News 21 yr old Brit could get UAE Death Penalty for selling drugs

[soze]

For westerners the sentence is usually commuted to a long prison term followed by deportation with a life ban. I seriously doubt they will kill the idiot. If it was an Indian or Pakistani national it would be the death penalty. If it was a local he would get a slap on wrist and a fine. This place is fucked up when it comes to enforcing it's so called law!

Do the amounts and type of drug have any bearing? The law just says Drug possession is punishable by death but it does not mention if a ounce of weed is the same as 100 kilos of Heroine.

 

[DaGaffer]

These are DISCUSSION boards, not exams. For fucks sake how dare anyone ever offer any opinion that isn't a direct answer to the question, eh!

This thread is based on a poll, most threads aren't, it gives the thread a specific frame of reference.

As I said above the issue at discussion does not fit the original black and white poll, hence why I have chosen not to answer it.

Taking emotion and rationale out of it, he should get it because it's the law in that country. In this thread, we're discussing the issue further.

Actually that's not true. You've chosen to talk about a different subject. You've moved from the original poll question, which is basically purely a moral question, and turned it into a political question. Personally I hold a set of moral views about killing people unnecessarily which makes the political/legal validity of what they're doing moot. "Their country their rules" isn't good enough.

 

[Scouse]

Calming down a notch

I'm not sure what you're trying to point out Scouse?

I think we all know its bonkers

It is bonkers - but not many wanted to concede that point. The tone of the thread generally was "he deserves it". He doesn't - but he's going to get it and he should have expected it - but he doesn't deserve it.

Now there's general agreement that the Saudi's are horrific. Fair enough.

I just have a problem with thinking we have the right to enforce our views on other people.

That's not what's being done here. It's a discussion of justice.

Having said that - I have no problem with taking an intellectual position that condemns a tinpot country with unjust and horiffic laws. I have a pop at the laws in Britain, which I think border on farcical much of the time, so I think it's good to have a pop at a country with Saudi's track record.

Drugs are ripping mexico apart at the moment - its not a victimless crime.

Quite apart from the fact that it's highly unlikely that the hash in this case came from Mexico - I'd argue that it's not the "drugs" that are ripping Mexico apart - it's the Western World's policy of prohibition that is doing it.

Some humans like drugs. Like alcohol. When "prohibition" was about in the 1920's people died left right and centre. Innocent people. Drinking alcohol was not a victimless crime...

 

[Scouse]

Oh, and:

For fucks sake how dare anyone ever offer any opinion that isn't a direct answer to the question, eh!

Me: Do you like shoes?
Waz: WHADDAYA MEAN TANK TOPS ARE GAY!
Me: Actually, it's not a discussion about tank tops. It's a discussion on shoes, Waz.
Waz: FUCKS SAKE SCOUSE, YOU'RE SUCH A CUNT - ACCEPT MY OPINION ON TANK TOPS!!!!1!!1

 

[BloodOmen]

I still don't think he should be put to death over a bag of weed but hey its their law, as brits we have no rights to criticize other countries law because ours is so fucking pathetic.

 

[old.user4556]

Actually that's not true. You've chosen to talk about a different subject. You've moved from the original poll question, which is basically purely a moral question, and turned it into a political question. Personally I hold a set of moral views about killing people unnecessarily which makes the political/legal validity of what they're doing moot. "Their country their rules" isn't good enough.

Thus "discussing the issue further".

 

[soze]

21 yr old Brit could get UAE Death Penalty for selling drugs
Should he get the Death Penalty

As the location is in the question then local laws and customs needs to be discussed. If the question was just "Is it wrong to get the death penalty for selling weed" or "Is the death penalty wrong" then it is straight up and down a moral choice.

 

[Laddey]

Not a bad profit mind

 

[Hawkwind]

Do the amounts and type of drug have any bearing? The law just says Drug possession is punishable by death but it does not mention if a ounce of weed is the same as 100 kilos of Heroine.

I believe he was caught selling 20g to an undercover CID police officer and had further quantities in a nearby car. they have not announced the total amount. He was known to have sold to others and the evidence against him is beyond question.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Well, i'll offer my opinion even if Scouse hates it when i do so...

But it is your business to give us your opinion

Oh nevermind, forgot the hypocrisy

Now then, to the rest of the people, bit of bullet pointing on my own opinion on it(this does not mean i don't respect your right to have yours);

- I don't think it's an appropriate punishment from a personal POV, but...
- ...I do think it's their law and should be obeyed or GTFO'd. This applies to all countries, i'm betting the UK has some silly laws when looked at from Finlands POV.
- I voted no, as black&white it is, because i don't think the death penalty serves a purpose. No sanctity of human life stuff, just that death isn't really a punishment as much as a lifetime in jail(real lifetime) etc is, especially since we don't know what's behind that big old bucketkicking.

And that's about it really.

 

[Gwadien]

America has used the death penalty on innocent people

YET IT IS THE MIDDLE EAST WE MOAN ABOUT

 

[Scouse]

America has used the death penalty on innocent people

YET IT IS THE MIDDLE EAST WE MOAN ABOUT

Don't be retarded. We moan about the US too.

 

[Raven]

America has used the death penalty on innocent people

YET IT IS THE MIDDLE EAST WE MOAN ABOUT

So has the UK.

The death penalty is stupid and wrong, whoever uses it.

 

[old.Tohtori]

So has the UK.

The death penalty is stupid and wrong, whoever uses it.

Probably for different reasons, but agreed.

 

[DaGaffer]

America has used the death penalty on innocent people

YET IT IS THE MIDDLE EAST WE MOAN ABOUT

How is that relevant? He's not innocent.

If you were actually trying to make a point about the US having the death penalty itself, sure, no argument there, although its for homocide-related crimes only* in practice, and support for it is declining (there are now 17 States without the death penalty and several more that have it on the books but haven't used it for decades. Public opinion is about 60/40 pro death penalty, down from 80-odd percent in the 80s). More importantly, the people themselves have decided they want it on the books (unlike anywhere in the middle-east) and its not done on the basis of medieval dogma (unlike anywhere in the middle-east). Don't agree with capital punishment in the US either, but once again, that's not actually relevant. (In fact if you were going to pick on the worst offender for capital punishment, pick on China).

*Technically drug smuggling is a capital crime in some US states, but its never been actually applied.

 

[rynnor]

I actually think that if your going to have a capital crime then drug dealing isnt an unlikely one due to its wider impact on society - it does wreck lives and kill people. Perhaps if we had done the same we wouldnt have so many drug addicts.

 

[Raven]

It only does that because its been driven underground, if cannabis was legal (which it bloody well should be) then there wouldn't be a problem.

 

[rynnor]

It only does that because its been driven underground, if cannabis was legal (which it bloody well should be) then there wouldn't be a problem.

How? There would still be all the other hard drugs - how does legalising cannabis help v heroin?

If cannabis was legal he wouldnt be able to profit on it so would just sell something else?

 

[old.Tohtori]

Legalise all drugs, get taxes from them, let those who wish to kill themselves do so with heroin and such and use the tax money to better the lives of those who don't do drugs.

Win win?

 

[Raven]

How? There would still be all the other hard drugs - how does legalising cannabis help v heroin?

If cannabis was legal he wouldnt be able to profit on it so would just sell something else?

You are correct. But the vast majority of drug trafficking is cannabis, a relatively harmless drug, even alongside legal drugs. Most hard drugs addicts become addicts because they are around dealers when on lesser drugs.

If you could buy cannabis from Tesco then people who smoke cannabis would never have to deal with someone who also supplies nasty shit ever again.

 

[rynnor]

You are correct. But the vast majority of drug trafficking is cannabis, a relatively harmless drug, even alongside legal drugs. Most hard drugs addicts become addicts because they are around dealers when on lesser drugs.

If you could buy cannabis from Tesco then people who smoke cannabis would never have to deal with someone who also supplies nasty shit ever again.

True but when you start legalising you automatically weaken the stance against drugs in general.

In the particular case that sparked this thread if cannabis had been legal he would have been dealing something else to make his profits.

Edit - You could also argue that the consumption of any drug makes it more likely that you will try others - regardless of having a dealer or not.

 

[Raven]

I suppose so yeah but not necessarily. I know a lot of cannabis dealers who only deal to pay for their own gear and deal exclusively in cannabis, the lad in the story didn't have all that much on him really. Not necessarily at the top of the food chain obviously and they would probably move more into harder drugs but if you take the market away from then it would become harder for them to make money.

 

[rynnor]

I suppose so yeah but not necessarily. I know a lot of cannabis dealers who only deal to pay for their own gear and deal exclusively in cannabis, the lad in the story didn't have all that much on him really. Not necessarily at the top of the food chain obviously and they would probably move more into harder drugs but if you take the market away from then it would become harder for them to make money.

The thing is once you are in the mindset of consuming chemicals for recreation your far likelier to try other chemicals.

 

[soze]

Government starts selling pot legally you can buy it in 10 different strengths at the off licence. There will still be people who say the legal shit is too weak or not the right kind and still buy illegal stuff. Legalisation is a nice idea but will lead to people claiming the government is interfering ect.

 

[Raven]

The thing is once you are in the mindset of consuming chemicals for recreation your far likelier to try other chemicals.

I disagree with that entirely. What about alcohol? I know loads of people who smoke cannabis and wouldn't even think about trying something else. I smoked it for years and never once thought about doing anything else.

There is a lot of misinformation generated about cannabis use, to many people it is just the same as alcohol, you may have a glass of wine or two at the weekend (or whatever) other people like to smoke a joint, pipe or bong.

Not to get hammered, just to unwind a bit.

 

[rynnor]

I disagree with that entirely. What about alcohol? I know loads of people who smoke cannabis and wouldn't even think about trying something else. I smoked it for years and never once thought about doing anything else.

There is a lot of misinformation generated about cannabis use, to many people it is just the same as alcohol, you may have a glass of wine or two at the weekend (or whatever) other people like to smoke a joint, pipe or bong.

Not to get hammered, just to unwind a bit.

Yes - I'm not saying everyone who tries pot ends up a drug addict - thats clearly nonsense but there really are people for whom cannabis is the beginning of a more serious habit on harder drugs.

Alcohol is a bit different - logically its a chemical effect the same as drugs but psychologically and culturally we dont think of it as a drug - the same way we dont think chocolate or coffee or even sugar are drugs.

 

[throdgrain]

If Scouse had his way we would invade thier country to stop these barbaric practices and implement his idea of democracy and then ... oh hang on a minute, we tried that one ...

 

[Madmaxx]

is he dead yet ?

 

[Scouse]

If Scouse had his way we would invade thier country to stop these barbaric practices and implement his idea of democracy and then ... oh hang on a minute, we tried that one ...

I'm pretty sure that war isn't the best method of preventing death...

 

[throdgrain]

I'm pretty sure that war isn't the best method of preventing death...

That kinda was the point of the joke