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Marijuana is widespread in Bhutan and is often regarded as a weed, rather than a beneficial plant. Over time, there have been significant changes in the variety, availability, production, distribution, use, and user(s) of psychoactive substances, the meaning of substance use, and its impact on users and their social or social environment(s). Before the 1970s, marijuana was not considered a drug by the government of Bhutan. The first ever marijuana-related arrest in the country wasn’t made until 1989 when a man was doubted for smoking it. In recent years, authorities have recognized the increased use of drugs as compared to India. This led Bhutan to become an organization of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988. Marijuana is classed under Schedule III of the Narcotics and Drugs Act, and selling of the drugs amounts to over 50 grams is classified as an offense. It’s technically illegal to cultivate marijuana in Bhutan despite the government’s intention to start burning marijuana, its growth is still widespread in the wild after the last ice age (around 11,700 years ago). This plant usually grows close to our house so Bhutanese people don’t have to cultivate it. Even though marijuana growing plentifully in the wild, Bhutan isn’t a popular destination for ‘drug tourism’. However, the Bhutanese has been misusing the plant. According to Kuensel in 1991 a ton of marijuana plant was seized from Shingkhar Lauri. So, the drawbacks of legalizing the trade of marijuana plants in the southern belts of Bhutan are mainly health problems, problems with youth, and finally religious views.
It may be said that the legalization of the trade of marijuana will enhance the country’s economy. However, the negative impacts outweigh the benefits. The country’s size and population may be much smaller than other countries but its problems grow from trade and consumption of marijuana compared among the developing or developed nations. If the trading of marijuana is legalized, marijuana consumers will have easy access to it which further leads to addiction giving rise to health problems. To some extent, it can take from the advantage point of view as medicine but its disadvantages exceed the advantage. With the legalization of the trade, the consumers will easily get marijuana from the market and its availability will also encourage the non-users to try it, which in turn gives rise to health issues whereby the government has to treat them affecting the economy of the nation. Drug addicts are treated with a large part of the budget from health care. According to Rettner (2014), those people who are addicted to marijuana from their teenage itself experience abnormalities in their learning process. Addiction is considered a medical disorder, unlike other types of illness, youths who are addicted are affected at a young age and permeate. Academic or vocational can be disturbed by the use of drugs due to the damage it causes to our brain and body which affects social learning and relationships as well as their functioning and finances (Dorji, 2019). Driving right after abusing marijuana multiplies the risk of an accident. The physical effects of the constant use of marijuana are breathing problems, chances of becoming infertile, and respiratory cancers caused by carcinogens and co-carcinogens that are in the marijuana smoke (Feeny & Kampman, 2016). Research by Forte (n.d.) supports that a person addicted to marijuana hallucinates. Long-term abuse is also associated with anxiety, depression antisocial behavior, and suicide. It is common that marijuana users have a greater chance of getting transmittable diseases such as HIV aids. The users under the influence of drugs tend to change the drug injecting needles whereby a transmittable disease can be easily transmitted through it. According to Yuette Brazier (2016) states that consumption of marijuana causes immediate residual and long-term changes in brain activity that can affect appetite and food intake, the pattern of sleep, and emotional behavior. If the trading of marijuana is legalized then the youth population will decrease affecting the economy of the country that’s why the trading of marijuana should not be legalized in the southern part of Bhutan. Through this, every dzongkhag youth population will indulge in marijuana consumption. According to Dorji et al. (2015) states that mental and behavioral disorder due to drug use constitutes 3.3% (219) of the total cause of mental disorder made up of 200(6.2%) male and 19(3.5%) female between the years of 2000-2014. The research also shows that one of the maximum numbers of the population that is suffering from an anxiety disorder is between the age ranges of 20-24 which makes 50.41%. This makes up more than 50% of the total percentage which means the young population of Bhutan is suffering from a mental and behavioral disorder that is the ultimate result of drug consumption such as marijuana. Hence legalization of the trade of marijuana in the southern belt of Bhutan will negatively affect the country as it will further contribute to mental and behavioral issues. If the trading of marijuana plants is legalized then the feelings of irritation, mood swings, restlessness, and sleeping problems eventually deteriorate health as well and heart and cancer diseases will increase. That’s why the trading of marijuana plants shouldn’t be legalized.
This started to change in the 21st century as the country opened its doors to foreign influence and technology such as televisions. Which introduced the concept that the marijuana that was used as pig food until now, could also be consumed for fun, showing off, and entertaining. As a result, marijuana use rose among young people (Seeds, 2019). Addiction to marijuana is mainly a problem among the youth and with a large youth population, it becomes a very big concern. Substance abuse and addictions among the youth population in Bhutan are already a huge concern for the Bhutanese family system, society, and the country as a whole. Young people engaging in harmful and criminal activities is not only morally wrong but can cause social disorder, affect mutual understanding among the society, and disrupt the country’s progress towards the GNH goals, more so, because young people are supposed to dedicate their time and energy in building their own futures (Lham Dorji, 2015). A national survey in 2017 found that around two-thirds of university students use their pocket money to buy alcohol, drugs, and other substances. Over 10 percent of those ages 13 to 17 use marijuana, Bhutan has among the highest proportion of adolescents currently using the drug in WHO’s Southeast Asia region. Using marijuana constantly makes the person’s behavior violent as there is a change in brain function caused by using weed for years. A farmer, Pema Yangden of Chumithangka under Jimina Gewog informs that especially during the Tshechus festival and summer vacation, lots of boys come for marijuana rubbing. Even though they scold and try to chase away, these boys are not willing to listen to them (Yonten, 2017). The increasing rates of substance use among growing youths have become a social issue leading to family structures disintegrating from two parents into single-parent families, the increase of blended families and divorces are leading to low emotional bonding among the parent-child relationship (Choden). A study was conducted by Wangdi, Kelzang, Tshering, and Jigme on youth violence using a “moderated questionnaire survey” under Tashiyangtse Dzongkhag with 516 students of five lower secondary schools. They came out with the result that 1) the presence of a higher level of youth violence, and 2) the presence of a higher level of situational and psychological violence among the sampled students compared to destructive violence. This suggests the need to prevent and treat youth violence very urgently (Lham Dorji, 2015). In 2002, Dr. Rinchen Chopel acting as Bhutan’s joint director of healthcare stated that the government’s main focus was to start burning down the marijuana plants, and to offer counseling for young people, to discourage them from smoking it. According to Health Ministry Tandin Wangchuk, the problem of youths using drugs is on the rise around the world. It is high time now to refine the roles of parents and teachers. Parents and teachers must work hand in hand in nurturing and monitoring the younger generation (Pem, 2017). To date, without legalizing the trade of marijuana plant in Southern belts the young population are already deteriorating their life. So, is better not to legalize the trade of marijuana plants in the southern belt.
In Buddhism, the fifth principle is frequently read to mean “stop intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness” (Yin-Shun, 1998). Bhutan, a small nation on the Himalayas is looked upon as a religious country, bounded by the state religion, Mahayana Buddhism where any activities relating to drugs and alcohol are beyond its ethics. If the royal government of Bhutan legalizes the trade of marijuana, it is a total contradiction to its religion. Considering its contradiction, Bhutan put an end to such trade in 2004. Due to its unacceptability both from the health and religious point of view, the succeeding monarchs, members of parliament, and the religious heads went on enacting the restriction (Givel & Sherry, n.d.). As of now, foreign countries witness Bhutan the country where marijuana is restricted strictly considering its ill relationship with the religion, however, if the government decides to legalize its trade people will start abusing it in public places without any hesitations. Hence, it will lead to a mismatch of ideas between what other countries perceive and what the country displays. The country’s popularity as a religious nation will be destroyed. Well, the consumption of the plant’s smell will rise to the sky, in return, there will be drought, hail, frost, earthquake, crop failure, and war. According to Rigzon Dorji, the consumption of the plant would cause the fall of several nations, societal ills, and diseases, leading to the rebirth of the five devils (Michael S. Givel.). Moreover, if it is legalized, foreign drug addicts won’t hesitate to smoke and abuse drugs in and around the religious shrines and stupas whereby its value will be desecrated. From the Buddhist point of view, marijuana is considered to be grown out of the evil prayers of and devil that wishes to go against the teachings of Lord Buddha and destroy all three realms. Hence the one who smokes or consumes those substances is believed as the one who goes against the teachings of Lord Buddha. Bhutan the country that is viewed as the most peaceful and religious nation in the world should avoid thinking of legalizing the trade of marijuana plants in the southern belt. If the trade of marijuana plants is legalized then the religious and sacred places will be unpurified. However, legalizing the trade of marijuana is highly controversial to what the Buddhist country follows or preaches. A well-known Buddhist country like Bhutan trading marijuana plants instead of religious things and substances will be of great fun to the outside world. Smoking marijuana was actually stopped in Bhutan during the 17th century by the ultra-religious regime that ruled the isolationist Bhutanese state however television was brought back from the brink (Green, 2018). Even though television brings back the idea of marijuana smoking it should not be legalized as it is against our religion.
However, drug use is an avoidable behavior, and people with drug use addiction can be effectively treated. Young males are more exposed to alcohol and drugs than young females. The illicit drug abuse problem in the country may be less compared to other countries but is still growing. After all, many people in the country have lost their relatives and friends due to association with excessive substance use. The government is becoming increasingly worried about the rise of Marijuana use in Bhutan, especially among young people. Drug use is associated with many harmful effects both physical and mental health. In the later stage of using marijuana, it will damage our thinking, memory, and learning functions. Marijuana not only caused harm to health and youth but also caused harm to religion. So it’s not beneficial to legalize the trade of marijuana in the southern belt of Bhutan. The country’s economy may grow in the short term but in the long term run, the country will run under chaos.
Impact of abusing Marijuana plant 5
References
- Brazier, Y. (n.d.). Cannabis consumption is known to cause immediate, residual, and long-term changes in brain activity that can affect appetite and food intake, sleep.
- Choden, T. (n.d.). Influence of family Dynamics on the prevalence of substance use among emerging adults in Bhutan. Banking infrastructure in Bhutan: an assessment of commercial bank branches, 4, 112.
- Dorji, d. C. (2019, April 27). Drugs and Alcohol in Bhutan- where we are and what we can do? Kuensel. Retrieved from https://kunselonline.com/drugs-and-alcohol-in-bhutan-where-we-are-and-what-can-we-do/
- Forte, S. (n.d.). Health effects of recreational and medical marijuana use. Retrieved from https://www.pyramidhealthcarepac.com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.pyramidhealthcarepa.com/health-effects-marijuana/amp/?amp_js_v=a
- Green, T. (2018). The Bhutanese youth just realized pig food has been marijuana all along.
- K. E. Feeney., &. K. (2016). Adverse effects of marijuana use (Vol. 83).
- Lham Dorji, s. G. (2015). Crime and mental health issues among young Bhutanese People. Retrieved from www.nsb.gov.bt.
- Michaeal S. Givel., a. R. (n.d.). Was tobacco described in Bhutanese Buddhist texts before the 16th Century? pp. 67-85.
- Pem, D. (2017, 07 01). survey shows one in five students used cannabis. Retrieved from https://thebhutanese.bt/survey-shows-one-in-five-students-used-cannabis/
- R, R. (2014). How marijuana affects health. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/46114-marijuana-health-effects.html
- Seeds, S. (2019, 12 26). Cannabis in Bhutan-Laws, Use, and History. (L. Maurice Veldam, Ed.) Retrieved from https://sensiseeds.com/en/blog/countries/cannabis-in-bhutan-laws-use-history/
- Yin-Shun, V. (1998). The way to Buddhahood: Instructions from a Modern Chinese Master. (Y. W. H, Ed.) Wisdom, 86-87.
- Yonten, K. (2017, october 1). Villagers uproot marijuana plants to deter marijuana-hunting youth. Daily Bhutan. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/amp/s/dailybhutan.com/amp/villagers-uproot-marijuana-plants…
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