[How About This Book] Why Is Cannabis, Said to Be Less Harmful Than Alcohol and Tobacco, Illegal in Korea?

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] The dictionary definition of "mayak" (麻藥, narcotics) is "a substance that causes addiction symptoms." Breaking down the Chinese characters, it means a medicine that causes numbness, with 麻 meaning numb and 藥 meaning medicine. By the dictionary definition alone, dramas that are hard to stop watching once started, or the recently popular dish Malatang, all fall under the category of narcotics. Incidentally, the "ma" in Malatang uses the same Chinese character (麻) as in narcotics. Terms like "mayak pillow" and "mayak gimbap" have long become part of everyday language, and the public's aversion to these terms is not significant. Recently, a lawmaker's claim in the National Assembly that everyday terms should be corrected to maintain the status of a drug-free country drew considerable criticism.

However, the distribution of narcotics that destroy daily life has emerged as a social problem. Oh Hu (a pseudonym), author of the book We Do Not Know Narcotics, emphasizes correcting public misconceptions about narcotics and promoting a proper understanding. The starting point is the correct classification of narcotics. According to the author, substances commonly referred to as narcotics by the public are actually classified into various categories. Cocaine, opium, and heroin are classified as "narcotics," LSD, propofol, and hiropon (philopon) as "psychotropic drugs," and marijuana and hashish as "cannabis." Although not legally classified as narcotics, substances like glue, butane gas, and nitrous oxide are categorized as "hallucinogens."

These substances are banned worldwide, but exceptions exist. A representative example is cannabis. Many places, including Thailand and several U.S. states, have legalized cannabis smoking. Because of this, cases of people legally smoking cannabis abroad but being punished domestically are frequent. Those who study abroad or frequently travel overseas are the main targets; in fact, last month, many third-generation chaebols were caught.

However, each time, the harmfulness of cannabis becomes a topic of debate. There are claims questioning why cannabis is strictly regulated domestically while it is legal abroad. Medical opinions exist that cannabis is less harmful than alcohol or tobacco. It is not an imported substance either. Hemp, the main material for the traditional hemp clothes worn by ancestors, is cannabis. The author says that cannabis is still cultivated in the Andong region, and until the 1970s, it was not uncommon to see adults smoking cannabis in rural areas. However, due to the military government's cannabis prohibition policy, only the stalks, roots, and seeds?excluding the flowers and leaves?can now be used for fiber, oil, or herbal medicine.

Then why is cannabis, which is less harmful than tobacco and alcohol, prohibited? Some point to the "gateway effect." The argument is that although cannabis has relatively low harmfulness and addiction potential, habitual smoking leads to tolerance, causing users to seek stronger narcotics. However, the author questions this claim. It is rare for someone who smokes a mild cigarette like Esse 1mg to develop tolerance and switch to a strong cigarette like Marlboro Red. Through various arguments, the author claims that the causal link between cannabis use leading to heroin use is unlikely.

The author also expresses concern about the stigma effect caused by harsh, indiscriminate punishment. He firmly refutes the claim that narcotics should be banned to improve labor productivity or national competitiveness, saying, "That is wrong." He explains that stigmatizing narcotics users as criminals does not threaten their daily lives due to narcotics but rather pushes them out of society, increasing the risk of falling into addiction.

However, the author expresses concern about hiropon, the so-called methamphetamine, which is the most frequently detected narcotic domestically. According to statistics presented in the book, about 1,000 people are caught annually for cannabis-related offenses, whereas about 10,000 are caught for hiropon (methamphetamine). This has been a persistent phenomenon for decades. Originally developed as a cold medicine in Japan, it was massively administered to Japanese soldiers during World War II but was later strictly banned in Japan due to its severe side effects. The author explains that South Korea emerged as a production base afterward, leading to the current situation.

The book explores various aspects of narcotics, illuminating both global and domestic situations. The author tried to remove any pro- or anti-narcotics intentions that could cause misunderstandings while presenting diverse perspectives. However, he expresses concern about extreme permissiveness and control. One such policy is the Netherlands' narcotics policy. In the Netherlands, more deaths occur from unclean syringe use during drug administration than from the drugs themselves, leading to a policy of providing free syringe exchanges unconditionally. They also introduced a groundbreaking policy of personally testing the quality of the narcotic "ecstasy." What were the results? The author says the Netherlands became a country with fewer narcotics-related harms than countries with strict narcotics laws, and this is becoming a global trend. The criticism that it is a "policy ignoring morality for efficiency" is a misunderstanding. Rather, it is a policy possible because it prioritizes "human rights" over "efficiency."

Finally, the author states, "The argument to legalize or decriminalize narcotics does not mean 'narcotics are safe,' or 'narcotics are a matter of personal freedom,' or 'let's leave narcotics users as they are,'" but rather, "Let's realistically examine which approach?strict prohibition or controlled allowance?can reduce narcotics dependence in the long term and make society healthier," recommending a thorough read.

We Do Not Know Narcotics | Oh Hu | Dongasia | 300 pages | 15,000 KRW