It is not about the drugs: A comparative and contextual analysis of Singapore and European approach to drug issues
This article aims to establish that Singapore’s drug policy and approach though not in tandem, is consistent with the elements espoused in the harm reduction approach advocated by the Global Commission on drug policies. The Commission takes the position that drug control nationally has to be aligned...
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sg-smu-ink.sol_research-47692019-01-21T03:54:41Z It is not about the drugs: A comparative and contextual analysis of Singapore and European approach to drug issues KORMAN, Rathna N. This article aims to establish that Singapore’s drug policy and approach though not in tandem, is consistent with the elements espoused in the harm reduction approach advocated by the Global Commission on drug policies. The Commission takes the position that drug control nationally has to be aligned with the sustainable development goals agenda approved by the member states in 2015. It has recommended abolishing death penalty for all drug related offences, decriminalizing drug possession and cultivation for personal consumption, implementing non-penal sanctions for all low level drug offenders, and exploring non-penal regulatory models following decriminalization. There is a paradigm shift in global attitude towards drug problem. Traditionally, there appears to be two distinct approaches to drug issues: The so-called harm reduction and the harm eradication approach. This paper anchors upon this basic principle of categorization to offer a comparative analysis between the harm reduction approach used in Europe and the harm eradication approach used in Singapore. It argues that Singapore’s approach though labelled as one of harm eradication has strong preponderance of the harm reduction elements in rehabilitation, treatment and reintegration of the drug inmates in the Singapore correctional facility. This analysis challenges the traditional classification and provides new ways of making sense of the variances in drug approach given jurisdictional, geographical and cultural nuances. Concomitantly, it recommends having a specialized drug court within the Singapore criminal justice system to augment its harm reduction approach. 2018-09-01T07:00:00Z text application/pdf https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/2811 info:doi/10.4236/blr.2018.93027 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/sol_research/article/4769/viewcontent/BLR_2018091814483843.pdf http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law eng Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Harm Reduction Approach Harm Eradication Approach Decriminalization Alternatives to Punishment Drug Courts Drug Philosophy Asian Studies Criminal Procedure Food and Drug Law International Law |
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Harm Reduction Approach Harm Eradication Approach Decriminalization Alternatives to Punishment Drug Courts Drug Philosophy Asian Studies Criminal Procedure Food and Drug Law International Law KORMAN, Rathna N. It is not about the drugs: A comparative and contextual analysis of Singapore and European approach to drug issues |
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This article aims to establish that Singapore’s drug policy and approach though not in tandem, is consistent with the elements espoused in the harm reduction approach advocated by the Global Commission on drug policies. The Commission takes the position that drug control nationally has to be aligned with the sustainable development goals agenda approved by the member states in 2015. It has recommended abolishing death penalty for all drug related offences, decriminalizing drug possession and cultivation for personal consumption, implementing non-penal sanctions for all low level drug offenders, and exploring non-penal regulatory models following decriminalization. There is a paradigm shift in global attitude towards drug problem. Traditionally, there appears to be two distinct approaches to drug issues: The so-called harm reduction and the harm eradication approach. This paper anchors upon this basic principle of categorization to offer a comparative analysis between the harm reduction approach used in Europe and the harm eradication approach used in Singapore. It argues that Singapore’s approach though labelled as one of harm eradication has strong preponderance of the harm reduction elements in rehabilitation, treatment and reintegration of the drug inmates in the Singapore correctional facility. This analysis challenges the traditional classification and provides new ways of making sense of the variances in drug approach given jurisdictional, geographical and cultural nuances. Concomitantly, it recommends having a specialized drug court within the Singapore criminal justice system to augment its harm reduction approach. |
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KORMAN, Rathna N. |
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KORMAN, Rathna N. |
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KORMAN, Rathna N. |
title |
It is not about the drugs: A comparative and contextual analysis of Singapore and European approach to drug issues |
title_short |
It is not about the drugs: A comparative and contextual analysis of Singapore and European approach to drug issues |
title_full |
It is not about the drugs: A comparative and contextual analysis of Singapore and European approach to drug issues |
title_fullStr |
It is not about the drugs: A comparative and contextual analysis of Singapore and European approach to drug issues |
title_full_unstemmed |
It is not about the drugs: A comparative and contextual analysis of Singapore and European approach to drug issues |
title_sort |
it is not about the drugs: a comparative and contextual analysis of singapore and european approach to drug issues |
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Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University |
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2018 |
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https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/2811 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/sol_research/article/4769/viewcontent/BLR_2018091814483843.pdf |
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