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The essay really neglects the effect of prohibition. Legal risk scales with volume being transported - it's better for smugglers to move a briefcase of fentanyl

The essay really neglects the effect of prohibition. Legal risk scales with volume being transported - it's better for smugglers to move a briefcase of fentanyl than a 20 foot container of heroin. Hence, the Iron Law of Prohibition: the harder the enforcement, the harder the drugs.

ReptileMan 7y ago
How hard are the drugs taken in Singapore then?
keiferski 7y ago
That seems predicated on the assumption that 1) prohibition efforts are inherently flawed and 2) that a cultural desire to consume hard drugs is inevitable. For example, many East Asian countries have serious punishments for drug trafficking and also have less general cultural acceptance of illegal drug use. As far as I know, there aren’t nearly as many drug problems there as compared to the west.
- marvin 7y ago
  Very hard to have good data on something that's this heavily persecuted/prosecuted. Would love to see any sources/studies on it, but it sounds unlikely that a convincing comparison can be produced. Without comparison wrt. the topic, it's akin to saying "no, of course we don't have a problem with homosexuality in Iran, we hang homosexuals". Of course, any prospective subjects for the comparative study will be very hard to find.
- leshow 7y ago
  > For example, many East Asian countries have serious punishments for drug trafficking and also have less general cultural acceptance of illegal drug use. As far as I know, there aren’t nearly as many drug problems there as compared to the west. How do you get accurate data about something so heavily stigmatized? What data are you basing your opinion off?
- no_multitudes 7y ago
  >As far as I know, there aren’t nearly as many drug problems there as compared to the west. In Japan it seems like the prohibition/cultural disapproval of most drugs has made addiction far worse for the legal drugs -- alcoholism and cigarette smoking are ubiquitous. And I have heard there is a thriving underground trade in amphetamines, but I have no direct experience there.

ReptileMan 7y ago

How hard are the drugs taken in Singapore then?

keiferski 7y ago

That seems predicated on the assumption that 1) prohibition efforts are inherently flawed and 2) that a cultural desire to consume hard drugs is inevitable. For example, many East Asian countries have serious punishments for drug trafficking and also have less general cultural acceptance of illegal drug use. As far as I know, there aren’t nearly as many drug problems there as compared to the west.

marvin 7y ago
Very hard to have good data on something that's this heavily persecuted/prosecuted. Would love to see any sources/studies on it, but it sounds unlikely that a convincing comparison can be produced. Without comparison wrt. the topic, it's akin to saying "no, of course we don't have a problem with homosexuality in Iran, we hang homosexuals". Of course, any prospective subjects for the comparative study will be very hard to find.
leshow 7y ago
> For example, many East Asian countries have serious punishments for drug trafficking and also have less general cultural acceptance of illegal drug use. As far as I know, there aren’t nearly as many drug problems there as compared to the west. How do you get accurate data about something so heavily stigmatized? What data are you basing your opinion off?
no_multitudes 7y ago
>As far as I know, there aren’t nearly as many drug problems there as compared to the west. In Japan it seems like the prohibition/cultural disapproval of most drugs has made addiction far worse for the legal drugs -- alcoholism and cigarette smoking are ubiquitous. And I have heard there is a thriving underground trade in amphetamines, but I have no direct experience there.