Illegal Drugs

Legal Consequences

Of course, doing drugs in Thailand is illegal. What you may not know is that the drug laws here are very strict and with harsh penalties. A foreigner in possession of a small amount of marijuana might be lucky to be let off with a fine, but any other drugs will probably put you into jail with a fine. Trafficking in drugs can land you in jail for the rest of your life.

Be careful of your possessions, especially when travelling. Do not carry any item for anyone, e.g., as a favor, because they could have drugs hidden inside, and they could be using you as an unwitting drugs trafficker taking all the risk. If someone wants to send something to another country, then they should use a courier service such as DHL (international) or EMS (domestic). Lock your luggage when not in use. Do not leave strangers with your luggage. Be careful who you travel with.

Brain Damage Consequences

I have known young Thai people from high class families in Bangkapi who take drugs. I have never taken drugs, one reason being the simple danger of brain damage. However, I have been offered drugs. This web article relates to you my experiences concerning those who take drugs and those who offer drugs, as well as my education on the issue.

People, listen: drugs like amphetamines ("ya ba") and ecstasy ("ya E") cause brain damage. What do you believe -- scientific evidence or wishful thinking? The end of this article discusses scientific proof.

The #1 problem facing communities in free countries is drug use among young people.

The main users of drugs (per capita) come in two categories: the highest and the lowest economic classes. Drug use is lowest in the middle class, according to my experiences.

In Thailand, it has become a national security issue, due to Burma being a major international supply center, which has resulted in large supplies of drugs at low prices in Thailand. This has resulted in damage to the brains of our next generation, as well as enrichment of mafia people who rise in political power, as well as foreign mafia moving in to "colonize" Thailand in effect. These kinds of people are ruthless and evil.

Possibly, there may be corruption within some Thai governmental circles due to the great amounts of money for trafficking this drug. Certainly, we know there are small-scale dealers in Bangkapi who support their lifestyle selling drugs, and who care about nothing besides themself.

There may be little we can do nationally, but we can do something about ourselves and our community.

We are very fortunate that our local police sometimes choose to put up roadblock checkpoints late at night.

However, the most effective prevention is by parents and friends. We can't do much about "supply" of drugs, but we can do something about "demand".

"Prevention" starts with education about the effects of drugs -- permanent brain damage. However, we must also deal with the psychological reasons young people take drugs, because emotion often overrides logic.

One reason is peer pressure. Young people often don't say "no" to their friends. Why?

1. Sometimes they believe their friends when they say the drug is harmless. That's "wishful thinking", not scientific fact. Who should you believe -- a thrill-seeking friend who isn't serious about the future, or scientists?
   
   
2. Sometimes they find it too difficult to say no to friends. It's very important that children be taught to be able to stand up for themselves, and not be "too meek and obedient". They must be able to say "no" to those they love and be strong within themself.
   
   
3. Sometimes they don't have alternative friends, and they don't want to lose their exciting, drug-experimenting friends by rejecting them. Parents, brothers and sisters must keep aware of which friends every family member has. Good friends should be encouraged, bad friends discouraged. Occasionally, special action must be taken.
   
   
4. Everyone needs love. Sometimes, people get involved in questionable relationships, for psychological reasons. Children must have a family which gives "unconditional love" and maintains a good family environment where children can "be themselves". (If you don't know what "unconditional love" is, then you should look it up on the Internet in articles in psychology. Many well-meaning parents make this mistake -- making love "conditional". This is a main reason that some people fall prey to exploitation by others. Remember, drug dealers often just sell to their friends.)
   
   
5. Parents sometimes take legitimate drugs in view of their children for ailments. You are a role model, and children imitate those in their environment. Even if you just take aspirin, do so in private. Don't let your children see that if you want to feel better then just take some pills.

It's important to give children a fair amount of self-determination and independence, and to not apply too much pressure, so that they don't seek an "escape". Also, parents must make time for their children.

One reason children take amphetamines during exam time is to score better on the exams. This is largely to please the parents, who want to be proud of their children's "superiority" and class. Let me tell you something: There's more to life and happiness than impressing other people. What kind of people do you want to impress? Why? This is an analysis of "values".

Of course, the students take the drugs secretly.

Another reason children take drugs is in response to stress or bad times. It's an escape. This is a major reason adults take ecstasy, too.

Pressure by parents to score high on competitive exams, and to pursue fields of studies according to the parents' interests, are often what fuel drug use. Children are well behaved at home, but secretly go wild in private. Trying to control them more causes the behavior to worsen.

There are some broader issues here. As an American, I see these things from an outsider's perspective.

There are many young Thais pursuing a university degree in a field chosen by their parents, not according to their own natural interests and talents. Likewise, there are people in the workforce who don't enjoy their field of work. They are unhappy, but they conform. Sometimes, they resort to mood-elevating drugs to deal with their unhappiness. This usually starts when they see friends who have become happy temporarily by drugs. So they, too, find happiness in drugs. Temporarily.

The two most common drugs are amphetamines ("ya ba") and ecstasy ("ya E"). They aren't the only two drugs taken, but they are the two most common. Some of the other drugs, manufactured in hidden facilities with poor quality control and careless agents, have terribly poisonous chemicals in them and are similar but far worse than pure amphetamines or ecstasy. Concentrations of all chemicals can vary greatly from pill to pill, from underdose to overdose.

Brain Damage !!
You Understand ?!?

Wikipedia's ecstasy drug article references various sources, and states "The primary concern is generally that there may be negative long-term consequences that result from the drug's alleged neurotoxic effects on serotonergic neurons.[38] Some further studies have also shown that this damage causes increased rates of depression and anxiety, even after quitting the drug.[39][40] In addition to this, some studies have indicated that MDMA may cause long-term memory and cognition impairment."

Wikipedia's MDMA article states: "Experiments indicate that high dose or rapidly repeated MDMA exposure may lead to long-lasting changes in neurons that make serotonin. Serotonergic changes have been demonstrated experimentally in the brains of all mammalian species studied, with most studies involving rats. In these studies, the brains of animals who are given high or repeated doses of MDMA show long-term decreases in all measures of serotonergic functioning, including concentrations of serotonin, tryptophan hydroxylase, and binding of the serotonin transporter protein."

The permanent brain damaging effects in monkeys has been known back to 1995 by dissection of the monkeys' brains 12 to 18 months after they took the ecstasy, thereby giving a recovery time of a year and a half (broken like, researchers Cramer et al., Johns Hopkins Univ). The brain cells of monkeys were damaged. In some areas of the brain, the damaged cells recovered, but in other areas of the brain, the damaged cells did not recover at all, and in other sections the damaged cells recovered abnormally.

There are many studies which show various longterm changes in the brain of various kinds, usually not dramatic but probably significant, of which we don't know the psychological and performance impacts.

In humans, we can determine the effects by testing performance, e.g., memory. In studies in which large groups of users and non-users of similar intelligence and background were given tests, ecstasy users have significantly impaired visual and verbal memory compared to those who never took the drug. Memory is something that can be measured. Other effects have also been noted but cannot be measured by numbers, e.g., depression, anxiety, and other mood elements.

The shortterm effects of ecstasy has been well known, as the performance problems are worst in the week to weeks after taking the drug. What we are finding out now is that the brain recovers some, but probably does not fully recover, and the longterm effects -- years later -- are still significant. At present, we know of the effects only a few years after taking the drug. Interestingly, we see some structural changes to the brain, so that the brain recovers differently.

There are many objections to the research. For example, detractors have seized upon potentially flawed methodologies by some researchers. However, there are so many independent researchers, why base one's conclusion on one or two?

There's also the selective and false reasoning based on the statements of some established figures that "The effects of MDMA on the human brain are unproven", but that doesn't lead to the conclusion that it's therefore safe to use. Why take a risk?

There are many opinions on all matters. However, you need to review the overall body of research, from multiple sources, and see the basis of their remarks. Scientists will often say things are not proven, but that doesn't mean there aren't strong indications. It usually means there needs to be more research to further determine the mechanisms. Actually, there's a tremendous amount of evidence and knowledge out there already.

It's also notable that the people with brain damage usually don't think they have brain damage. However, comparing their results on standardized tests to those who never used the drug, the proof is clear in the data and objective scientific analysis.

The lesson here is this: Don't believe people who say ecstasy is harmless. What do they base their belief on? Their wishful thinking. What's right -- wishful thinking or scientific analysis?

Note: Do not report drug use to us. We are not policemen. Report it to the local police station and the schools. If it is your own children, then I suggest you consult with a drug rehabilitation center and one of their psychologists.

I'm for drug legalization and decriminalization as regards consumers. Some European countries have done this with proven success.

It is my opinion that the best solution to the drug problem is by educating people -- reducing "demand". Trying to cut back "supply" is costly, dangerous and usually not lasting. It treats the symptom, not the cause.

Where there is demand, there will always be supply.

Importantly: When drugs are illegal, the prices shoot up and the only beneficiaries are criminals. When criminals make a lot of quick money, they can buy political positions as well as police protection, and the crooks get stronger in society.

The best method, in my opinion, would be to give licenses to a few established pharmaceutical companies to produce the drugs and sell them at a cheap price via ordinary shops anywhere in Thailand. Each tablet or "hit" would be packaged individually, not put in bottles. The packaging would state clearly:

• A warning about the effects of the particular drug, e.g., brain damage and/or other side effects, in big and concise language
• Where to call, and a website address, for more information on the drug and/or drug addiction rehabilitation
• Export, and domestic resale outside of the packet, are illegal and severely punishable
• Guaranteed quality of purity, unlike the drugs from many jungle and home lab manufacturers and pushers, so that buying these packaged drugs is preferable to buying off the black market

Decriminalization bypasses the "pushers" so that the criminals don't make money.

The packets "educate" the consumers about the drug. It is important to have basic information printed on the plastic wrap. It could also have a small fold-out sheet with more information, like other drugs.

Throwing users into jail can do more harm than good. However, incarcerating resellers, illegal manufacturers and traffickers is justified.

Part of the money from drug sales could go into rehabilitation clinics and research. This "tax" would be part of the concession to the licensed manufacturer.

(Expecting illegal manufacturers to contribute to society in substantial positive ways is unrealistic. They just don't do good karma things with their money.)

Internationally, it is a reality that priority is placed on stopping the supply of drugs from the Middle East, because certain terrorist groups there are benefitting financially from supplying their enemy countries in the west with drugs. Less effort is put into cutting off supplies from places like Burma and Colombia because those people are just local crooks who usually pose no terrorist, political threat beyond their own region. If drugs were cut off from Burma and Columbia entirely, then the Middle East terrorist groups would benefit. Thus, Thais will need to solve their own local problems about drugs without much help from the outside world. I'm not saying this is "right", I'm just noting that this is the reality. Again, the solution is reducing demand, and providing alternative drug supplies from legitimate sources.

Look at all the money being spent on drug suppression, versus what is being spent on drug education. Importantly, money spend on drug education should not go into the hands of cronies and deadwood bureaucrats who just put out rhetoric while lining their pockets. It should go into the hands of truly committed groups and individuals with a track record of sincere efforts and effective projects that worked. And on the drug packets for all the public to see and critique.

Nonetheless, we shouldn't do just one thing. We should do them all -- arrest drug traffickers, destroy illegal drug production capabilities ... but education, foremost.

The Public Health Minister, known as Khun Sudarat, is following a good leadership policy, e.g., naming the next popular drug "ya ngo" (stupid drug).

What's a good phrase for "ya brain damage" in Thai?

Statistics from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), the government's leading agency in the fight against illicit drugs:

Approximately one in 20 Thai people have tried drugs. About one in 200 is a regular drug user.

In 2002, the number of drugs-related arrests hit an all-time high of 215,209. The number of arrests dropped to 102,417 in 2003, 55,505 in 2004, 58,853 in 2005, and 2006 was keeping the same numbers as the previous two years. The Thaksin Shinawatra administration, which came to power in 2001, had immediately launched a crackdown on the drugs supply chain.

More than 2,000 suspected drug traffickers were killed during the six-month campaign that started in February 2003, surely based on a much larger number of previous arrests, plea bargains for information on those higher up, and turncoat undercover double-agents.

The killings attracted worldwide condemnation about Thailand's human rights record, but there wasn't much criticism among the general population in Thailand, and in fact the anti-drugs campaign has been very popular in polls among Thais.

To report international drugs trafficking, send e-mail to drugs@interpol.int

"Just say no!" is a good slogan, but it should not be politicized to be associated with a particular party, subculture, religion, etc. It should have universal appeal, and be conveyed by leaders across the political and social spectra, with no politics.

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