I ask this because there are many governments who have taken a hard line against the drug trade, particularly in Asia and the Middle East. Countries like India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Iran and Indonesia all have mandatory or discretionary sentences for trafficking drugs. Many have laws set by how much of an illegal substance you're attempting to smuggle. In some others, any amount regardless of intent to traffic can result in execution. Even the US, under federal law, can seek the death penalty for drug trafficking under "extraordinary circumstances". 

What I would like to know is your particular stance on the issue.

Are you alright with the death penalty in general for this crime? Do you agree or disagree with mandatory sentencing? 

Do you think "drug mules" should be shown leniency in favor of trying to nab their suppliers?

Here's the deal.  Should we be really killing anyone over trafficking drugs?  Sure, it's an offense, but it's not like it should be resolved with a death penalty.  It does more harm than good; let them serve their time and put them in a program where they can better their lives.  A lot of people who got into the drug business usually started off poor and in harsh situations.  We should be helping; not killing.

Publicly execute cops who abuse their power and kill people on the streets out of malice (especially when they're unarmed)

Nathan Fiora wrote:

Here's the deal.  Should we be really killing anyone over trafficking drugs?  Sure, it's an offense, but it's not like it should be resolved with a death penalty.  It does more harm than good; let them serve their time and put them in a program where they can better their lives.  A lot of people who got into the drug business usually started off poor and in harsh situations.  We should be helping; not killing.

As an Indonesian myself, I really agree with Nathan here. We should be helping, not killing. I mean, I understand it's a crime and they should be indeed punished (NOT Death Penalty) but what do you expect from this world? Nothing is perfect, everything is not perfect, but we can work some things in more "approachable way" rather than doing killing.

Mr. DEDEDE wrote:

Publicly execute cops who abuse their power and kill people on the streets out of malice (especially when they're unarmed)

seconded.

I like most people think Death Penalty is too far was Trafficking. I get it but still.

The death penalty is the worst thing someone can be sentenced to, and as such, the punishment should fit the crime. Drug trafficking just doesn't fit the bill, unless we're talking about some kinda Pablo Escobar type person who's undoubtedly killed a bunch of people and done some other reprehensible shit along the way. Aside from that, it's just excessive.

Empress Aria wrote:

The death penalty is the worst thing someone can be sentenced to, and as such, the punishment should fit the crime. Drug trafficking just doesn't fit the bill, unless we're talking about some kinda Pablo Escobar type person who's undoubtedly killed a bunch of people and done some other reprehensible shit along the way. Aside from that, it's just excessive.

I agree with some of that.  Even then, killing someone don't fix jack.  In order to truly fix something, you gotta see what roots of the problem and find a solution for them.

Nathan Fiora wrote:

Empress Aria wrote:

The death penalty is the worst thing someone can be sentenced to, and as such, the punishment should fit the crime. Drug trafficking just doesn't fit the bill, unless we're talking about some kinda Pablo Escobar type person who's undoubtedly killed a bunch of people and done some other reprehensible shit along the way. Aside from that, it's just excessive.

I agree with some of that.  Even then, killing someone don't fix jack.  In order to truly fix something, you gotta see what roots of the problem and find a solution for them.

I know this is not an argument about the death penalty per se but I disagree with this. Death Penalty should definitely still be a thing because there are criminals out there who have gone miles beyond the sane safe point and thus should not be ever even be given a chance to see daylight again. This is one of my more conservative opinions but there is no 'root to the problem' or a 'solution' for these people, they are just psychopaths. Keeping them alive or killing them with a single needle will not fix anything either way so might as well go with the safer option. Plus in today's society, it takes '20' years to receive the actual death penalty anyways so if no one is able to find a 'solution' by then then it is given that there is actually no solution.

In relation to this thread question, yeah I agree, death penalty is a bit too much for drug trafficking but I feel as some people are undermining what goes into drug trafficking.. so many people die in the process, including innocent people which never even comes into the limelight. Each case is different and in most cases, death penalty should not be the answer but if the ring is found to be bound to a dozen other rings, then it is a viable option in my opinion.

Devan Dubian wrote:

Nathan Fiora wrote:

Empress Aria wrote:

The death penalty is the worst thing someone can be sentenced to, and as such, the punishment should fit the crime. Drug trafficking just doesn't fit the bill, unless we're talking about some kinda Pablo Escobar type person who's undoubtedly killed a bunch of people and done some other reprehensible shit along the way. Aside from that, it's just excessive.

I agree with some of that.  Even then, killing someone don't fix jack.  In order to truly fix something, you gotta see what roots of the problem and find a solution for them.

I know this is not an argument about the death penalty per se but I disagree with this. Death Penalty should definitely still be a thing because there are criminals out there who have gone miles beyond the sane safe point and thus should not be ever even be given a chance to see daylight again. This is one of my more conservative opinions but there is no 'root to the problem' or a 'solution' for these people, they are just psychopaths. Keeping them alive or killing them with a single needle will not fix anything either way so might as well go with the safer option. Plus in today's society, it takes '20' years to receive the actual death penalty anyways so if no one is able to find a 'solution' by then then it is given that there is actually no solution.

In relation to this thread question, yeah I agree, death penalty is a bit too much for drug trafficking but I feel as some people are undermining what goes into drug trafficking.. so many people die in the process, including innocent people which never even comes into the limelight. Each case is different and in most cases, death penalty should not be the answer but if the ring is found to be bound to a dozen other rings, then it is a viable option in my opinion.

I see what you mean, but at the same time, some people aren't psycho.  They started off as people who didn't have many other options.  That's why we see more drug trafficking in poorer countries in Central America.  There should be some attempts at helping these people and see if they can really make a healthy life for themselves and their family.

Yes, drug trafficking involves deaths and madness like that, but if we just kill one guy, it won't do anything.  Someone is going to take over and the cycle will just continue.

Nico Borġ wrote:

The Punitive supply-side policing approach doesn't work. The smugglers crossing the border with coke in their orifices aren't going to be the big kingpins at the top, and even if they were, the fighting that often occurs over the power vacuum left behind is usually worse than the original state of affairs. As long as there is money to be made, there will be drug barons, death penalty or not, the only way to make instantaneous and dramatic success on drug issues is to address the demand-side, i.e. rehabilitate addicts.

This all the way. Also, it can take over twenty years sometimes to determine that someone was wrongly convicted. Add that to the fact that it is cheaper to lock someone up for life than all the special things done for death row, and I am against the death penalty entirely

Devan Dubian wrote:

Nathan Fiora wrote:

Empress Aria wrote:

The death penalty is the worst thing someone can be sentenced to, and as such, the punishment should fit the crime. Drug trafficking just doesn't fit the bill, unless we're talking about some kinda Pablo Escobar type person who's undoubtedly killed a bunch of people and done some other reprehensible shit along the way. Aside from that, it's just excessive.

I agree with some of that.  Even then, killing someone don't fix jack.  In order to truly fix something, you gotta see what roots of the problem and find a solution for them.

I know this is not an argument about the death penalty per se but I disagree with this. Death Penalty should definitely still be a thing because there are criminals out there who have gone miles beyond the sane safe point and thus should not be ever even be given a chance to see daylight again. This is one of my more conservative opinions but there is no 'root to the problem' or a 'solution' for these people, they are just psychopaths. Keeping them alive or killing them with a single needle will not fix anything either way so might as well go with the safer option. Plus in today's society, it takes '20' years to receive the actual death penalty anyways so if no one is able to find a 'solution' by then then it is given that there is actually no solution.

In relation to this thread question, yeah I agree, death penalty is a bit too much for drug trafficking but I feel as some people are undermining what goes into drug trafficking.. so many people die in the process, including innocent people which never even comes into the limelight. Each case is different and in most cases, death penalty should not be the answer but if the ring is found to be bound to a dozen other rings, then it is a viable option in my opinion.

This. And make it cheaper.

As a person that has witnessed some of his closest friends fall under the route of drug trafficking, I can say that it is a bit harsh from this viewpoint. There can be so many reasons as to why an individual might fall into this drug trafficking business (money, forced to do it, life on the line, etc.) Unfortunately for one of my friends, he decided to do drug trafficking because he needed money to support his family. However, I don't know which levels of violence he managed to wreak upon other people in order to be successful with the business, hence having a death penalty might seem to be a much more plausible option. But, if I could just narrow it down to just a few words: death penalty is a bit extreme. Whenever somebody gets arrested for drug trafficking, of course, they should immediately serve jail time for as long as possible, but they should have their way of life be monitored for a certain amount of months, maybe even years before clearing someone as "free". If they ever venture back towards the road of drug trafficking, then that leaves no other option but to initiate the death penalty offense.