Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus ( Ahmet Bolat - Anadolu Ajansı )
Ankara
ANKARA
Turkey will take key steps in fighting against drug addiction in the country, including making some crucial legal amendments, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said in Ankara Thursday.
In remarks made at a high-council meeting to discuss the fight against drug addiction at the Prime Ministry, Kurtulmus said the government would amend laws that would allow drug addicts to seek treatment without revealing their identities.
"The people with drug-related problems somehow end up avoiding [treatment] since they have to reveal their identities to seek treatment.
"We will take a key step by making a legal amendment as soon as possible," he said.
A motion to revoke articles 279 and 280 in the Turkish Penal Code, which requires public officials and health staff to inform authorities about addicts, would also be made, he said.
Also, the government will also take steps to help addicts get health benefits even if they did not have insurance.
Kurtulmus said fighting drugs is a social problem not just for Turkey but the entire world.
"It [drug fighting] is one of the most vital fields for every government. For us, drug fighting is at least as important as fighting terrorism," he added.
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