On Tuesday, the National Assembly passed the new drug law with 144 votes in favor, 20 against, and 12 abstentions. According to the justification for the governing Fidesz party-backed proposal, the government has declared zero tolerance toward illicit drugs. The spread of mind-altering substances is endangering an increasing number of people, including younger age groups and even children.
The goal is the complete elimination of the use, distribution and promotion of illegal drugs and mind-altering substances. The legal changes aim to create a stronger regulatory framework for tackling drug trade, distribution, and consumption, including stricter law enforcement and criminal justice measures, as well as stronger protections for minors.
Under the new regulations, the conditions for applying diversion programs have been significantly restricted.
From now on, diversion programs will only be available to individuals who help authorities identify the drug dealer or disclose the circumstances of the offense.
In addition, it is now formally declared that the same person may use this opportunity no more than twice. After two instances, stricter penalties must apply in all cases.
Authorities also warn that falsely accusing another person of being involved in a drug-related crime — such as naming someone else as a dealer — in hopes of leniency will count as the criminal offense of false accusation.
The use of new psychoactive substances will no longer be treated as a minor offense but will be classified as a criminal offense. Punishments will also be harsher in cases of homicide or bodily harm, if the offender consumed drugs beforehand.
The police will be able to detain individuals for up to 72 hours if necessary to protect life, physical safety, health, or public security — for instance, in cases where a person behaves aggressively, seriously disturbs public order, refuses to cooperate with medical staff, or leaves a medical facility mid-treatment.
Temporary closure of a business will be mandatory if a drug-related crime is committed there for the second time within one year. The mandatory closure period will be no less than six months and no more than one year. Doctors will now also have a reporting obligation: if a physician determines that a minor is under the influence of drugs, they must immediately notify the child's legal guardian.
Under the new rules, assets linked to drug offenses can be confiscated, even if they are not registered in the suspect’s name.
As has been reported earlier, Prime Minister Viktor Orban already declared war on drug dealers in his February annual assessment address. He said that cheap synthetic drugs are flooding the country, which must be stopped at all costs. He announced a zero-tolerance policy and the appointment of a new government commissioner to deal with the issue. He also instructed Interior Minister Sandor Pinter to launch a crackdown on drug trafficking.
On March 1 Laszlo Horvath was appointed government commissioner responsible for dismantling drug trafficking. His task was to develop an anti-drug action plan. In an interview with Heol, he discussed the national “Delta” operation, launched on March 1. He noted that in the two months since, over 2,000 proceedings have been initiated, and several hundred kilograms of drugs have been seized across the country. As a result, there has been a noticeable drop in the availability of drugs on the market. The number of users has also decreased, with fewer new users, which is a key objective.
Cover image: Illustration (Source: Hungarian Police)
