Woes of opium addiction shape Chinese debate on legalising marijuana
Detention of celebrity cannabis users leads some to question drug penalties, but China hasn't forgotten its 'century of humiliation'
Ideologically, China and the United States could not be further apart. Outside of politics, however, the world's last major communist-ruled nation and the leader of the free world seem to have much more in common.
A case in point is the strident debate under way in both nations over the decriminalisation and legalisation of marijuana for recreational or medical use. In November, 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first two US states to decriminalise the recreational use of marijuana, even though its sale, use and possession is banned under federal law.
American public opinion has shifted in favour of the drug, with 54 per cent of people backing its legalisation, up from about 12 per cent in the early 1970s.
Similar calls emerged in China recently following a spate of arrests of celebrities on marijuana-related charges.
The government's high-profile detention of about a dozen Chinese celebrities, including Hollywood star Jackie Chan's son Jaycee and Taiwanese actor Kai Ko, has triggered a nationwide debate over the use of the drug.
Drug use is growing in China, keeping pace with a general increase in personal freedoms and discretionary income. And more people are now saying that criminal sanctions against personal use represent at worst excessively harsh and at best unnecessary penalties as the drug is claimed to be safe. Some have called for action to legalise it, citing the US practices.