Determination of the Procedural Status of a Person Who Was Inclined to Use Narcotic Drugs

In the process of criminal proceedings, the determination of the procedural status of a person participating in a criminal case is the most important stage of the investigation. It depends on who the person will be recognized, what rights and obligations it will have, how actively it will be able to participate in the criminal case. The paper examines issues related to the determination of the procedural status of a person inclined to use drugs, draws conclusions about the need to recognize the inclined victim in the framework of the investigation of criminal cases under Art. 230 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Induction to the consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues.” The article analyzes the arguments in defense of the provision on recognizing as victims those who are inclined to use drugs, and also provides arguments explaining what kind of damage is caused by the perpetrator to people who have used drugs and who have refused their use. The presently existing judicial practice on determining the procedural status of persons inclined to use drugs is presented. The paper explains the reasons why investigators and prosecutors do not want to involve persons inclined to use drugs to participate in criminal proceedings on the side of the prosecution. Using the example of a judicial act that has entered into legal force, it is explained how the status of a victim in a criminal case can affect the sentence passed. The situation with cannabis is considered in order to understand the harm arising from one-time use of narcotic drugs. Attention is focused on the attitude of society towards narcotic drugs made from hemp, and on the example of works in the field of medicine, the author describes the damage caused to a person when hemp-based drugs are consumed. At the same time, it explains why drugs inflict both physical and moral harm on a person. Conclusions are formulated about the need for the incited person to participate in a criminal case in the status of a victim from the moment the investigator makes a decision to initiate a criminal case.