Bhutan, one the least developed nations in South East Asia is the first country in the world to ban tobacco sales. So this isn't news, they did it in 2010.

 

Bhutan banned the sale of tobacco in 2010 but tightened up its law further last year to combat smuggling, requiring consumers to provide valid customs receipts for their cigarettes or chewi g tobacco, which is more common.

In March this year a monk caught carrying $2.50-worth of tobacco was jailed for three years, becoming the first person punished under the country's antismoking law.

 

So are these laws too draconian?

 

Could they work in a country with a population over 1million?

 

Should we all just follow suit?

 

A part of me wants to stand applaud them... But part of me wonders if it isn't too far.

 

 

Some may argue that all drugs should be legal (as they are in Portugal). You can't control what people want to consume and what they don't. The government should rather educate and give the power to the people to choose what they want to consume, using unbiased knowledge as a tool. Also, knowledge shouldn't be used deceptively to advance some harmful propaganda, if at all. Then again, Nicotine is one such drug, that shouldn't even exist as a drug for consumption, but that's just my opinion. So, like you, I'm divided on whether Bhutan did the right thing or not.

Edited July 1, 20197 yr by Ankush

2 hours ago, Ankush said:

Some may argue that all drugs should be legal (as they are in Portugal). You can't control what people want to consume and what they don't. The government should rather educate and give the power to the people to choose what they want to consume, using unbiased knowledge as a tool. 

 

 

I am in agreement with Ankush.

Here is an interesting article

FROM CRUELTY TO CARE: DRUG POLICY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION.

and another one

 DRUG DECRIMINALISATION IN PORTUGAL: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

 

 

I am also on the fence on this one.  Could it be too far or should we be leaving the choice to the individual.  We could then use other means as education, financial, and not promoting in advertising to apply pressure.  There is individual choice but how far should government go!!!!

@Sazerac Until very recently, I was ignorant that Portugal had decriminalized drugs. My brother had brought this to my attention. My initial reaction was, then all citizens will become drug addicts. However, while this was true to a large extent during the initial years of decriminalization in Portugal, the numbers of drug abuse eventually dropped, which is shown in the article as well. Since I was a pot user for different periods in my life (2006-sometime in the beginning of 2007, sometime in 2010-sometime in 2013, sometime in 2014-July 2017), so a long time (approx 8 years), my stance for pot was that it should be legalized. However, my stance on hard drugs was that they should continue to be illegal. Maybe I was a bit partial towards pot (since I was its user), I don't know.

 

I gave some thought about what Portugal had done with decriminalization and eventually reached the conclusion I mentioned earlier in the thread.

Edited July 1, 20197 yr by Ankush

Thanks for you thoughts, @Ankush.

I believe in across the board decriminalization.

However, I would love to see Big Tobacco/Big Pharma, cartels and governments be held truly accountable for their lies.

15 hours ago, Sazerac said:

However, I would love to see Big Tobacco/Big Pharma, cartels and governments be held truly accountable for their lies.

Yes, and while there are plenty of scientific studies already on various drugs, I think further studies are required on drugs such as pot by an unbiased, uninfluenced, impartial medical body. The verdict on a drug like Nicotine is already out. Across the board decriminalization will be good. Also, environment plays a role on drug (legal or illegal) use. So, governments and all those responsible should really ask themselves, are they creating an environment where drug use is encouraged or not. There is also the fact that everybody enjoys dopamine release, and since drugs are quick way for dopamine release, I think everybody likes to get high (the extent and method used varies).