5 Questions: NDPS Act is being misused to defame Maharashtra, says Arvind Sawant

The misuse I spoke about is how they have defamed Maharashtra, Mumbai and the film industry by misusing this law.

Isn’t there a prevalence of drug use?

It is a serious problem no doubt, but they’re misusing the law too much.

How serious is the problem of drug use?

People have lost jobs globally thanks to the pandemic. Now those people are at the risk of being lured into illegal trafficking because they need to make money… We need to give jobs so that people don’t fall pray to this. This is something I raised in the House.

Do you support legalising certain substances like cannabis?

I have said, why don’t you legalise medicinal use of cannabis so that farmers can grow it in limited quantities and supply to pharmaceutical companies. As for recreational use, what will you do when sadhus and such people use it? Will you throw them in jail for 10 years? You have to consider certain issues culturally as well.

What was your party’s stand on the Bill?

The Solicitor General has given that when it is not a substantive change (in the law), it can be done. It is not a retrospective amendment as such. It was existing, but its applicability was not shown. It was a technical error.