Faroese lawyer calls tougher drug penalties ‘pure populism’

A proposal by the Faroese prime minister to increase penalties for drug offences is an act of “pure populism,” according to lawyer Jógvan Páll Lassen, who warns that stricter punishments will disproportionately burden young Faroese struggling with substance abuse.

In an interview with Faroese national broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya, Lassen argued that the Faroe Islands already imposes significantly lighter penalties for drug crimes compared to neighbouring countries. He acknowledged that harsher sentences could be justified for organised crime figures involved in drug trafficking, but stressed that this approach fails to address the root causes of addiction.

The criticism follows a 2022 national action plan to prevent drug abuse, commissioned by then-Prime Minister Bárður á Steig Nielsen. The plan—developed with input from over 70 stakeholders—emphasised social support, mental health services, and targeted outreach to vulnerable groups as more effective long-term solutions than punitive measures. It explicitly stated that “there is broad consensus among groups working closely with people affected by drug problems that punishment alone is not the best solution” to curb drug use and trafficking.

Instead, the report recommended restorative justice measures, such as community service paired with mentorship programs, particularly for minor drug cases, arguing these would yield “better outcomes for both the individual and society as a whole.”