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| High-potency skunk |
In "Most UK cannabis 'super strength skunk'", Michelle Roberts (2018) says that over the past decade the percentage of marijuana in the form of skunk, made from plants containing relatively much higher amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than cannabidiol (CBD), has increased from 85% to 94% in 2016 based on analyses of the drugs seized by police. Roberts reports that this rise is likely a result of the illegal drug users' preference for the stronger "high" that comes from high THC levels, although health experts are worried that this also appears to increase the risk of psychological disorders.
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My response
I just made up the 60% figure for the purposes of my example. I have no idea whether it reflects reality or not. I'm not about stop my own addiction to chocolate cake. Mmm ... chocolate cake! I think it's afternoon coffee time! More realistically, I am certain that alcohol is a much more harmful drug to users than marijuana in any form is, and yet it's the more harmful alcohol, such as the red wines that my family and I favour, that are legal whilst the less harmful marijuana is not. This seems not only stupid to me, but positively unjust. Whatever arguments are used to punish marijuana users for enjoying their favoured drug of choice must apply even more strongly to people like me who enjoy a glass or two or Merlot or whatever at a family dinner. And then there are those champagne drinkers! And don't get me started on the deadly whisky addicts! (Another confession: I'm also partial to a cognac occasionally.)
Although I think it is important for people, especially drug users, to have accurate information about the drugs that they are using, and for the law to protect others from the harms that drug users might threaten them with, I can't think of any good reason why something like marijuana should be illegal while the worse drug alcohol is legal. Thankfully, some countries, and an increasing number of US states' are realising that their seriously irrational drug laws are also morally bad, and they are reforming them accordingly.
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My question
What do you think? Should marijuana be legalised in Thailand?
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Reference
- Roberts, M. (2018, February 28). Most UK cannabis 'super strength skunk'. BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/health-43196566
My word counts here are 97 for the summary, which I'm happy with because it's even below 100, and 367 for my response, which wanders a bit as we expect in this sort of writing for fluency.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that drug user should have an information about the drug their use and government should regulate a law for protection the others who do not use its. However, I also have an argument that marijuana should be legal in Thailand because Thai peoples have lower responsibility than others developed countries. Current law in Thailand is very strict in alcohol consumption but we also see many traffic accidents due to drunk drivers. I also don't sure that government officers or polices can regulate the law as much as the law written. In conclusion I think that marijuana should be illegal in Thailand.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gaii. You present a good reason for disagreeing with me. Now I need to respond to your argument, or change my mind if I don't have a good response to the point you raise.
DeleteI'll wait a bit to see if your classmates would like to help me, or maybe they'll help you. I especially like the point you make that the facts regularly show that alcohol is a very deadly drug in Thailand, in fact, the road deaths easily make alcohol the most harmful drug to Thai society, even before we look at the other harms caused by the addictive drug alcohol.