Drug Dealing, the Death Penalty and Disability Checks
Even those who rail the United States for being too soft on drug addiction and those convicted of distribution and sales of illegal drugs are pausing to think after the recent death by firing squad in China of Akmal Shaikh, a drug dealer caught with 4kg of heroin. Was the death penalty too extreme of a punishment for a nonviolent crime? Should he have been given drug rehab instead or a prison term?
The wide spectrum of views on drug addiction, drug abuse and drug dealing range from the very liberal view that everything should be made legal to the very conservative view that, if not the death penalty, then the first conviction should at least come with a harsh and swift penalty.
China’s Argument for the Death Penalty for Drug Distribution
China feels strongly about protecting its people from the harms and dangers of drug addiction. They point out that the amount of heroin that Shaikh was trafficking into China could have killed 27,000 people. Choosing the death penalty, however, says that there is no hope of rehabilitation and since the death penalty in the United States is usually reserved for a similarly violent crime, most Americans are somewhat taken aback by this hard line approach. China views the potential loss of 27,000 countrymen as more valuable than the life of one man and they make no apologies for their decision.
The Softer Approach to Drug Addiction
In the United States, many states have a program that offers drug rehabilitation for first time possession offenders, and often drug dealers get away with inclusion into this program if they are carrying small enough amounts that can be claimed is for nothing more than personal use. Many Americans view this as soft, saying that it sends the message that drug addiction and distribution isn’t that serious and that even if you get caught, you’ll have a few more chances before you get into any “real” trouble, a message that ultimately costs taxpayers millions in court costs, law enforcement, medical care, damage to property, loss of lives and more.
In Britain, drug addiction can get you a disability check for the equivalent of about $200 a week. Here and abroad, there are needle exchange programs and other harm reduction-oriented nonprofit organizations dedicated to assisting those who are living with drug addiction though not necessarily trying to help them break free from addiction. There is also quite a bit of anecdotal evidence in the form of rehabilitated addicts who say that these programs were invaluable in terms of helping them to recover and start a new life.
What Do You Think?
Whatever your view on the death of Shaikh, what is your opinion of the harder line against drug addiction and drug sales versus a more rehabilitative approach? Do you think that drug rehab works? Can it save lives and ultimately save money? Or is it better to send the message to anyone who considers abusing drugs and alcohol that there is a no tolerance policy?
