Fears that relaxing ganja laws will result in crime explosion - but US data suggests otherwise

[webfact]

Picture: Bangkok Business News

 

Bangkok Business News quoted the secretary of the Office of the National and Social Development Council as fearing an explosion in crime as a result of easing restrictions on marijuana. 

 

Danucha Pitchayanan said the business was worth 3.6 to 7.2 billion baht. 

 

It was providing new opportunity but with it came problems. He claimed overuse was bad for health (Danucha is not a doctor) and that youth needed to be protected. 

 

He claimed that since legalization in Colorado in the US youth crime had rocketed by a multiple of eleven. 

 

Thailand needs to make sure that this does not happen in the kingdom by restricting access to youth. 

 

Recreational use has not been allowed and it is only permitted for health reasons, notes Thaivisa. 

 

Studies in the United States don't back up Danuchai especially when it comes to the overall crime rate since legalization in various states. 

 

The respected CATO institute in their 2021 update on the effect of Marijuana Legalizations said that "strong claims by both advocates and critics" are "substantially overstated and in some cases entirely without real-world support".

 

They stated that "Overall, violent crime has neither soared nor plummeted in the wake of marijuana legalization". 

 

BBN made no effort to challenge the NESCD secretary on his assertions. 

 

They also reported that there were now 11 official importers, 82 official producers or growers and 1,372 distributors as well as others involved in extraction and other processes in Thailand. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-28

 

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[NCC1701A]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

He claimed that since legalization in Colorado in the US youth crime had rocketed by a multiple of eleven. 

Like the failed state of California, Colorado is a blue state. That is all you need to know as to why crime is up. 

[starky]

The only crime will be the huge uptick of snacks being consumed voraciously on couches.

[Airalee]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

Danucha Pitchayanan said the business was worth 3.6 to 7.2 billion baht. 

Legalize bud and it will be worth a lot more than that...many multiples more.  The money for social programs from allowing tourists to partake in a few bong hits while enjoying the sunset will far outweigh what they’ll ever get from throwing a few shade leaves into a bowl of soup.

[Taboo2]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

Like the failed state of California, Colorado is a blue state. That is all you need to know as to why crime is up. 

It is BS, I live in Nor California....and crime is just as last year....we got our killing, hell, someone was killed in front of my apartment last week, but there is no explosion of crime....everyone is spending their stimulus money and are too lazy and spoiled with free money to go to work.  They are trading bitcoin and stocks on Robin Hood.

[Taboo2]

1 hour ago, Airalee said:

Legalize bud and it will be worth a lot more than that...many multiples more.  The money for social programs from allowing tourists to partake in a few bong hits while enjoying the sunset will far outweigh what they’ll ever get from throwing a few shade leaves into a bowl of soup.

 

Billions and Billions to be made....I hope they wake up smell the vapors!!!!

[J Town]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

fearing an explosion in crime as a result of easing restrictions on marijuana. 

Absolute horsesh!t. I knew a BiB who wished dearly that weed would be legalized. In his opinion, the worse thing a stoner would do is order pizza and ice cream.

[mtls2005]

Meanwhile ya ba and meth.

 

And a quarter million people in prison on low-level drugs charges.

 

But yeah, cannabis.

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

Ganja is very dangerous for recovered alcoholics like me. 

 

[kynikoi]

Everybody free to smoke but it does make you stupid and lazy.

[Emdog]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Like the failed state of California, Colorado is a blue state. That is all you need to know as to why crime is up. 

"That is all you need to know as to why crime is up." Maybe that's all you can know? Simplistic non sequitur, adds nothing to discussion. Do you cite "Reefer Madness" as a source? There are a myriad of reasons crimes go up or down. 

I'm from Oregon and we decriminalized years before those states. I reckon legalizing all drugs has been "crime neutral" (other than drug busts, natch). One positive is that rather than being a drain on budget it is a revenue enhancer.

Simple question: if you had to be around someone with an aggressive nature, would you rather have them smoke some pot or drink whiskey?

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/no-pot-legalization-probably-didnt-increase-homicide-rates.html

[thaichina]

7 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

Everybody free to smoke but it does make you stupid and lazy.

Everybody is free to drink alcohol but it does make you stupid and violent.

[WineOh]

Just legalize it for god sake.

 

A 6ft plant would look great in my garden. 

[ehs818]

Would decriminalization or legalization lead to Thailand becoming the Amsterdam of Asia? Not sure, but I think with all the ladies here, plus the weed incentive, this might just be what is needed to jump start this economy. I remember when Thai Sticks were all the rage in the 70's. The nostalgia might be something to promote, rather than something to look down on. Think about having Pattaya embrace this and imagine the influx of tourism!

[Jimbone]

54 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Ganja is very dangerous for recovered alcoholics like me. 

 

In what way?  As a recovering alcoholic (no one is ever recovered; once an alcoholic, always a alcoholic), I can easily substitute any drug to fill my perceived need. 

[kynikoi]

32 minutes ago, thaichina said:

Everybody is free to drink alcohol but it does make you stupid and violent.

 

False assumption

 

Possibly

 

Momentarily

[Neeranam]

17 minutes ago, Jimbone said:

In what way?  As a recovering alcoholic (no one is ever recovered; once an alcoholic, always a alcoholic), I can easily substitute any drug to fill my perceived need. 

As it says in the forward of the AA bible, "We, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body.

AllI have known to take other drugs, eventually pick up a drink. 

 

 

[JCauto]

54 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

Everybody free to smoke but it does make you stupid and lazy.

Really? I guess I must have been Einstein-level intelligence-wise and had the work rate of an ant prior to starting to smoke regularly at 18 yo. How on earth did I end up with an engineering degree?

[kiteman9]

I wish that everyone could just get aBONG

[robblok]

48 minutes ago, WineOh said:

Just legalize it for god sake.

 

A 6ft plant would look great in my garden. 

Yea but unfortunately it would also kill your diet. Believe me nothing worse then the munchies if your on a diet ????

 

You also might get extremely violent assaulting mars bars and pizza's without any remorse. 

[WineOh]

Just now, robblok said:

Yea but unfortunately it would also kill your diet. Believe me nothing worse then the munchies if your on a diet ????

 

You also might get extremely violent assaulting mars bars and pizza's without any remorse. 

I dont smoke weed mate.

 

i just think The plant looks cool AF.

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, WineOh said:

I dont smoke weed mate.

 

i just think The plant looks cool AF.

I vaped it and like it far more as alcohol. But the muchies are really no fun. If it were not for the muchies it would have been perfect.

[thaichina]

28 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

 

False assumption

 

Possibly

 

Momentarily

was there to reply your stupid assumption in the first place that said weed made people stupid and lazy, that is not true.

[WineOh]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

I vaped it and like it far more as alcohol. But the muchies are really no fun. If it were not for the muchies it would have been perfect.

You can smoke my buds when the flowers bloom and its all legal. Will send you in a brown envelope ????

[kiteman9]

11 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yea but unfortunately it would also kill your diet. Believe me nothing worse then the munchies if your on a diet ????

 

You also might get extremely violent assaulting mars bars and pizza's without any remorse. 

All you have to do to cure the munchies Is just keep smokin it

[robblok]

1 minute ago, kiteman9 said:

All you have to do to cure the munchies Is just keep smokin it

I never smoked it, can't smoke just vaped it.

 

Anyway munchies always came sometimes stronger then other times. Anyway being in Thailand i just let it be. Too risky as it stays in the blood quite long.

 

If they ever legalize it i might touch it again. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Like the failed state of California, Colorado is a blue state. That is all you need to know as to why crime is up. 

As I found to my cost. I journeyed a long way up to the Grand Canyon and when I got there it was shut!

[kynikoi]

1 hour ago, thaichina said:

was there to reply your stupid assumption in the first place that said weed made people stupid and lazy, that is not true.

 

It's absolutely true.

 

Chronic marijuana smokers are losers. Their brain is fogged and they have zero ambition.

 

I recall a PSA many years back. Some 30 something getting high in a dimly lit, messy room. Makes some comment about ...naw, tomorrow. Then you hear a mother's voice calling him to dinner. The camera pans back....he's living in the basement. Exactly.

 

Sorry if the truth stings a bit.

 

Easy to have made $$$ selling weed over past decades. No genius their it was ILLEGAL.

[thaichina]

18 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

 

It's absolutely true.

 

Chronic marijuana smokers are losers. Their brain is fogged and they have zero ambition.

 

I recall a PSA many years back. Some 30 something getting high in a dimly lit, messy room. Makes some comment about ...naw, tomorrow. Then you hear a mother's voice calling him to dinner. The camera pans back....he's living in the basement. Exactly.

 

Sorry if the truth stings a bit.

 

Easy to have made $$$ selling weed over past decades. No genius their it was ILLEGAL.

No that is not true.

 

And you are saying different things, on your first post you said Everybody free to smoke but it does make you stupid and lazy. and now you talk about chronic use.

 

My guess is that you don t like cannabis and you have no clear idea about what you are talking about. You use a random personal experience you had and some cliches to prove your biased opinion. It s ok that you don t like cannabis and you don t want it legal but it is getting harder just to spray BS about it nowaday.

 

Chronic marijuana smokers are losers. Their brain is fogged and they have zero ambition.  Really, that is your argument? It does not sting at all, that is just not true!

[spidermike007]

He claimed that since legalization in Colorado in the US youth crime had rocketed by a multiple of eleven. 

 

Total nonsense. If anything the opposite happens here, since the local cops have less ability to work their franchises. Pot related criminal offenses are ridiculous, and hugely counter productive to society. 

 

One argument for legalizing marijuana is the assumption that it would lead to lower crime rates—decriminalizing the drug, so the theory goes, removes illegal trade and the criminal activities that go along with it. Indeed, a study published in The Economic Journal in 2017 found that states on the US-Mexico border that legalized medical marijuana saw a decrease in violent crimes of 5.6 to 12.5 percent.

 

https://www.newsweek.com/legalizing-pot-increase-crime-rates-colorado-washington-1463622