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Pubdate: Wed, 11 Apr 2001 Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand) Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2001 Contact: http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39 USERS DON'T DESERVE A LIFE BEHIND BARS One of the foremost tasks of the high-powered committee set up by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during last month's national drug conference in Chiang Rai was to change the emphasis in the narcotics law so that drug addicts and those who support their habits by selling small amounts of drugs are treated as having a medical condition rather than as criminals and must undergo compulsory rehabilitation at an army camp. The objective of this noble endeavour is to separate the addicts and minor pushers from the real traffickers, to give them a chance to turn a new leaf rather than spend time behind bars and possibly become hardened criminals. The treatment of addicts as patients also will go a long way towards helping relieve the overcrowding of our prisons. The latest figures from the Corrections Department show that 65% of inmates are drug offenders, most of them methamphetamine users. The committee, headed by Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon, should have no problem with the idea of treating addicts, in particular methamphetamine users, as patients. The hurdle will be in redefining the term "trafficking" - and already the committee members are divided. The present law defines anyone in possession of 50 grammes of methamphetamines, or 25 speed tablets, as a trafficker. Some panellists would like this changed to 50 tablets so more small-time drug peddlers receive rehabilitation rather than incarceration. Others are happy with the ways things are. They feel any relaxation of the limit will encourage the big traffickers to set up broader networks of minor dealers. Things are still up in the air as we go to press, and so the widely celebrated reforms have yet to materialise. Perhaps the Purachai panel should take a look at a recent research paper prepared by Natthi Jitsawang, deputy director-general of the Corrections Department, and Sumonthip Jailek, a criminologist. The study conducted among 120 minor pushers serving time in nine different prisons should provide valuable "fruit for thought" to nourish the committee members in their search for an acceptable solution. The highlights of the findings include: 60% of drug offenders are now guests of the state for possessing between one and 100 speed pills (30.8% possessed between 11 and 50 speed tablets, and 25% between 51 and 100 tablets, meaning the biggest share had only a very few); 34.2% of the minor drug peddlers were no older than 25 years; 73% of the minor pushers claimed they were persuaded by their peers to take drugs and later sell them to support their habit. The study found that most drug traders who also use, big and small, prefer to target students because they are easy prey and most can afford to support a habit. Youths are vulnerable to the temptation of becoming dealers and sell the drugs to their fellow students. While the fight to stem the flow of drugs crossing the border from Burma might look overwhelming due to the lack of co-operation from Rangoon, the battle at home to reduce the demand through both compulsory and voluntary rehabilitation programmes is realisable. With 2.7 million Thais having experimented with drugs at least once and 300,000 now considered addicts, Thailand clearly is in the grip of a drug epidemic. This poses a daunting challenge to all of us, but especially Mr Purachai and the other members of his committee. Amending laws is already a drawn out process, and so the committee cannot afford to spend too much time haggling over such things as how many pills in the pocket make a man or woman a drug trafficker. Drug addicts have been treated as criminals for far too long and forced to languish in jail when they could have been provided with a more sensible alternative which helped them live life as a contributing member of society. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D