Anti-drug plan begins

Under the amendments, those who hold or take less than 20 grams of grade-3 narcotics such as Ketamine, or grade-4 stabilizer narcotics will be subject to a fine of NT$10,000 to NT$50,000, and four to eight hours of instruction courses.

Accordingly, if juveniles and students who are caught taking Ketamine fail to pay the fines, the administrative enforcement units under the Ministry of Justice will enforce the collection of fines from them.

As to those who hold over 20 grams of the grade-3 and grade-4 narcotics will face a jail term of less than three years.

Lin Der-hua, commissioner of the Criminal Investigation Bureau under the NPA, said that those who try to commit suicide by taking powerful benzodiazepam as FM2 and Erinim purchased from non-medical units will be prosecuted if they fail the suicide attempt.

Based on the revised Narcotics Endangerment Prevention Act, those who are found taking a large amount of narcotics will be imposed heavier jail terms than before.

For instance, those who hold 10 grams and over of heroin (grade-1 narcotics) will face an imprisonment of over one year and under seven years.

Those who hold 20 grams and over of amphetamine (grade-2 drug) will be sentenced to over six months and under five years in jail.

Those who hold 20 grams and over of Ketamine (grade-3 drug) will be imprisoned for less than three years, and those who hold 20 grams and over of grade-4 stabilizer drugs will be jailed for less than one year.

The Ministry of Justice yesterday invited a female police serving at the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office to serve as the anti-drug spokesperson, calling for nationals to join the anti-drug campaign.

Taking Ketamine is allegedly quite rampant in university campuses, constituting a big challenge to the police in maintaining social order.

According to statistics compiled by the Ministry of Justice, the police and investigation agents confiscated a total of 523.7 kilograms of Ketamine in the first eight months of 2008, but the figure already doubled to 1,045.2 kilograms in the same eight months of this year, indicating the rampant drug abuse among young people.

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