
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