Pope Francis has hit out at plans to legalise drugs, and condemned drug traffickers as “dealers of death”. 
Speaking in Brazil at World Youth Day, the Pope was responding to proposals throughout Latin American to lift restrictions on drug use.
Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil have all relaxed their policies on drug use.
But Pope Francis warned that “[a] reduction in the spread and influence of drug addiction will not be achieved by a liberalisation of drug use, as is currently being proposed in various parts of Latin America,” the BBC reports.
Speaking at the inauguration of a clinic for drug addicts at the Sao Francisco hospital in Rio, he hugged former addicts and heard their stories.
“It is necessary to tackle the problems which are at the root of drug abuse, promoting more justice, educating the youth with the values that live in society, standing by those who face hardship and giving them hope for the future,” he said.
Pope Francis also warned against plans to legalise drugs in Latin America and condemned drug-traffickers.
“How many dealers of death there are that follow the logic of power and money at any cost! The scourge of drug-trafficking, that favours violence and sows the seeds of suffering and death, requires of society as a whole an act of courage,” he said.
The Pope also urged Catholics to resist the “ephemeral idols” of money, power and pleasure.
He said: “It is true that nowadays, to some extent, everyone, including our young people, feels attracted by the many idols which take the place of God and appear to offer hope: money, success, power, pleasure.
“Often a growing sense of loneliness and emptiness in the hearts of many people leads them to seek satisfaction in these ephemeral idols.”