In Switzerland, Marijuana Use Helps Keep Prisons Calm and Safe

[23536]

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/switzerland-marijuana-use-helps-keep-prisons-calm-and-safe

A recent study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy estimates that 50 to 80 percent of inmates in Swiss prisons use marijuana. Prison staff told researchers they found marijuana to be a relatively safe drug and that cracking down on consumption would have more negative effects than positive ones.

Surveys of detainees and guards revealed similar opinions on marijuana use, with both groups describing the effects of marijuana as analgesic, calming and a way to decrease the traumatic prison experience. Negative consequences included sleepiness, social isolation, and decreased perception of danger. But survey participants also said that more restrictive regulation could increase fear, trafficking, and a shift to harder drug use.

While prisoners estimated that up to 80 percent of prisoners use marijuana, guards reported a lower estimate at 50 percent.

abstract here: http://www.ijdp.org/article/S0955-3959(13)00075-3/abstract

 

[slimvictor]

That is pretty astounding.
In a lot of ways, they have their shit together in Switzerland, and this is one.

 

['medicine cabinet']

Ehh i dont know, yea prison sucks and all but thats the point right? Seems like switzerland wouldnt have ppl in jail for petty drug shit like here in the states, so that leaves me to think the inmates are in there for possibly violent crimes? Here in md some asshat politician wants to give every inmate an android tablet lol...so they can continue learning is the story...i dont think they would be using those things to study for their ged tho. Prison is supposed to suck, its cool that they are not busting down on the swiss inmates smoking and all tho, as im sure it sucks balls..but that is the point in the first place. Probably better too than drinking toilet swill wine.

 

[sekio]

Getting stoned probably helps a lot with shitty food, being bored, and sitting in a box all day.

 

[weekend addiction]

Getting stoned probably helps a lot with shitty food, being bored, and sitting in a box all day.

Much better alternative to putting these guys on Seroquel like we do in America.

 

[CLICKHEREx]

In Timothy Leary's autobiography, he described how his "benefactor" would send him two bottles of good quality wine, along with a fine meal every day, so it looks like things have changed in Swiss prisons over the last few decades, but they are still more advanced than most other countries.

 

[my3rdeye]

Yeah if you stole something or robbed a bank, I don't care at all how you spend your days incarcerated.
But rapists and pedophiles and murderers? Should the scum of the earth be able to smoke weed too just because prison sucks? I am not a big law and order person at all. I don't agree with prison rape being part of the punishment or anything draconian like that.
But I have a problem with a child molester smoking weed in prison all day while my tax dollars pay for his food and lodging and toilet paper. I know medical pot users who can't afford medicine, it pisses me off some sex offender can be comfortably stoned when innocent sick people suffer.

 

[exists]

^ If cannabis reduces the incidence of murder, is that not a good thing?

 

[poledriver]

I agree my3rdeye, those types of criminals dont deserve luxuries or help to deal with bad food, boredom or being able to escape the reality of where they are and what they have done imo.

 

[Black]

Yeah if you stole something or robbed a bank, I don't care at all how you spend your days incarcerated.
But rapists and pedophiles and murderers? Should the scum of the earth be able to smoke weed too just because prison sucks? I am not a big law and order person at all. I don't agree with prison rape being part of the punishment or anything draconian like that.
But I have a problem with a child molester smoking weed in prison all day while my tax dollars pay for his food and lodging and toilet paper. I know medical pot users who can't afford medicine, it pisses me off some sex offender can be comfortably stoned when innocent sick people suffer.

this is in switzerland. you won't find people there who can't afford medicine.

you can also view this in another way. your tax dollars are spent to prevent child molesters, rapists and murderers from doing more harm. do you not think that that's well spent money?

 

[slimvictor]

A lot of people commenting here see prison time as punishment.
I prefer to see it as rehabilitation. Therefore, I don't care if the prisoners suffer or not. In fact, I don't want them to suffer.
I care if they change for the better.
Can cannabis help them change for the better? This is arguable, but my impression is that it is hard to be violent when one is high, unlike some legal drugs e.g. alcohol.
I would much rather have them smoking weed than drinking in prison, I can say for certain!

 

[manboychef]

Habitual violent offenders, and habitual pedophiles should be executed.....very quickly. They have already impacted society negatively ditectly ...why should us innocent people have to pay their way for many appeals and whatnot.

When it comes to prisoners smoking pot...it depends on the crime. Then again it would keep them from hurting each other and creating medical bills, and they might even become less violent.

 

[PurpleKush1]

Much better alternative to putting these guys on Seroquel like we do in America.

Definitly, seroquel is fucked up

 

[manboychef]

teach that stuff made me a zombie. This is such a hard subject. We incarcerate so many more people in the states than anywhere else.