Pubdate: Fri, 22 Apr 2016
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Copyright: 2016 The Sydney Morning Herald
Contact:  http://www.smh.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/441

SINGAPORE BLASTS SOFTER DRUGS STANCE

Singapore has blasted widespread calls to make the worldwide fight 
against illicit drugs less punitive, using a major meeting at the UN 
to argue that a "soft approach" would cause a flood of narcotics to 
the island state.

"We believe that drugs will destroy our society," said Singapore Home 
Affairs Minister Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam.

"With 200 million people travelling through our borders every year, 
and given Singaporeans' purchasing power, a soft approach will mean 
our country will be washed over with drugs."

Mr Shanmugam was addressing a special three-day session of the 
193-nation General Assembly called by Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico 
to discuss the global war on drugs, which Latin American countries 
say has failed.

It is the first major UN review of the issue since 1998.

Latin American and European delegates said Singapore, China, 
Thailand, Iran and Russia were among the strongest opponents of the 
trend toward decriminalising illegal substances like marijuana.

One senior European diplomat said a shrinking minority of countries 
supported a continued hardline approach.

After Mr Shanmugam spoke, Danish Health Minister Sophie Lohde blasted 
the idea of executing people for drug offences and complained that a 
declaration adopted on Monday did not call for an end to capital punishment.

Mr Shanmugam insisted that Singapore's tough approach had yielded 
positive results, and dismissed claims by Latin American and European 
delegates that scientific evidence showed the futility of harsh drug policies.

Reuters
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom