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The Rhodesia Herald,
February 1, 1971
THE Government’s intention to introduce harsher penalties for drug offences was welcome in Salisbury yesterday.
People concerned about the problem said they would support the death penalty or imprisonment without the option of a fine for some drug pedlars.
Father John Gough, parish priest of Rhodesvile Roman Catholic Church, said: “The death penalty is too good for drug pedlars”.
Fr Gough who had studied Salisbury’s drug problem for two years, added: “I am personally in favour of very severe penalties for pedlars. People found in possession of drugs who refuse to disclose their source should be treated as drug pedlars.”
The Government said last week that tougher penalties for drug offences would be introduced at the next sitting of Parliament.
It said maximum penalties under present laws were quite severe, but had not yet been applied by the courts.
The present maximum penalties are: a $2 000 fine plus 12 months imprisonment for certain offences. Fr Gough said the aim of the tougher laws should be to deter drug peddling, which he called “slow murder”.
Mr John Bamforth, acting director of the Salisbury Samaritan organisation, said the death penalty was appropriate for people who dealt in drug peddling on a large scale.
He said drug pedlars should be sent to gaol and not fined. Such people usually had money and were out to make more.
Asked if he thought it necessary to introduce tougher laws against drug misuse, Mr Bamforth said: “I do feel the introduction of more severe laws will help curtail the use of drugs.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Zimbabwe is party to many international instruments that address the problem of drug trafficking. It is party to the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs; the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances; the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances; the 2000 UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime; and, the 2003 UN Convention against Corruption.
Zimbabwe’s Dangerous Drugs Act (Chapter 15:02) makes it clear that the following types of drugs are illegal: coca leaves, coca bush, cannabis plant or Indian hemp (both raw and prepared) also known as “bhang”, “camba”, “dagga”, “mbanje” or “intsangu and opium (raw and prepared).
Current economic challenges in Zimbabwe have, to a large extent, created room for increased illegal drug trafficking.
Most Asian countries provide for capital punishment for drug peddling.
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