Drugs and Punishment

So here's my take on the whole drug issue, or if you like some policy tweaking we can undertake.

(1) The Death Penalty
I agree that the death penalty should be left in place, but it shouldn't be manatory. There should be a whole range of penalties, with the death penalty being saved as the tool of last resort. Sort of like the A Bomb of punishment. Sort of like murder. This gives our judges wider discretion when dealing with specific cases. So we don't have to kill a person who was blackmailed into carrying drugs from one point to another.

(2) Stopping Supply
Outside of just hanging runners, there can be a much better way to curb supply. More policemen, more vigilance and alot more catching would work. Just as Mr Wang puts it.

We could also work with the Thai authorities and try to curb some of flow. And maybe secretly spy on the Burmese, especially since Western intelligence agencies would have a harder time getting in. We could help spy on anti-narcotic missions and perhaps stop the flow of drugs from the Golden Triangle.

Work with our ASEAN neighbours to stem the tide of these drugs. Explain to the producing nations that it is in the interest of the region to eradicate the supply.

Also work with Interpol to stop known drug dealers from coming through. I believe we can do these things without too much hassle

(3) Stopping demand
Education is a big part. Singapre's anti-drug education relies solely on scare tactics. Maybe it could also talk about the economic and social consequences.

As for punishment, I think it should play a secondary role to rehab. Concentrate on rehab and have a system in place whereby former addicts are kept under tabs, so as to prevent them from returning to the drug. Usually integration into a group or community helps stem the return to drugs. Drug users tend to be drawn to drugs because they need to "fill a hole" in their lives. A community of some sort can help them fill some of the gaps. Also attaching a counsellor to the former user, and mandating a check every few months might work to curb use.

Recreational drug users may be a harder problem to deal with. They have the money and the means to travel elsewhere to get their drugs. Again I advocate an ASEAN wide sort of initiative. Work together to address the drug problem.

Companies should be encouraged to carry out random drug tests and an initial drug test before hiring. This practise is already carried out in the US, and I know some recreational drug users quit using drugs because they start working and cannot afford to use these drugs if they want to hold on to their good jobs.

I also suggest much harsher punishments for repeat offenders under the new system. I believe that after all the help and guidance, there is a relapse, the person should stay longer in rehab prison, so as to assure that the user is more throughly cut off from supply and detoxed once again. Put him on a closer inspection regime and psychological help. Alot of addiction is mental. Perhaps the limit should be 5 times before much harsher action should be taken (which I do not know what harsher punishment should be meted out, but death might work as a deterrent for repeats)



In all honesty I believe the death penalty to be a demand deterrent currently (makes us scared to even try), but better policing could lead to a supply fall as well. Working with our neighbours would help reduce supply further. And a more intensive rehab program with much more resources put to post-release integration would help tons.