Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Thailand's legalisation of cannabis will make the government's efforts to keep Singapore drug-free harder, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Sep. 1.

Cannabis was "everywhere" after Thailand legalised it

Responding to the media's question during an interview with Malaysian media Astro Awani, he said the Thai government's move will pose a problem for Singapore.

He said, "I think the freer availability of cannabis in Thailand, to which a lot of Singaporeans go to, and from where a lot of tourists come to Singapore, is going to present more challenges. I'm sure it will."

The minister pointed out that following Thailand's legalisation of cannabis on June 9, cannabis was "everywhere" within a week in drinks, toothpaste, food and cookies, he said.

"The government then had to try to rein in the effects. It made all government schools cannabis-free areas, it banned smoking in public, it banned sale to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and so on, and then it moved to try and protect minors and vulnerable populations," he added.

When asked about the potential impact of the legalisation of medical marijuana in Malaysia, given that Malaysia's health ministry is also studying the issue, Shanmugam said:

"If Malaysia legalises cannabis or other drugs, given the even greater flow of people between Malaysia and Singapore compared to Thailand and Singapore, of course it will be more challenging from the law enforcement (angle) and trying to keep Singapore drug free."

Separately, at an event to launch Aibi Maxwell, a new wellness and lifestyle destination on Sep. 1, Shanmugam said the Singapore government would continue with its focus on preventive drug education.

"It’s a lot of effort, and it’s because of all the efforts that you see... Singapore , we are relatively drug free, and our streets are much safer compared with most places in the world. And we just have to continue. It's like swimming against the tide, given what's happening in the region."

Cannabis can cause "irreversible" brain damage

Shanmugam also said that if Malaysia legalises medical marijuana, it does not mean that Singapore will follow suit.

"That's not the usual way our legislation works," he said. "We look at the research and we look at the science and we decide for ourselves."

Policies in Singapore need to be based on proper evidence, and in the context of drugs, it must be based on "credible scientific research and evidence," he added.

The minister also highlighted that cannabis has its harmful effects -- an argument that he has made on previous occasions.

"For us (Singapore), when you look at the research, it shows clearly that cannabis use is harmful. It's addictive and because it's addictive, it's even more harmful. And it can cause irreversible brain damage, brain shrinkage, serious mental and psychiatric illnesses.

Some pharma companies and NGOs with vested interests have argued that cannabis is a soft drug, that cannabinoids have medical benefits, but really, they are driven by the green rush, the desire to make money. It's a lucrative industry."

In a Facebook post on Sep. 1, regarding national swimmers Joseph Schooling and Amanda Lim, Shanmugam said that should there be clear evidence of drug use, regardless of whether it done in Singapore or overseas, the Central Narcotic Bureau (CNB) will take action.

"So don’t assume that if you consume drugs overseas, you will be let off with a warning," he said.

Death penalty is an effective deterrent

When asked if Singapore would consider abolishing the mandatory death penalty and returning the discretionary power to judges, as in the case of what Malaysia is currently planning, Shanmugam expounded on the devastating impact drugs can bring to the population.

"There is a good reason why we have the mandatory death penalty. It's a matter of policy in the sense of you know...15 grams of heroin -- what does it do? It's enough to feed 180 drug abusers for one week. So you're destroying the lives of 180 people. And sometimes amounts are brought in which is enough to feed 2,000, 3,000 people or even more.

He also repeated the government's stance on the death penalty being a strong deterrent.

These are matters for government, and as a matter of policy for a long time we have decided, once a certain threshold is crossed, in order to have the deterrent effect, people must know that the mandatory death penalty will apply. If we remove that, the deterrent effect of the death penalty would be substantially reduced."

He further noted that this deterrent effect is part of the government's policy against drugs, adding that Singapore will not be influenced by other countries in devising its own laws.

"We are not likely to change simply because Malaysia changes.

We will change when we think that the deterrent effect is no longer there for example, or conditions are different and you need to adopt a different approach to have the deterrence. It's a question of what's your policy and how you seek to achieve it."

Top photo by Mothership