Singapore’s Strict Drug Laws: Capital Punishment, Harsh Penalties, and the Story of One Casual Cannabis User

In Singapore, drug-related crimes carry some of the harshest penalties in the world. There are currently 33 offenses that warrant capital punishment, ranging from murder and terrorism to drug trafficking and firearms offenses. After a more than two-year hiatus, Singapore resumed executions in March 2022, with 16 people executed since, all for drug trafficking. For those on death row, the exact number of whom remains unknown, execution by hanging awaits.

In a country where possession of certain drugs can bring life-altering consequences, even minor infractions are subject to some form of detention or rehabilitation. Among these cases is the story of “Kim” (a pseudonym), a casual cannabis user whose journey from self-medicating to facing years in prison underscores the severity of Singapore’s drug policies and the stark consequences of even minor involvement with controlled substances.

Cannabis Possession and Singapore’s Zero-Tolerance Policy

Singapore’s zero-tolerance drug policy is evident in the quantities that warrant capital punishment. According to the Misuse of Drugs Act, the death penalty applies for those caught with more than 500 grams of cannabis, 15 grams of heroin, 30 grams of cocaine, or 250 grams of methamphetamine. The country’s stance is clear: drug trafficking and even significant possession are crimes punishable by death.

Yet, even for users who possess smaller quantities, the penalties are substantial. Possession of just 15 grams of cannabis is treated as drug trafficking, a crime that could lead to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, with maximum sentences extending up to 20 years. Casual users found with less than 15 grams face mandatory rehabilitation rather than prison, often spending six months or more in a Drug Rehabilitation Center (DRC), a facility designed to deter users through strict, regimented conditions.

Kim’s Story: From Casual Use to a Trafficking Charge

Kim’s journey into the Singaporean justice system began as a form of personal relief. Experiencing family-related stress, she turned to cannabis for its calming effects, finding a reliable supplier to maintain a habit she shared with friends. For Kim, cannabis provided a sense of community and stress relief, especially within her social circle where other friends were also casual users. “I never marked up the price in any way, because this was friendship… It’s like, I’m helping you to purchase something we both use anyway,” Kim explained.

Yet this informal favor to friends would ultimately lead to her arrest. When one of her acquaintances was apprehended with cannabis, authorities traced the supply back to her. Despite viewing herself as a casual user helping friends, she found herself charged with drug trafficking. “I was wracked with horror,” Kim recounted. “To have charges of trafficking leveled at me? That was just overwhelming. I felt complete and utter fear of what was going to pan out for me.”

Singapore’s Drug Rehabilitation Centers (DRC): Detention with a Mission

Kim’s friends, those considered as mere consumers, were sent to Singapore’s Drug Rehabilitation Center (DRC), sparing them from prison sentences. However, life at the DRC, while distinct from prison, is structured and restrictive, aiming to discourage drug use through controlled and uncomfortable conditions. Managed by Singapore’s Prison Service, the center is surrounded by high-security measures, including barbed wire, surveillance cameras, and controlled living arrangements that reinforce discipline.

As part of rehabilitation, detainees undergo rigorous schedules, including psychology courses for up to six hours a day. The goal, as explained by Deputy Director Lau Kuan Mei of the Correctional Rehabilitation Service, is to “motivate inmates to want to stay away from drugs, to renew their lives without them, and to address negative thinking regarding drugs.”

Despite this approach, about one-third of released users are reported to relapse. This rate of recurrence suggests that while the DRC model may succeed in imposing discipline, it may not fully address the underlying causes of drug use for everyone. This concern has sparked debate, with critics questioning the punitive nature of the DRC system and its ability to truly rehabilitate individuals in the long term.

Criticism of Singapore’s Drug Policies

Some justice advocates in Singapore argue that the system is too harsh on users and that mandatory detention may traumatize rather than rehabilitate those struggling with substance use. Organizations like the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) highlight the psychological toll that detention takes on individuals, arguing that the DRC system operates more as a method of incarceration than genuine rehabilitation. They maintain that the center’s structure emphasizes discipline and control over compassionate intervention and support.

For advocates, Singapore’s “war on drugs” approach has created an environment of fear and shame that reinforces social stigma rather than offering a path toward recovery. The TJC describes DRC facilities as places of “humiliation” where detainees experience a profound “loss of liberties.” Such conditions, they argue, may worsen mental health issues and perpetuate feelings of alienation, ultimately hindering a person’s long-term recovery from drug use.

In contrast, some experts see improvements in Singapore’s approach. Addiction specialist Dr. Muni Winslow notes that the country has taken small but significant steps to view drug use more as a public health issue. While he acknowledges that Singapore’s policies are strict, he points out that treatment approaches within DRCs have advanced, focusing more on psychological rehabilitation than in the past.

“Mourning the Period of Life I Would Lose”

For Kim, who faces a minimum of five years in prison, the impact of her charges has been both immediate and profound. The looming prison sentence has forced her to grapple with the potential loss of freedom and the disruption of her life plans. “Once I heard there was very little possibility of me not serving a sentence, I took some time,” Kim reflects, “to mourn almost, for the period of my life I would lose. I think I’ve accepted prison on a deeper level. It just never gets easier as the day draws nearer.”

Kim’s situation underscores the rigidity of Singapore’s drug laws, which place even casual users who share cannabis with friends at risk of severe penalties. Her story illuminates the complexities within Singapore’s system, where lines between personal use, sharing among friends, and trafficking are often blurred in ways that leave room for harsh interpretation.

The Future of Drug Policy in Singapore

Singapore’s strict drug laws have consistently placed the nation among the countries with the highest execution rates for drug-related offenses. But while the government shows little inclination to relax these policies, there is a growing discourse around whether punitive measures truly deter drug use or if they simply perpetuate a cycle of stigma and criminalization.

Some Southeast Asian neighbors, including Thailand, have recently taken steps toward cannabis legalization, fueling discussions about alternative approaches to drug policy in the region. Advocates for change in Singapore argue that a focus on harm reduction, decriminalization, and mental health support could better serve both users and society.

As for Kim, her story illustrates the human cost of Singapore’s stringent drug policies. While she awaits her sentencing, her case serves as a reminder of the high stakes surrounding drug use in Singapore and the profound impact these laws have on individuals who may not see themselves as criminals but find themselves punished as such.

In Singapore, where the lines are drawn sharply between drug use, trafficking, and punishment, Kim’s experience highlights the difficult balance between public safety and personal choice, leaving many to question what justice truly looks like in the nation’s unyielding war on drugs