There are many countries in the world, from the United Arab Emirates to China, through Indonesia, small Singapore and Iran, where the consumption of cannabis is strictly prohibited, even severely punished by the death penalty. This was recalled by the Harm Reduction Journal, a journal that monitors the use of the death penalty worldwide for drug-related crimes, noting that, accordingly, thousands are still held in death row awaiting execution for drug-related crimes.
While the “green revolution” of recent years has reached all latitudes, leading to the full or partial legalization of cannabis in Uruguay, the United States, and Canada – in addition to bills in this direction in various other countries – there are dozens where use is not only prohibited but severely punished. To date, drug-related crimes are punishable by death in at least 35 countries. Anyone found to be carrying more than 50 grams of any drug in China can be sentenced to death. Data on executions in this country are classified, but hundreds or even thousands of executions are suspected over the past decade. As reported by Dolce Vita, the recent legalization of cannabis in much of the Americas has been classified by Beijing as a “new threat to China”.
It’s the same in Iran, where more than 3,000 people were executed between 2008 and 2018, accused of using or dealing in drugs. In 2017, there was a slight slackening of the law with the increase in minimums required to punish crimes with death – the threshold was raised from 5 to 50 grams for natural substances such as opium, herb and cannabis juice. A choice dictated, at least, by the fact that, according to prosecutor Mohammad Olfat, “the execution of drug traffickers has no deterrent effect on either consumption or the drug trade.”
At the same level as previous countries, there are countries like Singapore where the death penalty can be imposed, as well as punishments such as public flogging or deportation before the death penalty (which can occur by hanging, shooting or even decapitation). He was sent to the courthouse for possession of 500 grams of drugs. Also, simple use of cannabis in the small city-state is punishable by 10 years in prison or a fine of not less than $20,000.
The death penalty for drug possession was abolished in Vietnam a few years ago, but is still in effect for drug manufacturers and traffickers. In other countries, although no deaths are expected in drug-related crimes, tolerance is still very low. In the United Arab Emirates, which has been very popular in recent years, even the mere traces of previous consumption on one’s body can cost up to four years in prison or a hefty fine of over $2,000. In 2008, the story of British citizen Keith Brown, who was sentenced to the highest prison sentence after customs officials found 0.003 grams of marijuana stuck to his shoes, went around the world.
Long prison sentences are also foreseen in Malaysia and the hugely popular Indonesia, where cannabis is likened to heroin and where there is a risk of up to four years in prison alongside extensive mandatory rehabilitation. In these latitudes, it is not unusual to try to bribe officials to turn a blind eye, once caught red-handed, often successful.
Thailand has experienced progressive decriminalization of drug trafficking crimes since 2005, after a “war” against drugs that lasted at least two years and claimed the lives of thousands, forcing the UN Human Rights Committee to intervene. Legalization of marijuana for medical purposes came in 2018, but in all other cases the penalty for possession or consumption amounts to one year in prison for small amounts, and up to five years in larger quantities (10 kilograms of weed). As an alternative to imprisonment, the fine reaches $320,000, making it among the heaviest fines in the world. Japan, where the Marijuana Control Law, which has been in effect since 1948, provides for up to seven years in prison and fines of more than $27,000 for drug traffickers, also maintains its strict policy on this issue.
A special case is the United States, where 11 states fully legalize marijuana, 37 other states allow its use for medicinal purposes, but remain illegal to possess and consume at the federal level. For those visiting the country, admitting to a lifetime use of a drug can result in permanent removal from the country’s borders. In 2019, several media outlets reported that a Chilean woman was banned for life from the United States after customs found photos on her cell phone proving she had entered a cannabis shop in Denver.
According to Harm Reduction International’s 2022 report, there are at least 3,700 people awaiting execution for drug-related crimes in 19 countries around the world. 44% of executions last year occurred in Iran (at least 252 deaths), while 100% of death sentences in Singapore – 11 in 2022 – were for drug possession crimes.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
