Foreign Drug Syndicate Busted In Bangkok

[newtronbom]

This data extracted from the pdf link above:

A few observations:

1. Yaabaa seems to be more than a crime here, perhaps an epidemic?

2. Marijuana is the easiest of all to identify, hence high number of offenders.

3. Cocaine user numbers are IMO fairly equal to Marijuana but look at the numbers?

4. The numbers shown here are only those caught; maybe 10 or 100 people avoid arrest for every one caught?

I am a firm believer in legalization of all drugs. It is impossible to stop production and consumption, so the only option is to control supply. Much like potatoes, if you produce enough inside your country you have no need for imports. Drugs could be a source of tax revenue used to fund hospitals, clinics etc. Money saved on policing and huge organisations (eg DEA) could also be much better spent elsewhere.

I agree that the money spent on fighting drugs could be better spent, but it would be very easy to stop, or almost stop the production by illegal labs. It could be done! Production is based on demand, right? There is plenty of demand all over the world. That is a fact and one of the biggest problems right there! Well, if all world the governments got together and went into mass production of these drugs, they could produce the drugs at a fraction of the cost of the illegal drug labs. The drugs could then be sold cheaper than the illegal suppliers, putting them out of business in short time (pure economics!). The drugs would be pure - less deaths from adulterants = regular consistency = less over doses - plenty of clinics, to administer them safely and cleanly, takes away the thrill temptation of younger users just out to break the law in what they see as a little bit. If this was done for a year, there would no longer be any illegal drug labs out there, so we should all be better off. The only real reason I can think of, for why this is not done, is that there are too many government and police people out there, profiting from the illegal trade! Punishment as a deterrent, obviously doesn't work. Even the horrendous punishments handed out every day by the courts, for supplying a demand that exists already! Not comparable to the relatively "light punishments" handed out for actually killing a person. The world governments would all benefit from the taxes earned, plus the savings in not having so many drug offenders in prison, for manufacturing, selling, and at the bottom of the chain, using!! Think of the daily cost of keeping all these people behind bars! Better spent where the money could really help people - drug educational programs and activities for the young, plus finding out just why it is, that so many people like to use drugs.

Edited August 26, 2009 by newtronbom

[brahmburgers]

This data extracted from the pdf link above:

A few observations:

1. Yaabaa seems to be more than a crime here, perhaps an epidemic?

2. Marijuana is the easiest of all to identify, hence high number of offenders.

3. Cocaine user numbers are IMO fairly equal to Marijuana but look at the numbers?

4. The numbers shown here are only those caught; maybe 10 or 100 people avoid arrest for every one caught?

I am a firm believer in legalization of all drugs. It is impossible to stop production and consumption, so the only option is to control supply. Much like potatoes, if you produce enough inside your country you have no need for imports. Drugs could be a source of tax revenue used to fund hospitals, clinics etc. Money saved on policing and huge organisations (eg DEA) could also be much better spent elsewhere.

I agree that the money spent on fighting drugs could be better spent, but it would be very easy to stop, or almost stop the production by illegal labs. It could be done! Production is based on demand, right? There is plenty of demand all over the world. That is a fact and one of the biggest problems right there! Well, if all world the governments got together and went into mass production of these drugs, they could produce the drugs at a fraction of the cost of the illegal drug labs. The drugs could then be sold cheaper than the illegal suppliers, putting them out of business in short time (pure economics!). The drugs would be pure - less deaths from adulterants = regular consistency = less over doses - plenty of clinics, to administer them safely and cleanly, takes away the thrill temptation of younger users just out to break the law in what they see as a little bit. If this was done for a year, there would no longer be any illegal drug labs out there, so we should all be better off. The only real reason I can think of, for why this is not done, is that there are too many government and police people out there, profiting from the illegal trade! Punishment as a deterrent, obviously doesn't work. Even the horrendous punishments handed out every day by the courts, for supplying a demand that exists already! Not comparable to the relatively "light punishments" handed out for actually killing a person. The world governments would all benefit from the taxes earned, plus the savings in not having so many drug offenders in prison, for manufacturing, selling, and at the bottom of the chain, using!! Think of the daily cost of keeping all these people behind bars! Better spent where the money could really help people - drug educational programs and activities for the young, plus finding out just why it is, that so many people like to use drugs.

You're looking at the issue sensibly and logically and perhaps compassionately. And as you probably know, governments don't look at issues with sensibleness and logic in mind. They certainly don't look with compassion. Governments the world over are beholden to big business and and military. As Gen/Pres. Eisenhower so succintly put it, "beware of the military industrial complex"

As I write, I'm sipping a soda water mixed with a bit of pure lime juice. Sometimes I mix in a slight bit of sugar cane juice. Could you go in any bar in Thailand and get such a drink? No. Perhaps you could get soda water, though they might look at you like a wimp. As we all know, you go in to any bar, and there's little else than beer, wine and hard liquor on offer. It's a microcosm of top down mentality that prevails in gov'ts. You don't get the simple healthy cheap option. You're always offered or forced to accept the expensive less healthy option that feeds in to big business coffers.

That's a BiiiiiiiG reason why pot is illegal and much more damaging drugs like hard liquor are legal. There are a host of other reasons, but that main reason is because liquor beer and wine can be controlled and taxed, whereas any 11 yr old hippie with a bucket of soil can grow pot. Pot can't be controlled, therefore none of its proceeds go in to fat cats' pockets, therefore it has to be illegal. It has nothing to do with it's affects on the brain.

[newtronbom]

You're looking at the issue sensibly and logically and perhaps compassionately. And as you probably know, governments don't look at issues with sensibleness and logic in mind. They certainly don't look with compassion. Governments the world over are beholden to big business and and military. As Gen/Pres. Eisenhower so succintly put it, "beware of the military industrial complex"

As I write, I'm sipping a soda water mixed with a bit of pure lime juice. Sometimes I mix in a slight bit of sugar cane juice. Could you go in any bar in Thailand and get such a drink? No. Perhaps you could get soda water, though they might look at you like a wimp. As we all know, you go in to any bar, and there's little else than beer, wine and hard liquor on offer. It's a microcosm of top down mentality that prevails in gov'ts. You don't get the simple healthy cheap option. You're always offered or forced to accept the expensive less healthy option that feeds in to big business coffers.

That's a BiiiiiiiG reason why pot is illegal and much more damaging drugs like hard liquor are legal. There are a host of other reasons, but that main reason is because liquor beer and wine can be controlled and taxed, whereas any 11 yr old hippie with a bucket of soil can grow pot. Pot can't be controlled, therefore none of its proceeds go in to fat cats' pockets, therefore it has to be illegal. It has nothing to do with it's affects on the brain.

Sorry for the late reply. Been away. I think you are right. It is an issue of control and as you quite rightly point out, they couldn't easily control pot - so make it illegal and get the money anyway! Do you agree though, that my idea is sound? I still think it could be done - providing there was the commitment. The biggest hurdle as I see it, would be the "big players" who are in a position - either in gvt or else where - to profit from illegal sales. Maybe I am just being paranoid..........

[newtronbom]

I used to grow some of the best quality bud in N.California. I didn't smoke the stuff, so I had fellow growers over at harvest time to attest its quality. The only time I smoked was way back in the Flower Power daze, and only from peer pressure. I didn't like the high, so I quit, simple as that. I've never bought the stuff.

However, I have close friends who smoke ganga religiously every day of the year. They're aging. One of 'em put a one hole golf course on his property. Another rebuilds carborators in his living room. I'd much rather have an aging pot smoking hippie living next door than an aging alchie. Alcoholics, in contrast, have a host of problems and cost the rest of us tens of billions of dollars annually from the messes they make. Everything from car crashes to heightened insurance premiums, to less hospital beds, to beaten women.

If Thai lawmakers could see beyond what Uncle Sam dictates (regarding illegal substances) they might realize that pot smoking is a tiny problem compared to alc drinks and subscription drugs.

It would also help if Thai lawmakers had any capacity for original thinking and/or any experience with the drugs they legislate. By their heavy handed, follow-the-American-lead draconian laws, they ruin peoples' lives - people who are causing a whole lot less harm than whiskey dealers and the rest of the allowable drug dealers.

It's almost criminal, the way "Uncle Sam" pushes their version of law on other countries, who must follow those dictates, or fear economic consequences! You have said it very well!

[mca]

Let us know when they will burn it so we can stand down-wind.

They ought to save it for the next political rally of whatever faction and then spark it up over the crowd.

"Pi Nong Khrap!!! There are dark forces at work in our beloved country determined to pull Thailand into the abyss! But forget all that bullsh#t mon. Fire up da chalice, sekkle and give a warm Khrung Thep welcome to my bad bwoy from back in da yard Lee Scratch Perry. Feel da bass through your head mon! And if anybody's going near a 7-11 I'll be 'avin 3 foot long hot dogs and a couple of bags of sour cream and onion Lays. Me's got da munchies something chronic me breddah!"

A dam_n sight cheaper than having a load of babylon on duty I reckon.

[Geekfreaklover]

Sorry for the late reply. Been away. I think you are right. It is an issue of control and as you quite rightly point out, they couldn't easily control pot - so make it illegal and get the money anyway! Do you agree though, that my idea is sound? I still think it could be done - providing there was the commitment. The biggest hurdle as I see it, would be the "big players" who are in a position - either in gvt or else where - to profit from illegal sales. Maybe I am just being paranoid..........

Newtron,

Sometimes being paranoid is just having all the facts.

Of course you are right. Histrocially drugs were all legal. It was only 1914 (Harrison act) that drugs first beacme ilegal in american. This was a piece of legislation based on racism more then anything else. The US were scared of the Chinese raping their women whilst high on Opuim and the black americans going crazy whilst fuelled on concaine. What was quite a small act at the time has led to many lives of misery, executions, prison sentences.

There must be a better way to handle what is a medical and social problem.

[TAWP]

Newtron,

Sometimes being paranoid is just having all the facts.

Of course you are right. Histrocially drugs were all legal. It was only 1914 (Harrison act) that drugs first beacme ilegal in american. This was a piece of legislation based on racism more then anything else. The US were scared of the Chinese raping their women whilst high on Opuim and the black americans going crazy whilst fuelled on concaine. What was quite a small act at the time has led to many lives of misery, executions, prison sentences.

There must be a better way to handle what is a medical and social problem.

And the anti-Mexican sentiments of the time and then connecting it to Marijuana.

[Tomissan]

"There must be a better way to handle what is a medical and social problem."

Unfortunately, the gov't is at the helm and alcohol prohibition until legalization wasn't all that different than the pot laws of today.....$$$$$$$$$$$.....California is now re-writing the pot laws and it may not be very long until legal, only because of the income from taxes and the profit from growing it themselves. It's a pretty harmless substitute for alcohol and if legalized it would save the state (Calif) $50,000 per man and make room for more felons from alcohol crimes. .....just wondering, if California did legalize it, would it still be a moving violation (ticket) if caught driving to slow in the fast lane?

Edited August 29, 2009 by Tomissan