Severe indictment of Pope francesco against any hypothesis of drug liberalization during the general audience, on the occasion of the World Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987 and this year dedicated to the theme "The evidence is clear: we need to invest in prevention."

“A reduction in drug addiction is not achieved by liberalizing their consumption, this is a fantasy, as has been proposed, or already implemented, in some countries,” the pontiff said in his speech. «It is liberalized and more consumed. Having known many tragic stories of drug addicts and their families, I am convinced that it is morally necessary to put an end to the production and trafficking of these dangerous substances. How many death traffickers are there, because drug traffickers are death traffickers, driven by the logic of power and money at any cost! And this plague, which produces violence and sows suffering and death, requires an act of courage from society as a whole."

Not only repression, but also prevention. «Another priority way to combat drug abuse and trafficking is that of prevention, which is done by promoting greater justice, educating young people on the values ​​that build personal and community life, accompanying those in difficulty and giving hope in the future", added the Pope, who then concluded: "Dear brothers and sisters, faced with the tragic situation of drug addiction of millions of people around the world, faced with the scandal of the production and illicit trafficking of these drugs, " we cannot be indifferent. The Lord Jesus stopped, he came close, he healed the wounds. In the style of his closeness, we too are called to act, to stop in the face of situations of fragility and pain, to know how to listen to the cry of loneliness and anguish, to bend down to lift up and bring back to new life those who fall into the slavery of drugs". And we pray for those criminals who give drugs to young people: they are criminals, they are murderers! We pray for their conversion."

(Adista)