Your view on the impending execution of Nguyen in Singapore - Page 9 - Perth-WRX.com

e-rex-shon · #81 24-11-2005, 02:29 PM

Well the arguements in that letter have mores holes in it than a Junkie's arm. As said before, legalise all drugs, regulate quality and supply, and many of these problems disappear overnight.

The use of the term "Large percentage" is often an indication that a person doesn't have any facts with which to base a point on.

EvilCabbage · #82 24-11-2005, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-rex-shon

As said before, legalise all drugs, regulate quality and supply, and many of these problems disappear overnight.

I wouldn't say _all_ drugs, some of them are pretty damn nasty, but I do agree that things like weed should be legalised and regulated. Hell, imagine the revenue possibility for captain tax..

e-rex-shon · #83 24-11-2005, 04:18 PM

I think many of them are hell nasty, the point is if they are illegal, people will always still want them, black markets get set up and the whole crime and health cycle is perpetuated.

Recent research suggest weed is not the harmless drug people once thought it was, as many of you may have found with experiences yourself or with close friends.

The war on drugs will never work, it creates more harm than good, wastes a hell of a lot of money and really is all just about winning conservative voters. Education, and reabilitation is really the only answer. (but I am getting off topic........)

EvilCabbage · #84 24-11-2005, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-rex-shon

Recent research suggest weed is not the harmless drug people once thought it was, as many of you may have found with experiences yourself or with close friends.

Can't say I've found the same thing. Personally weed does nothing for me, I've dabbled in it a few times and not gotten anything out of it. Good friends of mine on the other hand have been casual users for over 20 years and use it the same way some people have a scotch after a hard day. There's been no ill effects, they're upstanding members of society, own their own rather powerful businesses and are generally brilliant people.

I think the problem comes when young people get their hands on it and start hitting it hard while their bodies and minds are still developing. You pump anything into the brain of the average 15 year old, be it stacks of booze or stacks of weed, and they're going to do some permanent damage. That's just common sense.

Mat · #85 25-11-2005, 02:51 AM

See, everyone IS different and while your mates might be fine, as i've said my mate is currently in Bently Hospital with goodness knows what conditions. All from being a stoner. A couple of my other ex mates started off on weed around 18 / 19. Now 3 of 4 years later they are onto serious drugs and doing LOTS of stupid stuff.

Reece can tell you FAR more stories about junkies than you could ever imagine. He works in a LOCKED crazy ward for well, crazy ppl!

Legalising drugs IS NOT the answer either. I cant say i've tried the harder drugs. I've had buckets before school in year 5 (yes year 5...) and a few other bits and peices but you'd have to be a fucken moron to get involved with Heroin etc.

And why is it that semi decent girl + E's + Bali + BS media stories ='s INSTANT CELEBRITY. I guess we all know journo's et al just create bullshit to stir ppl.

Q: what do you give a mate for Christmas that has everything?

A: Heroin. Pretty soon they'll have nothing

scoobysix · #86 25-11-2005, 03:10 AM

Another update on the issue from The Straits Times. I can't post a link as only subscribed readers can access the articles so a link won't work.

Quote:

Nov 24, 2005
Decision to deny Nguyen clemency not taken lightly

SINGAPORE says the decision not to grant clemency to a convicted Australian drug trafficker was not taken lightly but after considering all relevant factors carefully.

Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs, Assoc Prof Ho Peng Kee said that Singapore recognised that many Australians were disappointed with the decision but Singapore also had to protect the interests and welfare of its citizens.

Prof Ho made this point in his meeting with Mr Robert Hulls, Attorney-General of the Australian State of Victoria who had come to Singapore to plead personally on Nguyen Tuong Van's behalf.

Mr Hulls also handed over a letter from the Premier of Victoria, Mr Steve Bracks, addressed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, asking Singapore to reconsider Nguyen's clemency plea.

Prof Ho said Singapore took a multi-pronged approach to combating the scourge of drug addiction and one component of our approach was the mandatory death penalty for drug traffickers, who were in fact the source of the drugs that ruined the lives of addicts.

As such, Singapore could not change its laws to accommodate those who want a lighter sentence for Nguyen who had committed a very serious offence under Singapore laws.

Prof Ho said the law relating to drug trafficking applied to all persons in Singapore's jurisdiction, both Singapore citizens and foreigners alike.

He said Nguyen was convicted after a fair hearing and his case was carefully considered by the Court of Appeal when he appealed.

He had also appealed for clemency, and had exhausted all avenues of appeal and the law must now take its course.

Prof Ho said that the issue here was the right of a sovereign State to apply its own laws to persons who had committed crimes within its jurisdiction. Later Mr Hulls said: 'This is a modern country, there's no doubt about that. But it seems to me that the punishments that it's meting out, whether the death penalty or caning people, don't belong to a 21st century justice system.'

The Australian state lawmaker also met Nguyen's family members and his mother Kim Nguyen said her son was 'thankful, but not hopeful,' that the clemency appeals from Australia would succeed.

He said she has been visiting her son at Changi Prison every day since Tuesday, and was 'very distraught, very distressed.'