Screen capture from NewsHankuk.com.
The Korea Times looks at Kim Bu-seon, who had an interview aired on MBC on the 19th in which she called for the legalization of marijuana. Here's a line the next busted English teacher ought to use, to try and appeal to Koreans' inflated sense of history:
"Marijuana is not a narcotic; it is technically an Oriental herbal medicine which Koreans have used for 5,000 years."
The screen capture above shows "대마초는 만약아니다, 엄밀히 한약이다," and other articles mention the "우리 민족이 5천년 동안 애용해 왔던 것" bit, though I haven't looked around hard enough for a transcript or a lengthy excerpt. The KT article says Kim has been busted several times for using pot, most recently in 2004, after which she filed a petition with the Constitutional Court that said Korea's laws violate the constitution. Other excerpts from the interview, according to the KT:
``Have you ever heard of any news that I committed a crime after smoking marijuana? I have never done anything harmful, as politicians or thieves have," she said.
The actress also claimed that marijuana use can be beneficial to people with certain medical conditions.
``If smoking it doesn't do harm to others, those who do need it, such as those suffering from depression or cancer patients, should be allowed to use it. Marijuana increases appetite and improves sleep," she continued.
``Korea has the highest ratio of death by suicide among OECD members. The nation needs to take marijuana as a depression remedy and make depression patients come back to society."
She also claimed that investigations into entertainers who smoke cannabis were politically motivated.
``Whenever the government has troubles, it uses drug-taking entertainers to divert people's attention. It is the best way to make entertainers and artists obey the government,'' Kim said.
8 comments:
Good for her. She has got balls, especially the part about medical marijuana. I don't see Korea permitting the use of medical marijuana.
As for marijuana as an anti-depressant--well, perhaps anti-depressants are better for depression than weed over the long term.
It might also be worth noting that marijuana prohibition was in many countries a policy imposed by the US.
Anyway, I don't really see how anyone can defend marijuana prohibition when alcohol does so much more damage, especially in Korea.
From the KT:
She also claimed that investigations into entertainers who smoke cannabis were politically motivated.
``Whenever the government has troubles, it uses drug-taking entertainers to divert people's attention. It is the best way to make entertainers and artists obey the government,'' Kim said.
This cannot be true. We all know from the K-blogs that that the government and the media only come down on foreign English teachers and drug use.
Oh, and guess what. It's still illegal. "Kim Pusŏn said it should be legalized" is not a get-out-of-jail card.
WORD VERIFICATION: grucipy, which sounds like a poorly hangulized version of crucify.
Oh, and guess what. It's still illegal. "Kim Pusŏn said it should be legalized" is not a get-out-of-jail card.
Yeah man, because this is a country in which rational excuses and justifications for one's actions are so common. Even still, the lamest excuses are only excepted for citizens, not visa-holders (unless perhaps they have an "entertainment" visa).
I'm not sure what your point is.
The K-MILF said, "...an Oriental herbal medicine which Koreans have used for 5,000 years."
Again with the 5000 years of culture lie. I have asked a number of Koreans how they come up with fanatsy number and they have no answer.
Nathan is right. Marijuana used to be sold openly in Korean shops in Itaewon until the 70s. The US military continually asked the Korean government to make it illegal.
I was gonna go to hagwon, but I was high.
I could've studied and I could've passed, but I was high
Now I'm at a factory and I know why.
Yeah, yeah.
Because I got high. Because I got high. Because I got high.
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