Criminalization and Punishment Policy in the Iraqi Narcotics and Psychotropic Drugs Act No. 50 of 2017

Abstract

There is no doubt that the use of narcotics and psychotropic substances has become one of the most dangerous phenomena, as it has spread widely in the countries of the international community in general and Iraq in particular. Therefore, the Iraqi legislator, following in the footsteps of the legislator in those countries, adopted a policy of criminalization and punishment to combat this phenomenon, based in part on criminalization The largest possible number of behaviors of taking or addicting to these substances or facilitating that are outside the scope of the legal licence. On the other hand, it imposes harsh penalties on its perpetrators, aiming to follow the most successful ways to combat drug crimes to ensure the protection of individuals and society in an appropriate degree and to address legal loopholes in this regard .

      In this study, we shed light on the policy of criminalization and punishment in the Iraqi Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law No. 50 of 2017, by clarifying the concept of the policy of criminalization and punishment, drugs and psychotropic substances in the first topic. Then we dealt with some of the forms of this policy by reviewing some of the acts of taking these substances, addictive to them, or facilitating that, and others that are criminalized under the provisions of the aforementioned law on the one hand, and stating the penalties prescribed for them in the same law on the other hand, in the second topic. Then we ended our research with a conclusion in which we clarified the most important conclusions and recommendations.