Will the gentle approach rid Thailand of its drug problem?

[snoop1130]

 

Drug addicts sometimes commit shocking crimes in their quest for a fix, even attacking their own family members. In some cases, parents push for the arrest of their drug-crazed children and in the worst scenarios have even pulled the trigger in self-defense.

 

These problems continue in Thailand even though many drug abusers now get the option of “free rehabilitation” rather than criminal penalties.

 

New Narcotics Act

Under the Narcotics Act B.E. 2564, which was implemented in November last year, drug abusers are considered “patients” and allowed to escape penalty provided they sign up for a free rehab regime. No matter what amount of drugs a suspect is caught with, as long as they can prove they are not for sale, they will be offered treatment.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/will-the-gentle-approach-rid-thailand-of-its-drug-problem/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-09-27

 

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[steven100]

10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

“free rehabilitation”

Lol .......     of course the drug addict robber or killer is going to go for the free rehab .....    and as soon as his rehab time is up he's back out on the streets getting high & re-offending again.

Send them to the Philippines ... Duterte had the correct solution to solving the problem.  

[thaichina]

21 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Lol .......     of course the drug addict robber or killer is going to go for the free rehab .....    and as soon as his rehab time is up he's back out on the streets getting high & re-offending again.

Send them to the Philippines ... Duterte had the correct solution to solving the problem.  

1- if anyone kills or rob, wether they are addict or not, they will go to jail, not rehab, so that s BS.

Drug addict robber and killer  is drug warrior talk, fortunatly people like you are disappearing fast... Hate will not solve anything, science moderation and pragmatism will, something far too complicated for you it seems.

 

2- Duterte is a criminal, killing people without any due process is a crime.

 

[Lacessit]

19 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Lol .......     of course the drug addict robber or killer is going to go for the free rehab .....    and as soon as his rehab time is up he's back out on the streets getting high & re-offending again.

Send them to the Philippines ... Duterte had the correct solution to solving the problem.  

Countries that have legalized drug use have found crime rates decrease because the addict no longer has to resort to illegal means of financing their habit.

In terms of crimes of violence, alcohol - a legal drug - is similar to methamphetamine in removing inhibitions.

Left to themselves, pot heads and heroin addicts are fairly harmless. It's the illegality that creates the crime cycle.

 

[bobbin]

31 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Lol .......     of course the drug addict robber or killer is going to go for the free rehab .....    and as soon as his rehab time is up he's back out on the streets getting high & re-offending again.

Send them to the Philippines ... Duterte had the correct solution to solving the problem.  

Uh huh.. extra-judicial execution. State-sponsored murder.

 

Already been tried here in Thailand. It didn't go down well with the Thai people.

 

Do you have a problem with logic? Some people do bad things. Let's kill (murder) them. At that point, the cure is worse than the disease...

[ed strong]

Thailand will never rid itself of its drugs business, too many people involved and too many people making money from it.

 

The US started a 'war on drugs' in the 70 / 80's and managed to stop the biggest trafficker from South America, the source of most drugs. Since then drugs have never been ore readily available, so go figure.

 

You can still walk into any bar in any big city in the world and get most drugs within a couple of hours, that's the reality of the situation. You dont just get rid of that.

 

Of course Thailand is a major production center, so in theory just shut those down first but you wont stop the drug problem.

 

 

 

 

[hioctane]

1 hour ago, ed strong said:

Thailand will never rid itself of its drugs business, too many people involved and too many people making money from it.

 

The US started a 'war on drugs' in the 70 / 80's and managed to stop the biggest trafficker from South America, the source of most drugs. Since then drugs have never been ore readily available, so go figure.

 

You can still walk into any bar in any big city in the world and get most drugs within a couple of hours, that's the reality of the situation. You dont just get rid of that.

 

Of course Thailand is a major production center, so in theory just shut those down first but you wont stop the drug problem.

 

 

 

 

Arresting users is not the way to go. It just leads to overcrowded prisons and more violent criminals on the streets..

[Bday Prang]

There is no intention to eradicate the drug "problem"

As others have said, the "problem" is not the availability of the drugs,

The actual "problem" is the illegality itself , which is responsible for the inflated black-market price  and this, in turn, is responsible for the "mafia" involvement, which, in turn, requires the cooperation of the police and other corrupt officials some of whom  are extremely well connected and all of whom are doing very nicely indeed out of the current set up,

Non of the above involved people have any interest in either  legalizing  of it  or stopping it

[Bday Prang]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Countries that have legalized drug use have found crime rates decrease because the addict no longer has to resort to illegal means of financing their habit.

In terms of crimes of violence, alcohol - a legal drug - is similar to methamphetamine in removing inhibitions.

Left to themselves, pot heads and heroin addicts are fairly harmless. It's the illegality that creates the crime cycle.

 

I would say that left to themselves 99.9% of all drug users are fairly harmless

[d4dang]

the Drug Wars of the 70/80s.  Seems Mr Big/Pablo has been replaced by many new Mr Bigs who seem to be carrying on the Business. There are new products helping to build profits worldwide. Take the money out of the Business by legalizing personal amounts and encouraging addicts to seek treatment.  The Mr Bigs are in it for the money.

[RichardColeman]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Drug addicts sometimes commit shocking crimes in their quest for a fix, even attacking their own family members.

Fine, publish a law stating the immediate death penalty for drug infused murders, and minimum 5 years for serious attacks on people whilst on drugs. Maybe if you know what will happen to you if you get out of your mind in advance, then maybe you will think twice

[mania]

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Left to themselves, pot heads and heroin addicts are fairly harmless. It's the illegality that creates the crime cycle.

You must only know rich addicts that have $$$ for their habit. Because the poor ones know no limit to how low they will go to get a fix

[wombat]

Now that enforcement can concentrate on chemical drugs my guess is a hard yes.

[Geoffggi]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Drug addicts sometimes commit shocking crimes in their quest for a fix, even attacking their own family members. In some cases, parents push for the arrest of their drug-crazed children and in the worst scenarios have even pulled the trigger in self-defense.

 

The problem here is there is a huge methamphetamines  problem here in Thailand as it is relatively cheap to produce and transport, plus there is NO standard for what is produced. This problem needs to be stamped out and the soft approach will not work IMHO.

[fredwiggy]

Marijuana should have been legalized everywhere decades ago. Pot smokers generally aren't hyped up like meth users are. Some people cannot handle drugs of any sort, but stopping them from using is near impossible without intervention and desire. Money is made from all drug sales, and that won't stop even if you you target the main suppliers, like they do. The war won't stop anyway because much of the  drugs are made, and grown, in country areas away from civilization, and are protected by cartel members with weapons, and a lot of police are involved protecting them. Like was mentioned, rich like drugs also, especially cocaine, and that again is protected by crooked law enforcement in every country, because money is to be made. Some drugs should be legalized, most shouldn't. Drugs cause changes in the brain, and some who use them get violent. Alcohol, another drug which is legal, kills far more than any other daily, and there are laws about alcohol use that are ignored, like driving under the influence. Doctors kill thousands of people a year over prescribing opioids, drugs that are extremely strong and very addictive. Where there's money to be made, illegal sales will continue, as will corruption. People love drugs. The problem is that they, like sugar, is addictive and it causes that addiction to continue. Penalties should fit the crime. Users that aren't hurting others should have rehab as an option. People selling drugs to children should get maximum penalties. People who kill others in their search should either get death, of life without parole. People are weak, but some are easily addicted, unless they have strong will power and can stop themselves.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, mania said:

You must only know rich addicts that have $$$ for their habit. Because the poor ones know no limit to how low they will go to get a fix

The real cost of drugs in a mass production environment is peanuts. It's about as complicated as the process of making margarine.

Legally available drugs such as alcohol and tobacco are intrinsically cheap, it's only the taxes levied by governments that make them more expensive.

You don't see smokers and drinkers robbing stores to finance their addiction, do you?

If you don't understand it's the illegality of cocaine, heroin etc. that make them expensive, and therefore fuel crime among addicts, I give up.

Edited September 28, 2022 by Lacessit

[HappyExpat57]

Fighting the war on drugs will NEVER be won. Decriminalize it, standardize it, and tax it. Countries which have done that are the real winners.

[Hairball]

A sad fact of life is that as long as there is human misery(poverty,homelessness,lack of education,horrible upbringings etc etc)there will be a drug problem,even in caring compassionate nations.Incarceration isn’t the answer for the non violent addicts,meaningful assistance is.For those drug addicts who commit actual crimes they should be imprisoned and provided with the means to beat their addiction.Can you save everyone,absolutely not but you can help many 

[Tropposurfer]

16 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Countries that have legalized drug use have found crime rates decrease because the addict no longer has to resort to illegal means of financing their habit.

In terms of crimes of violence, alcohol - a legal drug - is similar to methamphetamine in removing inhibitions.

Left to themselves, pot heads and heroin addicts are fairly harmless. It's the illegality that creates the crime cycle.

 

Thanks for stating some FACTS and data proven TRUTH Lacessit ????????

[Thingamabob]

The biggest business in Thailand by far. It will never go away. Should have been legalised years ago. Harsh treatment of addicts never works. An effort, at least, should be made to rehabilitate them.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Under the Narcotics Act B.E. 2564, which was implemented in November last year, drug abusers are considered “patients” and allowed to escape penalty provided they sign up for a free rehab regime. No matter what amount of drugs a suspect is caught with, as long as they can prove they are not for sale, they will be offered treatment.

Hence Thailands massive drug trade and abuse.

[Lacessit]

7 hours ago, Hairball said:

A sad fact of life is that as long as there is human misery(poverty,homelessness,lack of education,horrible upbringings etc etc)there will be a drug problem,even in caring compassionate nations.Incarceration isn’t the answer for the non violent addicts,meaningful assistance is.For those drug addicts who commit actual crimes they should be imprisoned and provided with the means to beat their addiction.Can you save everyone,absolutely not but you can help many 

There are many drug users that do not have the problems you mention, cocaine is used by people quite high in the social demographic. Stock traders in New York, football players, politicians, lawyers. The poverty comes later, after they have exhausted their funds in pursuit of their specific addiction. The number of people with lives ruined by the legal drug, alcohol, is legion.

 

The sad fact of life is, there is no chemical humans will not use and abuse in the pursuit of oblivion or a high. Some addicts are in control of their addiction, others enter a downward spiral.

 

The USA has spent billions of dollars trying to eliminate the drug trade, the authorities are no further along the road in suppression than when they started. There is just too much money involved in profiting from illicit drugs. That profit vanishes when a drug is legal.

 

I would legalize all drug use, the only proviso being any person committing a crime while under the influence of drugs gets the same treatment in a law court as someone who was not.

 

[fredwiggy]

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The real cost of drugs in a mass production environment is peanuts. It's about as complicated as the process of making margarine.

Legally available drugs such as alcohol and tobacco are intrinsically cheap, it's only the taxes levied by governments that make them more expensive.

You don't see smokers and drinkers robbing stores to finance their addiction, do you?

If you don't understand it's the illegality of cocaine, heroin etc. that make them expensive, and therefore fuel crime among addicts, I give up.

Actually, people , daily, rob stores for alcohol, cigarettes, food or the money to obtain these, and store owners are shot, and sometimes killed, for just a few dollars by people who are either high or wanting to be. Illegality of course ups the price of drugs, but crime will always be around because of poverty, and many people look at drugs as more important than food, and when they "need" a fix, they will do anything to get it. Price means little to an addict. They will sell their own mothers for it.

[zzaa09]

11 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Fighting the war on drugs will NEVER be won. Decriminalize it, standardize it, and tax it. Countries which have done that are the real winners.

What of the accepted pharmaceutical/medical circles, whom are the truer criminal element - continuing to ply their wares causing much more damage on the unsuspecting and dumbed down populations.

 

The fabricated [and historic] ideals of so called illicit drugs don't even touch, in comparison, the ills on society that over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals have had. 

 

Most have been hoodwinked as to the direction of this make believe war on drugs has been driven.