Originally published at: Documentary about Singapore's deadly drug war | Boing Boing
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…government claims that the death penalty deters drug trafficking.
Some people are still desperate for escape, however dangerous or fleeting, from their situations, and addicts without help are going to stay addicted.
Harsher penalties only raise the risk, stakes, and prices of drugs. The market for drugs will remain as long as enough people feel the need for it.
A government that actually helps its struggling citizens might deter the mass market for drugs.
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Visiting Singapore is a unique experience and a place I’ve been to several times and have enjoyed. It’s a country full of contradictions but they are pretty darn clear about their drug enforcement. The immigration card is quite explicit:
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I had an email pen pal in Singapore for awhile. He was head of a small toy company. He ended up getting me a G1 reissue of Megatron from Transformers with no orange cap or anything with all the original accessories!
I also communicated some with his secretary, who told me about Astro Boy. He was a stray golden retriever they rescued, but I guess he was technically “illegal” so they had to keep him secret.
Anyway, it looks like a nice place to visit. I hear their national garden is amazing.
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For drugs or did he do something else?
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Actually, it was for a spree killing, but the same idea applies to drug traffickers.
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I worked in Malaysia and Singapore for a while in the early 2000s, and drugs were not difficult to find. I didn’t partake, and I didn’t hang around when they appeared - I didn’t trust the risk assessment skills of the people telling me there would be no trouble, and they probably didn’t need my vibe. But there was plenty of weed, plenty of ecstasy, and plenty more besides, I’m sure.
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Yikes, well at least it wasn’t for petty crime.
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