Amman, May 12 (Petra) -- The Senate Legal Committee will adopt a new methodology to evaluate the legislative impact of laws enacted in previous years, in a move aimed at strengthening legislative oversight and providing the executive branch with feedback to support the development of legislation and public policy.

During a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the legislative impact of the Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law, committee chairperson Ahmad Tbeishat said the discussions focused on assessing the law’s effectiveness and its broader implications, describing drug abuse as a social, economic and security challenge that adversely affects society.

Tbeishat highlighted the efforts undertaken by relevant official institutions to combat narcotics and curb their spread.

Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department Brigadier General Hassan Qudah said drug-related cases declined by 13 percent over the past two years, attributing the decrease to the department’s institutional development, implementation of the national anti-narcotics strategy and enhanced law enforcement expertise.

He added that the law represents a modern legislative framework that provides drug users with opportunities for treatment and rehabilitation.

Secretary-General for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Justice Walid Kanakrieh stressed the importance of establishing adequately equipped treatment centers for drug users.

He also underlined the need to expand judicial discretion in determining penalties by granting judges greater flexibility within the upper and lower sentencing limits, contributing to more balanced judicial rulings.

//Petra// AJ