Mozambique: Drug Control Legislation Under Review

What the report says

Mozambique’s Central Office for Drug Prevention and Control has said the country is revising its drug control law, which was adopted 29 years ago. The announcement was made in Maputo during a community consultation forum on drug prevention and control, according to the Agência de Informação de Moçambique report distributed by AllAfrica.

The review is intended to update the legal framework so it can better address newer psychoactive substances, synthetic drugs, changing trafficking methods and organized crime. GCPCD representative José Bambo said the reform is meant to make the law more responsive to these emerging challenges. The article says the review is about 90% complete and is being supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

At the forum, community leaders raised concerns about alleged drug sales involving adolescents and young people, including reports that illegal substances may be sold in or near pharmacies. Maputo’s director of Economy and Finance, Hélio Milisse, also emphasized the need to strengthen prevention and control efforts in schools and communities.

The initiative is part of a U.S.-funded project covering Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya to help combat synthetic drugs, chemical precursors and evolving trafficking networks. The review matters because it suggests Mozambique is updating its legal tools to match a shifting drug market and broader regional security concerns.