Pope Francis on Wednesday spoke out against the legalization of drugs, denounced drug traffickers as “assassins” and called for help and support for addicts.
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“The reduction of drug addiction will not be achieved by the liberalization of drug use, as has been proposed or already implemented in some countries. This is an illusion,” the pope told the crowd in St. Peter's Square during his weekly audience.
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“But at the same time we must remember that each addict has their own personal story and they need to be listened to, understood, loved and, wherever possible, healed and cleansed,” he said on what the United Nations has designated World Drug Day.
Francis, 87, did not distinguish between so-called soft drugs such as marijuana, which is legal for recreational use in some countries and some US states, and “hard” drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
“We cannot ignore the evil intentions and actions of drug dealers and traffickers. They are assassins,” the Pope added.
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The Argentine-born Pope also condemned the “devastating impact” of drug production on the environment, which he said is “increasingly evident in Latin America, for example in the Amazon basin.”
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