OPINION

Metrics of harm

Re: "Pro-weed groups put heat on govt", (BP, May 13).

Justice requires that like acts be treated alike. In the case of drugs that are in popular recreational use, such as alcohol, cannabis, cigarettes, ya ba, ecstasy, heroin, and so on, the relevant criteria for determining the degree of regulation are statistics on the harm each drug causes to users and others in society.

What is needed are statistics to enable comparison of such relevant factors as:

1. Deaths caused by it to users per thousand users of each drug

2. Deaths caused by it to others per thousand users of each drug

3. Costs of health problems caused by it to users of each drug

4. Costs of health problems caused by it to others per thousand users of each drug

5. Loss of employment caused by it per thousand users of each drug

6. Violent crimes committed under its influence per thousand users of each drug

7. Thefts committed to support its continued use per thousand users of each drug

8. Family break-ups or other adversity caused by its use per thousand users of each drug, and so on.

If Prime Minister Srettha and his government want to make not only medical but the purely recreational use of cannabis or any other drug more strictly regulated than alcohol and cigarettes, or even illegal for sale and use by adults, they must present the statistics to allow the objective comparison of drug harms that alone can justify such a decision.

Public opinion, whilst important to know, is not a factor that can justify any drug law, which should be based on objective fact and sound reasoning, not hysteria, ignorance, and personal bias.

Where's Eric?

If anybody in Chiang Mai knows where Eric Bahrt lives, would you please pop around to check that he is okay?

We haven't heard from Eric for an unprecedented 23 days. Given that he is normally published in PostBag two or three times a week, this is cause for concern.

Is Eric ill? Or, given how often he tells us of the threats he receives, is he the victim of foul play?

Perhaps I am worrying about nothing, and given Eric's apology to Khun Songdej in his last letter of April 20, it may be that, as he says, he has "learned from the experience", and is being "more careful in the future to get my facts straight before attacking someone".

Then again, it might be that the PostBag editor has at long last listened to the numerous other scribes who have commented on the frequency of Eric's letters and is being more judicious in the number of letters published from Eric (not to be confused with "censorship").

Best when fresh

Re: "But why?", (PostBag, May 13).

With his 26-word letter, Simon Collins was right on the dot that no one has ever asked why they stored the pledged rice for so long -- 10 years. Rice is a commodity.

A commodity is best when it is fresh. Any pawnshop would not take rice as a pledge. And if pledged, due care needs to be taken before it goes rotten. Is this dereliction of duty by officials? Thank you, Simon!