Slovakia tightens drug legislation, we want to protect the most vulnerable

Slovakia will strengthen the regulation of new psychoactive substances, which responds to the dynamic development of the drug scene and the rapid emergence of new synthetic substances and their chemical derivatives. The proposed modification will not only affect individual specific chemicals, but defines the whole chemical groups based on their basic molecular structure. Today, Matúš Šutaj Eštok and Minister of Health Kamil Šaško informed about this.
This is a major change towards protecting the most vulnerable - the young. The Minister of Interior recalled that among consumers of synthetic drugs are often children aged 12 to 13 years. About 50 new synthetic derivatives are produced annually, which are not technically prohibited by the legislation and are to be added by the state to the list of banned substances, which is not immediate. In the framework of legislation, we were inspired mainly by Western countries, especially Germany, because there is the same wide-ranging issue as in our case. added the Minister for the Interior.
The aim is to respond more quickly to the emergence of new psychoactive substances, to strengthen public health protection and to help reduce their illegal production and distribution. We will not wait for a new drug to appear on the market and then forbid it. We're resetting the system so that dangerous substances are under immediate control, said Minister of Health Kamil Šaško. In the course of April, the draft law will be submitted to the inter-ministerial commentary procedure and submitted as quickly as possible to the government and subsequently to the parliament. I am absolutely convinced that this will receive social and political support, because it is one modern, effective tool that we have as our sole objective to protect our children and protect minors;The Minister for Health said.

The current legislation is based on a exhaustive list of specific substances, which in practice means that any new psychoactive substance or its chemical derivative must be identified and subsequently separately included in the list of prohibited substances. This process is both time-consuming and procedurally difficult and cannot react flexibly enough to the emergence of new synthetic substances. The new proposal introduces a generic regulatory model for new psychoactive substances. Thus, the legislation will not only affect specific chemicals, but whole chemical groups based on their basic molecular structure. The groups thus defined include their derivatives, isomers, salts and other chemical modifications with comparable structure and potential psychoactive effects. New emerging substances will thus be regulated automatically without the need for re-legislative change.
At the same time, State control mechanisms will be strengthened. The control will be performed mainly by the Police Department, Financial Administration, Slovak Trade Inspection and the Ministry of Health. They will be authorised to enter the premises if a breach of law is suspected, to take samples, to request the necessary documents and to secure substances, products or equipment related to illegal activity. This will also allow for more effective intervention in cases of sales via automatic machines or other self-service devices.
The introduction of sanction mechanisms is also part of the draft law, which will enable the evasion of legislation to be sanctioned, for example where psychoactive substances are formally referred to as collectors' items or other products. The very handling of the substance, not its labelling, will be crucial.
At the same time, legislation ensures that a more flexible inclusion system does not weaken regulation. Possible changes in the regime of substances will be based on expert and scientific assessment of health risks, while the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic will act as a professional guarantor in this area.