After the so-called Three Drug Acts, which calls for establishing the narcotics agency, was proposed, concerns are growing that the administrative power of the existing department responsible for managing and supervising drugs could be dispersed.

On Sept. 29, Rep. Chang Dong-hyuk of the ruling People Power Party proposed the "Three Drug Acts as a social wakeup call.” Recently, a series of drug cases involving celebrities, such as singer-songwriter Don Spike, have become controversial, so there is a need to raise the alarm socially, Rep. Chang explained.

The Three Drug Acts refer to the amendment to the National Public Officials Act, which contains regulations that exclude drug offenders and addicts from public offices by restricting the qualifications for appointment of public officials; the amendment to the Commercial Act, which restricts the qualifications of internal directors for drug offenders to establish a healthy corporate culture; and the amendment to the Government Organization Act, which establishes the narcotics agency, which can serve as a control tower for drug-related policies, as an external office of the Ministry of Justice.

Rep. Chang explained that until now, drug addicts could not be qualified to become social workers, veterinarians, and medical. However, The National Public Officials Act does not stipulate drug addicts as reasons for disqualification. So he aims to strengthen further the qualification criteria for appointment through this partial revision bill.

“Recently, the rapid increase in drug crimes has emerged as a social problem, and drugs are distributed openly through SNS. Therefore, we need to strengthen laws and systems that can raise social alarms,” he said.

To strengthen the link between government policies, which are scattered to prevention and education, investigation and crackdowns, and treatment and rehabilitation policies, the Ministry of Justice needs to establish a new narcotics agency like the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Chang said. He added that this is essential to create a control tower for drug policy to increase the effectiveness of the national drug response policy.

However, some within the government raised concerns that establishing a new narcotics agency despite the existing departments responsible for controlling and supervising drugs might divide the control tower into two.

“Currently, several agencies, such as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Food and Drug Safety Assessment Service, are handlAREhave handling drug-related tasks. In the case of the proposed narcotics agency, it is likely to be an investigation-focused organization,” a related official said. “So, if all the work is concentrated on that, there can be an administrative vacuum from the aspects of medical drug management and rehabilitation treatment for drug addicts."

In the medical and pharmaceutical circles, there are also regrets that the drug policies in the government and the National Assembly are focused only on investigations.

“Investigation is important, but prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation also play a big role. Therefore, it is time for the government to consider ways to utilize private organizations to expand these functions,” said a Korean Anti-Drug Campaign Center official.