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Duma to consider testing of school students for drugs

The MPs from all 4 Duma factions will consider in the first reading the amendments on multiple increasing of fines for abusive language in the media

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, January 18 (Itar-Tass) – The State Duma lower house of Russia’s parliament at a plenary meeting on Friday will address the issues of strengthening responsibility for coarse language in the media and on the introduction of testing of Russian schoolchildren for drugs.

The MPs from all 4 Duma factions will consider in the first reading the amendments on multiple increasing of fines for abusive language in the media. One of the authors of the bill, Deputy house speaker Sergei Zheleznyak said that the “fine for using foul language in the media is proposed for citizens in the amount of 2 to 3 thousand roubles for officials - from 5 to 20 thousand roubles and for legal entities - from 20 to 200 thousand roubles.” He noted that the law already has penalties for public use of obscene expressions in the “children’s” and “adolescent” media. “However, foul language and swearing are inadmissible in any media. The media, by definition, should not be spreading the taboo vocabulary,” said Zheleznyak. He added that the amendments have been worked out, in particular, based on numerous complaints of citizens.

In addition, the lawmakers will consider in the first reading the government bill on the introduction at the federal level of the system for early detection of drug use. Member of the State Duma Committee on Education Grigory Balykhin explained that “beginning addicts will be identified in two phases: the first - social and psychological testing will be conducted conduct by school and university psychologists, the second – prophylactic medical examinations.” “It is important that the testing will be voluntary – it will require a written informed consent for a student who reached the age of 15, and students under the age of 15 should have the consent of their parents. All the information obtained by the tests will remain confidential,” said the lawmaker. Balykhin noted that if the drug use or suspicion of drug use is revealed, the student will be sent to narcologists.

It is planned to simultaneously consider the issue of strengthening the administrative responsibility for the violation of the rules of use of seat belts and motorcycle helmets, and people transportation rules. The bill proposed for adoption in the first reading provides for the doubling of fines - from 500 to 1000 roubles.

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