Weed

Lebanon Produces 6% of the World’s Hashish, But Only Users Are Paying for It

Source: Al Monitor

The Numbers

These are the numbers for 2015, from the drug enforcement bureau in Lebanon. I’ve been trying to get the broken down stats for 2016, but with no luck. I can confirm that the number of arrests have spiked significantly in 2016, since between 2011 and 2015, average arrests per year were 2500–2700. In 2016, they were well over 3500 (3669 to be exact).

Source: Drug Enforcement Bureau, Lebanon — 2015

Analysis

58% of those arrested were for hashish. That’s almost 1600 people in 2015. That’s four people every day. That’s one young man or woman every six hours throughout the year. If we assume the percentage of those arrested for weed/hash is still the same for 2016, that’s 2100 people. 6 people every day. One person every 4 hours.

Despite the general misconception that less people are being caught, the numbers obviously point otherwise. This wrong idea might be due to the government not acting much against the growers and big-time dealers, citing the excuse of fighting terrorism and being too busy to crack down on the drug trade.

If that’s true however, that begs the question how did they arrest almost 1000 extra users last year? Was the threat of terrorism non-existent when they’re waiting for clubbers outside clubs to strip-search them in public?

The Real Reason

It makes them a lot of money. Busting hashish smokers is easy, and the process is such a traumatic one, that people would do and pay anything to avoid the inhumane and brutal treatment when you get arrested. Just the social stigma itself would be enough for any law-abiding citizen to seek the power of the wasta or bribe.

Drug users are also defenseless. They’re young, unarmed, peaceful. They’re the perfect prey for crooked law enforcement. Prey that will not fight back like the big time dealers and growers.

The Government Needs to Act

They all talk about how they want to decriminalize and legalize marijuana and hashish. However, they’re all part of the police state system that’s ruining the lives of thousands of young Lebanese each year. At a time when big swathes of the world have decriminalized, or even legalized the consumption of hashish.

The problem with this topic, is most people think of the economic value of “exporting” the infamously good Lebanese product. That’s not the point. How can you export something and make money off of it legally if your own citizens are hunted down like terror suspects for consuming it?

The money being made by cartels and political parties backing them, can go to the government’s coffers. Instead of absurd tax hikes on Lebanon’s non-existent middle class and overwhelming majority working class, as the politicians fix deals for electricity ships and other overt theft and spending of public money for commissions and kickbacks…

If this is the government of change and reform, where the taxpayer has rights and dignity, this is the first step, and it is an easy one. An easy one that will have a lot of benefits, both economically, politically, socially and security-wise.

The Goods

  • Less people will be spending time in jail and with black dots on their records. This means more people who can get employed, start businesses, vote and run for elections.
  • Less money will be made by the drug lords that shoot up innocent tax payers, like this week in Zahle and many other instances.
  • More taxes will mean the budget won’t need us to add taxes on law-abiding citizens.
  • Increase in tourism will make up for the lost tourism because of the GCC countries boycott of Lebanon for political reasons. It will attract young people from around the world who would love to try Lebanon’s famous hash while experiencing the awesome nature, clubbing and food Lebanon has to offer, minus the risk of jail and deportation a few dozen foreigners face each year because of smoking hash.
  • Human rights will be respected in the country that helped write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The biggest crime since the early 1990s is the hell brought down upon Lebanon’s youth, but one wrought with so much stigma, that no one talks about it. No one talks about it, but everyone knows someone arrested or was arrested themselves, but because of the shame, no one speaks out.

The Choice

Decriminalizing marijuana needs to be on the election platforms for the upcoming elections. This is a subject directly affecting a big part of Lebanese society that no one seems to be willing to address, apart from a wasta on the down-low or protection for dealers and growers under their patronage.

Will Lebanon’s government keep hunting down and entrapping innocent, young tax payers while the dealers roam free? Or will Lebanon be progressive enough to end this witch hunt and focus on more important things that actually hurt the country, like corruption, violent crime and terrorism?

We’re the 3rd biggest hash producers after Afghanistan and Morccco. It’s time we enjoy the benefits of this plant, and reduce the exponentially more harmful effects of legal substances such as alcohol and tobacco…

BBC Pop Up’s Lebanese Hashish Documentary

You probably already saw the documentary above, but if you still haven’t, I suggest you do. There are several things in it that are very important, but maybe not new. Here are some:

Impunity for Druglords

The hash part is definitely not the surprising one for most folks. What is though, is how druglords who openly admit to murdering a lot of people, still roam free, while Lebanese drug enforcement agents lurk around gas stations to follow and entrap young Lebanese folks who buy rolling papers before going to their home and minding their own business.

It reiterates the feeling that most Lebanese have, that the government is only powerful against the helpless and innocent. Against the criminals, it dares not budge a finger, and if by some miracly they do, the political godfathers swoop in and send their private armored cars (paid for by your taxes) to bail them out. As for those kids they pounced on for buying rolling papers? They rot in jail with ISIS members till someone pays somebody off or gets a wasta, or a judge that isn’t from the Dark Ages.


Gross Incompetence by Drug Enforcement Officials

I’ll just put some quotes from drug enforcement chief Chamseddine here to illustrate just how sadistic and misinformed drug enforcement is in Lebanon

“The hashish, is the most dangerous drug for the human being”

Seriously?

“We arrest thousands of people. Hundreds for drugs dealer, but thousand for addicts. Two thousand. Three thousand during the year.”

How shameful is it that 1–3 thousand taxpayers are arrested each year for smoking hash? That’s between 3 and 9 people every single day, who go through the living hell that is Hobeich police precinct, under conditions that can be described as inhumane at best, and medival at worst.

“I can put you in jail for 3 years, if you smoke hashish”

For a victimless crime, when those who boast about killing people that wrong them, roam free in their fancy villas.

“Our ability, it’s not enough to make big ride to there, because most of guy there have maybe weapon, more than police”

It’s enough to catch 3000 people though. That needs a lot of ability and effort and resources, why don’t you spend them on the ones doing actual crimes?

“Nobody can touch him? If I have 100 soldier, I can go and put him like a mouse, ok?”

So, we have less than 100 soldiers in Lebanon? Our soldiers can bounce back ISIS fighters, I’m sure druglords won’t be an issue for them. There must be a different reason they aren’t being caught “like a mouse”, while innocent Lebanese taxpayers get treated worse than a lab mouse…

“We treat addicts and users like sick people”

If that’s true, sick people need care and support, not enhanced interrogation techniques and subhuman detention conditions

“It’s war between the good guy, and the bad guy”

How is the good guy the ones that wait outside of clubs in the morning, then cut off a car full of young people going home sober, and strip-search them on the street and threaten them when they’re clean?

“I cannot expect in some day, the hashish will be legal in Lebanon, ok?”

Luckily, that’s not for the police to decide, and no one is asking for it to be legal, just not a criminal offense. Maybe when it’s no longer treated like a violent crime, they might have enough capability to actually bust the real criminals?

Incalculable Harm to Lebanon’s Youth

Let’s not kid ourselves. A lot of people smoke hash in this country. A lot get busted for it too. The physical and psychological trauma caused by being put through Lebanon’s judiciary is one that is decimating Lebanon’s youth. Even if you don’t spend months and years locked up with murderers and terrorist in an overcrowded prison, the fact you got caught and spent a few nights behind bars is tantamount to social suicide. No one will want to be your friend anymore. No one will trust you. You will forever be “that girl who went to Hobeich” or “that guy who was in Roumieh prison” as Sadek put it in the last part of the documentary.

As if that wasn’t enough, for a non-violent crime with no victims or harm, even just smoking hash, will get you a “black dot” on your criminal record which you cannot appeal to remove for at least 3 years. That’s 3 year you’ll probably not be able to land a job, go to grad school, get a residency permit abroad, vote, run for elections and pretty much everything else that needs a “background check” (sejjel 3adle). For what? Smoking hash? For real? When serial killers and genocide architects hold elected and appointed office? For shame.

It’s Time To Speak Up

The taboo around this subject is the main obstacle it has. Most people are with decriminalizing, if not legalizing. It’s 2017. We cannot let 3000 lives be ruined every year so that some folks can make money off bribes by taking advantage of the helpless, while turning a blind eye to the real criminals and actually dangerous hard drugs.

Politicians sometimes say they support legalization, and even though that’s just talk to pander to their disgruntled base, they wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t almost at its tipping point. The elections are around the corner, and many of you will be voting (I hope) and some of you will be campaigning and a few of you will be running. It’s time to make decriminalizing hash one of your priorities. If you don’t smoke hash, someone you love surely does, and trust me, you don’t want them getting arrested for that. Khallas, it’s enough. Till then though, be careful and inform yourself. Check out Skoun’s Know Your Rights guide so that the next time someone tries to set a trap for you thinking you’re a “mouse”, you’ll be a smart mouse that knows its rights and how to demand they be respected.