Letters | A CBD product ban in Hong Kong must be supported by stricter court sentencing
- Readers discuss the proposal to ban products derived from cannabis, the need to tackle the problem of bullying at its roots, and Cathay Pacific’s treatment of children travelling alone
As a drug abuse treatment social worker, I sometimes visit the correctional institutions to assess drug offenders’ motivation for treatment. Those remanded in custody for possession of cannabis will most likely reject the offer of an 18-month probation for drug treatment and rehabilitation because many of them believe the court sentence for possession of cannabis will only be a fine or short imprisonment.
In one recent case, former TVB actor Ken Wong Hap-hei was fined HK$4,000 after he was caught in possession of cannabis and a pipe in Stanley. In another case, a daughter of actor Richard Ng was fined HK$2,000 for possession of cannabis.
I believe such penalties fail to act as a deterrent or even send a message to the public that the offence is of a minor criminal nature. This misconception will affect the public’s attitude towards cannabis use. It will be more difficult for social workers to engage with cannabis abusers and their parents for drug abuse treatment and anti-drug preventive work.