General Legislation Committee to Review Draft Amendment to Tunisia’s Narcotics Law
Date: Thursday, 26 February 2026
The General Legislation Committee of the Assembly of the People’s Representatives is scheduled to meet on Thursday, 26 February to examine a draft law amending Law No. 52 of 18 May 1992 on narcotics.
Key Facts of the Draft (transmitted to the committee on 10 April 2025)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Length | 40 articles |
| Repealed provisions | Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 18 of the 1992 law are slated for removal. |
| New measures | Introduction of several new provisions (see below). |
| Sanction regime | • Fines will be increased. • Imprisonment terms will be adjusted according to the seriousness of the offense. |
| New criminal offences | • Refusal to undergo biological sampling. • Adulteration of food products with narcotics. • More precise distinction between use, storage, and trafficking of drugs in public places, with harsher penalties for trafficking. |
| Objectives (as stated by the initiators) | • Strengthen protection of security institutions and their agents against risks linked to drug consumption and trafficking. • Leverage modern technologies for surveillance and dismantling of criminal networks. • Safeguard law‑enforcement officers and their families. |
Context
The review comes amid an ongoing national debate in Tunisia over the effectiveness and fairness of the current legislative framework governing drug control. Critics have long argued that the 1992 law is outdated, while supporters of the amendment claim it will better equip authorities to combat the evolving drug market and protect public safety.
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