Britons jailed for drug smuggling

[Guest]

These two blokes in the OP seem to have caused quite a thread. Ok, here is my two bahts worth:

 

Seems like most board members are in agreement with the whole concept of free will. As long as that free will doesn't transform itself into something that causes them or their loved ones harm. ie:druggies outside of child's school, or those 'horrible' prostitutes that cause so many problems...(typed with sarcasm)

That is why I like this board. Alot of good discussions with some silliness thrown in the mix for good flavor.

cheers,

[Guest]

>>>the whole concept of free will. <<<

 

 

i think that is very much the point.

in case of drugs it is the illegality which inhibits free will, and harms people. drugs are a victimless "crime". the many victims are by crimes related to the very restrictive laws - not the drugs.

or does anyone honestly believe that a drugaddict robs people just because he gets some sort of satisfaction out of it?

 

i have never made a secret out of that i feel uncomfortable with the massive amount of prostitution, but do i propose to bar that by law, other than indentured and underaged prostitution? no fucking way!

there are better ways to decrease the massive industry here, such as creation of employment opportunities upcountry, strengthening commmunities, etc.

[MaiLuk]

>how many people, especially in bangkok or pattaya, do you know who are drunk almost every day, crawling with a hangover to their jobs? is that a healthy, responsible way of living? i don't think so.

<

 

Agreed. But there is no way to make alcohol illegal because its too ingrained in the culture so we have to live with alcoholism. If you legalize everything else then we will have to live with the resulting addictions.

 

You will respond: "People are addicted anyway." True enough.

 

If you use drugs that is up to you and the fact that its illegal is irrelevant to me. You should do what you want. But make it legal for everyone and there may be too many people who will fall into addiction.

 

Having too much personal experience with drugs and its effects on normal humans, I can only say that a large % of people whom i have known who take them are unable to control it. It may be an inherent weakness or whatever but a fact nonetheless. One thing is for certain is that the illegality did not stop them.

 

My main question with legalizing it would be: Are we going to have a huge increase in addiction? Or will the addiction levels stay constant?

 

You can buy cigarretes and alcohol everywhere and as a result many chain smoke and almost every youth (and old fart) drinks too much. Are we going to have nightly specials in the bars "crack hit with a tequilla chaser"? Shit that sounds kind of good ::

 

Well as you can see from the way I argue that I don't have a strong position either way but the idea of legalizing everything will require some more convincing at least for me. Scientific studies to start with. What about amsterdam? What effects do drugs have there? I should know this but is cocaine legal there?

[Guest]

>>>Agreed. But there is no way to make alcohol illegal because its too ingrained in the culture so we have to live with alcoholism. If you legalize everything else then we will have to live with the resulting addictions.<<<

 

one of the perversions of the internationally restrictive druglaws is that countries where for example cannabis was the traditional stimulant, and not alcohol, such as cambodia, were forced to outlaw cannabis, and not alcohol.

here in thailand's villages it is rather obvious that many people cannot deal with alcohol, but can deal with cannabis. in my missus's village you still have many old people who use cannabis all the time, and youngsters only occasionally. but when same youngsters open the bottle they rarely stop before legless, having fights, making am misery out of their family life.

 

 

 

>>>My main question with legalizing it would be: Are we going to have a huge increase in addiction? Or will the addiction levels stay constant?<<<

 

i think it depends very much on several factors.

is legalisation done properly, controlled, taking the drugs out of the hand of the syndicates, or is it just giving up, empowering those syndicates?

also, i believe the tendency to addiction are dominated by several factors, inherent ones (genetics predisposition?), and environmental.

just look for example at the rise of amphetamin addiction in thailand - the pills were legal for years, and when made illegal not really that severely punished at first. the real problems started with the increasing competetiveness in the boom years, and it got out of hand during/after the crises. so, was that the problem of the pills, or of politicians/businessmen consistenly mismanaging the country, making a misery out of people's life. so that those people had to take a substance to make life more bearable?

 

 

 

 

>>>Well as you can see from the way I argue that I don't have a strong position either way but the idea of legalizing everything will require some more convincing at least for me. Scientific studies to start with. What about amsterdam? What effects do drugs have there? I should know this but is cocaine legal there?<<<

 

i don't think that cocain is legal there, but it is widely available, and consum not punished (?).

but yes, scientific studies have to be made. actually, many in favour of legalisation have been made, but are ignored by politicians (a sort of people who very much benefit from keeping drugs illegal - a tough stand on drugs does help very much in your reelection by the brainwashed and misinformed population).

just look how closely connected restrictive druglaws are to "most favoured nation status". do poor countries have any other choice than joining the drugwar?

has the drugwar in the US led to anything else than further violence? does the US not have some of the highest drug addiction rates in the world? the highest per capita rate of prison inmates, many because of drugs and "drug related" crimes (which would me almost non-existent if drugs would be legalised)?

[sayjann]

this is not a response to anyone in particular.

 

over the last 25 Years i have met many drug users,some who control their habit well and others who do not.

i understand why/how people get addicted and will admit i have sampled the odd 'social' substance.

i have been offered 'harder' drugs but always declined as i know how it can affect people and i don't want to go down that road and will not.

 

my 'drugs' of choice are Tobacco and Alcohol.

i have smoked for 30 Years and know i will never be able to stop,even though i want to.

i will make a confession by telling all of you that i have a problem with Alcohol.

i need it every Day and i cannot imagine not having a drink every Day.

i never drink before or during work but other times i go for it.

 

i am lucky that i have been able to resist the temptation of drugs,but unlucky that i cannot resist Alcohol.

to me personally Alcohol is evil and i know that in the future it will cause problems for me.

in fact i am already starting to suffer certain effects and my Doctor is very concerned.

but fuck it,my choice to drink myself to death using a 'legal' drug.

 

i see people who are in the same boat as me(hard drugs,not alcohol)and i do pity them.

looking back over more than half my life i wonder who is the most afflicted?.

me with a 'legal' narcotic or others with 'illegal' narcotics.

 

i hope everybody that i know who is on drugs can sort themselves out better than i can.........

[Guest]

thank you very much for the post here.

it shows exactly the reality of dependency - it has nothing to do with legality, but with individual choice.

and who knows, maybe your alcohol habit has also saved you from worse? it might give you the necessary outlet for your frustrations, which otherwise might have eaten you up in a far more unhealthy way.

people are different, some can only function in today's society with the support of a substance.

people should not be punished for that. only lucky for you, that your substance is legal.

[Fiery Jack]

flyonzewall said:...how many people... do you know who are drunk almost every day, crawling with a hangover to their jobs? is that a healthy, responsible way of living? i don't think so.

 

I agree 100%. I just ring in sick then stay in bed all day till the pubs open.

 

Hope that's helpful.

 

jack

[Guest]

Fiery Jack said:

flyonzewall said:...how many people... do you know who are drunk almost every day, crawling with a hangover to their jobs? is that a healthy, responsible way of living? i don't think so.

 

I agree 100%. I just ring in sick then stay in bed all day till the pubs open.

 

Hope that's helpful.

 

jack

 

geez Fly, I did that for 20 years.

 

FJ ....... you got to get the local pub to home deliver so you don't have to walk all the way there.

[Guest]

Suzi says: So "druggies" are bad, but "whoremongers" and industialised prostitution is OK?

"Druggies" should die, but "whoremongers" should get easier easier visa privlidges?

Drugs and druggies cause social devastation, but fueling the prostitution industry is like charity work?

 

 

Yeah, that about sums it up for me. Surprised though that with rules here against drug discussions, you've got a certain Aryan person proudly crowing about how he likes using drugs. As usual, the rules here don't apply to everyone.

[CondomKing]

After all is said and done I do feel sorry for any dumb bastard who does someting so stupid that they wind up spending their life in prison, Thailand or anywhere else.