Why Thailand is moving closer to decriminalizing meth

Patrick Winn

 

The war on drugs is futile. So why not just decriminalize meth?

 

It's not a sentiment you'd expect from senior officials in any authoritarian country — let alone from a strait-laced army general, draped in medals, who came to power in a coup.

 

But Thailand's top law enforcement officer is now pursuing this radical notion with vigor.

 

Full story: http://theweek.com/articles/648585/why-thailand-moving-closer-decriminalizing-meth

 

The Week 2016-10-02

I think that most drugs should be legalized, but, IMO, speed is an especially dangerous one. Staying awake days at a time can make one paranoid and psychotic. It would be much smarter to stick with something natural like opium.

Yes, of all drugs to start with, meth?!?!?  I guess decriminalize it but don't give it full legalization. Maybe have it sold only in government approved shops.They could make is more "safely" if that can be done with meth and sell it so cheaply that drug dealers would have little reason to sell it anymore. 

 

I don't know maybe they are right but the idea seems a bit crazy to me. I suppose they could deal a blow to the narcos. I guess they can't stop it anyway so why not? If they clear out the prisons they could actually put away people for other crimes although many of them will be related to being on meth.So I guess the compromise is let them do meth but if they break into houses or do robberies make it stick. 

 

This is sort of disturbing though.... people using it while driving isn't the same as the other examples. lol

 

"But in reality, we just don't see the drug-crazed junkie here," he says. "We see students using it to study. Or truck drivers using it to stay awake. We see people who harvest rubber, at three in the morning, using it to stay alert in the forest."

Edited October 2, 20169 yr by anotheruser

49 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

I think that most drugs should be legalized, but, IMO, speed is an especially dangerous one. Staying awake days at a time can make one paranoid and psychotic. It would be much smarter to stick with something natural like opium.

I agree that most drugs should be legalised, but ice is definitely not one of them. You just need to ask any mental health or emergency department worker what the worst drug in the world is, and they will tell you it is methamphetamine. Mental health institutions around the world are full of people suffering from drug induced psychosis because of this shit. I have even been to a mental health seminar where the main topic was "Bring back heroin", the argument being that if you didn't die from overdosing on the shit, at least it didn't totally destroy your brain

Edited October 2, 20169 yr by FATOZ

If I was making a list of drugs to legalize meth would be about last on the

list...

 

Start with marijuana and psychedelic drugs and work down the drug list...

I bet a lot of people would be happy if quaaludes were legal again...lol

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 20169 yr by fforest1

the stats on Portugal after they legalised went 'against" all expectations. why is no one using Portugal as a success?

 

But  don't get caught with an 'e-cigarette'.!

Of all the bad ideas the Government comes up with,

this tops them all,this is one of the most dangerous

drugs,and legalizing it,would lead to a increase in

users,I suppose this would mean the Government

would have a monopoly in producing and distribution,

as they now have with tobacco ,

regards worgeordie

15 minutes ago, HHTel said:

But  don't get caught with an 'e-cigarette'.!

 you beat me to it   ...ok to get off your face on meth  but  get caught vaping  and get thrown in the big house  Thailand is  Nucking Futs !

4 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Of all the bad ideas the Government comes up with,

this tops them all,this is one of the most dangerous

drugs,and legalizing it,would lead to a increase in

users,I suppose this would mean the Government

would have a monopoly in producing and distribution,

as they now have with tobacco ,

regards worgeordie

Hmm I would imagine this could be a big lose of revenue for the BIB

2 minutes ago, steve down under said:

 you beat me to it   ...ok to get off your face on meth  but  get caught vaping  and get thrown in the big house  Thailand is  Nucking Futs !

Not too bad here didn't a guy get shot in the USA for pointing a Vap at a cop?  Or did I get it wrong?

dont think the cops would be happy with that. drugs are big money for them. i gave them 8000thb to keep 2 of my staff out of jail when they found some yabba in their motorbike. their parents actually paid me the money back. amazing thailand.

I'll admit, was a bit surprised that the first drug to legalize or decriminalize would be meth...

 

although after ter reading the article, understand that here in Thailand this is likely one of the most used drugs 

 

Also possession of small amount of Meth is such a huge percentage of what prisoners have been locked away for

 

given this, maybe not such a huge surprise that discussion is starting with Meth

 

 

People wondering why this one was chosen and other drugs remain illegal? Crazy is the norm so why not just make it legal?

 

Actually, the explanation is that a huge dealer connected to a Thai army general was reported by a foreign drug enforcement agency as involved in international trafficking. The only way to avoid an extradition request was for him to face the courts in Thailand. As everyone knows the Thai military government has publicly supported harsh penalties upon those caught with drugs - (remember the Aussie guy recently who just got sentenced to 40 years for pills that belonged to his girlfriend.)

Well, there is a very good reason meth was the drug chosen to be decriminalized. That's the same drug this well connected insider dealt in and it's the perfect way the Thai military government can send a big middle finger to the UnitedStates when he basically gets a get out of jail free pass. 

Oh and don't expect to read about this in Thai media- the military controls that as well.

Edited October 2, 20169 yr by Time Traveller

29 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

dont think the cops would be happy with that. drugs are big money for them. i gave them 8000thb to keep 2 of my staff out of jail when they found some yabba in their motorbike. their parents actually paid me the money back. amazing thailand.

 

Quite frankly, I think it would have been better for them in the long term if they had gone to jail.

Won't happen. In 1942 when people were turning away from opium which was illegal and harmful but extortionately 'taxed', they  were turning to Kratom which is relatively harmless and got people through the day, was very cheap or free. It grows on trees. So they made that illegal also, as well as marijuana and psilocybin.

Time Traveller

Even if what you say is true, and the motives are not pure...

Does that really matter?


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28 minutes ago, CWMcMurray said:

Time Traveller

Even if what you say is true, and the motives are not pure...

Does that really matter?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

It's a forum.  People discuss things.  Maybe stick to reading newspapers if discussions are not your bag?

5 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

I think that most drugs should be legalized, but, IMO, speed is an especially dangerous one. Staying awake days at a time can make one paranoid and psychotic. It would be much smarter to stick with something natural like opium.

 

w ell the for that matter why legalize or decriminalize meth?..does the same as speed 10 fold

making drugs illegal is very nice, we can say such and such is bad so it should be illegal, but in the real world does making drugs illegal prevent or slow down the use of them? not at all according to the evidence

1 hour ago, ebonykap said:

 

Quite frankly, I think it would have been better for them in the long term if they had gone to jail.

i didnt want to support their families while they were in the can.

jailing small term users for years has proved to be a complete waste of time on the war on drugs.

Edited October 2, 20169 yr by williamgeorgeallen

It's a forum.  People discuss things.  Maybe stick to reading newspapers if discussions are not your bag?

Not sure I understand the comment?

I have no problem with discussions.

My post was basically meaning .. If a good thing is done for the wrong reasons, does that make it any less of a good thing?

So was promoting more discussion not trying to stop discussion


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3 hours ago, wombat said:

the stats on Portugal after they legalised went 'against" all expectations. why is no one using Portugal as a success?

 

 

Because people do not want answers that were not their idea.  Many did cocaine back the 1980's and then they just stopped.  Education is the only thing that has combated drugs successfully.  

 

The junta maybe trying to make meth less profitable by making it legal. 

I can't see anything good coming from legalizing meth

 

1 minute ago, CWMcMurray said:

 

 

Not sure I understand the comment?

I have no problem with discussions.

My post was basically meaning .. If a good thing is done for the wrong reasons, does that make it any less of a good thing?

So was promoting more discussion not trying to stop discussion


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

 

OK, sorry, I misunderstood you.  

 

Not sure if I'd call it a good thing.  What I fear is more angry psychos out on the street.  As an aside, I remember watching a documentary about Jamaica and how the vibe over there changed when people switched from pot to cocaine.  

 

I hope it doesn't come to the legalization..they can't even control the drunk drivers resulting in so many accidents & deaths & they're talking about something that would increase violent elements in the society..they should start with strictly controlled Marijuana first to see if they can even control that..with all the harsh punishments from time to time I see some young kid or a labor high on meth acting like a lunatic..

Decriminalizing meth but marijuana will remain illegal. Insane.

Is meth the same as yaba? And is it the same as the good old speed (white, yellowish, pinkish) powder we snorted back in the days? And is ice that too? I can't follow with all these names. If these are different substances please explain...

Speed

Ice

Meth

Yaba 

????

 

Better legalise weed and opium and kratom etc first.

 

Doesn't Wut the taxi driver sound like the one you want to be picked up by after he has been doing meth for three days and hears voices? 

I didn't know royals were still taking up causes until reading this article. I've been waiting for one to take up the litter problem, maybe make it fashionable to aim for a can. One problem at a time I guess...

 

But yeah, meth is the Thai generation's drug of choice. And with prisoners sleeping like canned sardines, it's either build more prisons and turn more nonviolent users into criminals, or backstep from the current direction. It doesn't look good going from executing dealers to institutionalizing the supply - no matter what drug they decide to decriminalize.

Edited October 2, 20169 yr by cncltd1973