Public note against the emergency processing of PLC 37/2013, which alters the Brazilian drug law
The Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy along with mental health and human rights institutions have signed a manifest that criticizes the decision to put into emergency processing PLC 37/2013 (formally known as PL 7663/2010) that reforms the National System on Drug Policies. The project was included in a security package “to answer the popular grievances for security” that are being vindicated in the protests. This will allow the PLC to be voted within 15 days in the Senate.
The institutions that endorse this document demand that PLC 37/2013 be removed from the security package so that society and all stakeholders can democratically discuss its grave repercussions.
While the rest of the world discusses a more humane policy, based on the respect for human rights and harm reduction based preventive treatment, PLC 37 establishes involuntary interment of drug addicts and an increase in the penalty for drug trafficking. This project does not distinguish drug users from traffickers, which will increase the injustices within the current drug law.
For the endorsing organizations, this project is a regression to the failed Brazilian criminalization policies which disregards and demerits the historic accomplishments in public health and anti-asylum politics. This project increases the expenditures of the State while diminishing the human rights of those who suffer and are in vulnerable situations.
If approved, this project will serve to increase the stigmas suffered by those in need of treatment, the mass incarceration of the poor, the criminalization of drug users arrested indiscriminately as drug traffickers and propagation of the forced interment industry, renowned for its ineffectiveness in treating.
Public note against the emergency processing of PLC 37/2013 that alters the Drug Law
For the past few weeks protests have taken over the streets of Brazil. The different demands made by civil society on historic causes on collective interests demonstrate that public debate about what society wants is not the exclusivity of political groups, NGOs, or social organizations. The historic characteristics of these latest events, is unquestionable.
It is important to highlight, however, that this healthy scenario of democratic participation in public debate cannot be used to justify that the Legislative branch approves, in a rush and with the support of the Executive branch, important law projects without the proper debate with all stakeholders, organized or not. We were all surprised with the recent decision to put under emergency processing PLC nº 37/2013 (formally known as PL 7663/2010) – which reforms the National Drug Policy System (SISNAD) – “in response to security grievances” which are being made in the streets.
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