S1E18: Is it okay to use drugs since other countries are relaxing their rules on it?

Dec 22, 2022

23:27

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Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests.

Earlier this year, the admission by three national swimmers - Commonwealth Games silver medallist Teong Tzen Wei, Olympic champion Joseph Schooling and Amanda Lim - that they had consumed controlled drugs, in particular, cannabis, while abroad, sent shockwaves through the sporting community in Singapore. Mr Schooling was fined $10,000 following investigations by a disciplinary committee. The Singapore National Olympic Council also fined Ms Lim $2,800 and Mr Teong $3,200 for breaching the council’s code of conduct.

Here to make sense of the case, what the law says about it, and what it means for Singapore as countries around the region loosen up rules on drug consumption, is Associate Professor of Law at the Singapore Management University Eugene Tan.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:30 What does the law say about drug consumption in Singapore and overseas?

4:00 Why SportSG took reference from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) even though WADA's rules are different from Singapore law

7:50 How different countries' and international agencies' approaches to "recreational" vs "hard" drugs have evolved

12:45 Younger Singaporeans are more accepting of drug consumption. Should Singapore take a softer stand on drugs, or is this a slippery slope?

19:05 The need for a multi-pronged approach, from legislation to public education and harm prevention

Read the article here: https://str.sg/wCHB

Produced by: Grace Ho (graceho@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Hadyu Rahim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

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