MOSCOW. June 20 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is opposed to the idea of softening criminal punishment for illegal drug trafficking.
"Should this area of activity be liberalized? In my view, it shouldn't, because the threat to the country, to the nation, and to our people is very big. If anyone illegally stores, ships, transports, or distributes even small amounts and doses [of illicit drugs], there should be responsibility for that. There can be no liberalization here," Putin said during his Q&A session on Thursday.