Cambodia's Parliament adopts draft law on drug control

Cambodia's National Assembly on Friday passed the draft law on drug control, aimed at enhancing the country's effectiveness in fighting against drug trafficking. Seventy-eight out of 79 members of parliament (MPs) who were present in the session adopted the draft law. All the MPs of the main opposition party had boycotted the session. Ke Kim Yan, chairman of the national authority for combating drugs, said during the assembly floor that the draft law was to replace the old law in January 1997. "Currently, drug crimes are more serious and the old law applies light punishment to perpetrators," he said. "The new law applies punishment on wrong-doers twice heavier than the old one." "Under the new law, a person who traffics more than 80 grams of drug will be facing life imprisonment," he said. "The punishment is in line with other countries in the region."