Comparative Drug Control Law

Abstract

This study is a documentary research, reviewing and comparing drug laws of Thailand, Japan, USA, England and the Netherlands. It was found that Japan implemented a strict policy against narcotics, with preventive measures to protect harmful health effects, and treatment for addicts. For Netherlands, the state established treatment systems for drug users, educating the dangers of addictive substances on society and schools.  This included a hotline counseling system, harm reduction from drug abuse policy, and forced treatment for repeated drug addicts. For United Kingdom or England, it had a more lenient policy on narcotic addiction. This was because drug abuse strategies in the past were not effective at reducing illegal drug use and distribution. The British government therefore developed a 2008-2018 Drug Strategy Plan. For the United States, the federal policy was still strict, but at the state level, it began to gradually adopt a more lenient policy on drug offenses, by looking at addicts as patients rather than criminals.

Based on the review of the laws in five countries, there are four recommendations: prevention, suppression, treatment and criminal mitigation of non-fatal addictive substances, such as personal use of marijuana, or possession of marijuana.  These would have intermediate punishments such as contributing for social services, imprisonment, or under strict detention, etc. However, if a person is under severe addiction, he/she will be forced to undergo a compulsory treatment program. Drug users, who are under medical considerations as patients, should be given more opportunities to return to society with dignity, although they may take several sessions of treatment.