But it is drug trafficking in Turkey that is the real problem today. Every year, various drugs are smuggled into and transited through Turkey, including heroin, cocaine, synthetic cannabis (bonsai), methamphetamine and captagon (a type of amphetamine). About 2 out of 10 prisoners in Turkish prisons have been convicted of drug-related offences; The proportion of drug-abusing offenders among all inmates has increased in recent years. Methamphetamine produced in the Far East enters Turkey via Iran or directly by air. MDMA/ecstasy seized in Turkey originates in the Netherlands and Belgium and is traditionally seized in the west of the country, although reported MDMA seizures in the eastern provinces have increased in recent years. The synthetic cannabinoids that entered the Turkish drug market in 2010 are native to China, Europe and the United States. There are reports of possible processing and packaging activities for these substances in Turkey. An essential part of drug treatment programs in Turkey is detoxification, which is complemented by other interventions consisting of motivational interviewing techniques and cognitive therapies aimed at preventing relapse. Pharmacological treatment with opioid agonists or an antagonist is also possible. Some treatment centres offer short-term hospital treatment and some non-governmental organizations offer treatment communities.
The use of a drug (personal use or not) is illegal and requires legal procedure. Possession, purchase or receipt of illegal drugs, including cannabis, is punishable by 1 to 2 years` imprisonment; There is also the possibility of treatment and/or probation of up to three years. If patients refuse treatment or do not comply with probation conditions, the courts may rule on the sentence. [6] Unlike some EU countries, Turkey has a fairly strict drug policy, where even illegal possession of drugs, including cannabis/marijuana, is considered a criminal offence. In Turkey, almost all drugs are considered illegal and there is no legislation allowing the medical use of non-pharmaceutical drugs. The main laws and provisions relating to illicit drugs are set forth in the Turkish Penal Code No. 5237 (TPC) and, although the law distinguishes between drug trafficking (Art. 188), which allows the sale of drugs (Art. 190), and possession of drugs for personal use (Art.
191), these three offenses are considered criminal offenses and criminal acts. Turkey`s drug policy remains largely ineffective in combating drug use, preventing drug trafficking in Turkey and mitigating the threats it poses. As I point out in my new report, Turkey`s drug policy today is neither effective, nor comprehensive nor integrated. This is all the more regrettable given that between 2002 and 2013, Turkey`s criminal justice system, police and drug policy have seen many improvements. After decades of political turmoil, weak government capacity, and political interference in law enforcement, Turkey`s police and law enforcement agencies have seen significant modernization, institutional development, and strong capacity growth during this decade. Although similar, the mechanisms for postponing proceedings under article 171 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the mechanisms for postponing proceedings under article 191/2 of the Criminal Code for possession of narcotic drugs are very different. The mechanism for drug possession charges is a mandatory mechanism that prosecutors must apply, while the general mechanism of the Code of Criminal Procedure is optional and left to the discretion of the prosecutor. If a drug trafficking offence is committed by a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, pharmacist, pharmacist, veterinarian, health worker, laboratory technician, midwife, dental nurse, nurse or person working in the chemical or pharmaceutical industry, the penalty imposed shall be increased by half.
Turkey is an important transit country. It also represents a large consumer market. The manufacture, import or exportation of drugs is punishable by imprisonment for at least 10 years and the sale or supply of 5 to 15 years. The penalties are related to the type of drug, with an explicit increase of 50% in the case of cocaine, heroin, morphine or morphine base or synthetic cannabinoids; A similar increase is imposed in cases where a group of people is involved or where convicted persons hold a position regulated by law, such as doctors, pharmacists or other health professionals. In the case of organized crime, the penalty is doubled. According to wastewater surveys examining drug metabolites in wastewater, cannabis is the most popular illicit drug (followed by heroin and cocaine) and the third most commonly used psychoactive substance after alcohol and nicotine in Istanbul. It has been found that low-income neighbourhoods have higher rates of cannabis use. Compared to some metropolitan areas in Europe, the United States, Oceania, and China, Istanbul had the second highest rate of cannabis use after Barcelona. Istanbul was followed by Adana, another city in Turkey, in terms of the overall rate of cannabis use. [5] Cannabis products, mainly from Western Balkan countries or Morocco, are the most common drugs seized in Turkey.
Domestic cannabis cultivation has been reported, although it is rarely traded outside the country. Several different probation measures may be applicable to suspects, again depending on the specifics of the case. These are usually issued based on the nature of the events that led to the suspect`s arrest or detention, as well as the amount of drugs the suspect was carrying at the time. The objective of these probation and probation measures is to rehabilitate the suspect and prevent him from using drugs again in the future by eliminating the suspect`s possible addictions to these drugs. Drug possession or use, also known as a “drug-related crime,” is defined as the purchase or acceptance of a narcotic under the Turkish Penal Code. Drug use and trafficking are crimes in Turkey, as in many other countries. However, the Turkish Penal Code provides for a relatively lighter penalty for drug possession than for drug trafficking. As mentioned earlier, possession of drugs for personal use is regulated by Article 191 of the Turkish Penal Code. According to article 191, paragraph 1, anyone who purchases, accepts or possesses illicit drugs for personal use shall be punished by imprisonment for 2 to 5 years. It is important to note that this provision also applies to the possession of cannabis, marijuana or other similar medicinal plants.
The Turkish Penal Code provides for prison sentences of 1 to 2 years for those who buy, receive, cultivate or possess drugs for personal use. There is also the possibility of treatment and/or probation of up to 3 years. If addicts refuse treatment or do not comply with their probation conditions, the courts may impose a prison sentence. No penalty will be imposed if a dependent user requests treatment prior to the exam. In such cases, medical professionals are not required to report the crime. With regard to the commission of the offence, there is no difference between buying a drug or accepting it for free; And that doesn`t change the punishment.
