Phuket Gazette Readers Poll: Don’t enforce drugs law

PHUKET: Most Phuket Gazette readers think current Thai laws regarding the sale of prescription drugs like diazepam (Valium) should not be enforced, according to the results of our latest poll.

More than half of the respondents to the last survey thought over-the-counter sales of such drugs should either be legalized or tolerated, as they are now.

The poll followed the arrest in Patong late last year of a 17-year-old tourist for possessing nine diazepam pills without a prescription.

After receiving a small fine at Phuket Juvenile Court, the teenager is now reportedly back home in Australia.

Less than half (48.6%) of readers agreed with the statement, ‘The law should be more strictly enforced. Drugs like Valium require a prescription for a reason.’

Just over a third of readers (37.2%) agreed that strict enforcement of the law is impossible, so the Public Health Ministry should legalize over-the-counter sales of diazepam and other Category IV drugs.

While roughly a quarter of Thais and tourists were in agreement here, 46% of Phuket’s expat residents were.

Finally, just 14.2% of readers believed the status quo should be maintained because the availability of these drugs draws tourists to Thailand. This option was significantly more popular with Thai nationals and tourists than expats. Around one quarter of Thais and tourists were in agreement here, while just 7% of expats were.