Why does Singapore retain the death penalty for cannabis trafficking?

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Singapore's Stance on the Death Penalty for Cannabis Trafficking Remains Unclear Amidst Global Trends

Singapore's continued imposition of the death penalty for cannabis trafficking, as exemplified by the execution of Tangaraju Suppiah on April 26, 2023, for approximately one kilogram of cannabis, stands in contrast to the global movement towards decriminalisation and legalisation of the substance. While the government's specific rationale for this policy remains largely unarticulated in public discourse, the practice highlights Singapore's position as one of the few nations that retains capital punishment for drug offenses. This approach is particularly notable given the increasing acceptance of cannabis in many other jurisdictions, including neighbouring countries where it may be available for recreational use.
Legal Framework and International Comparisons

Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act provides for the death penalty for trafficking specific quantities of controlled substances, including cannabis. However, the application of this penalty to cannabis, a substance increasingly viewed as less harmful than others and widely legalised globally, raises questions. Unlike countries such as the UAE and China, which have stringent anti-narcotic laws, or even historical precedents, Singapore's execution for cannabis trafficking is an outlier. This is especially pertinent as the primary justification for the death penalty in drug trafficking cases often centres on the drug's potential to cause harm and serve as a deterrent, a logic that is harder to apply to cannabis given its perceived low lethality.
The Deterrent Argument and its Application

The argument that capital punishment serves as a deterrent against drug trafficking is a cornerstone of Singapore's tough stance on narcotics. However, the effectiveness of this deterrent for cannabis, a substance for which there is limited evidence of it being deadly and which is legalised in numerous countries, is subject to debate. The execution of Tangaraju Suppiah for a relatively small quantity of cannabis suggests a strict interpretation of trafficking laws, where the focus appears to be on the act of trafficking itself rather than the potential harm caused by the substance. This contrasts with the more appropriate response of lengthy imprisonment, which is often considered a sufficient penalty for breaking drug laws when the substance in question does not cause fatalities.
Societal Discourse and Vulnerable Backgrounds

The case of Tangaraju Suppiah, a local Indian man from a poor background, has drawn attention to the demographics of those executed for drug offenses in Singapore. Similar to the case of Malaysian Nagendran Dharmalingam, who was executed for heroin trafficking the previous year, there is a perception that individuals from vulnerable and impoverished backgrounds disproportionately face capital punishment. This raises concerns about equity within the justice system, with some suggesting that a more logical application of the death penalty, if it is to be retained, would target high-ranking individuals involved in drug syndicates rather than those at the lower end of the supply chain. The muted public outcry surrounding Suppiah's execution, compared to Dharmalingam's case, may reflect a broader societal difficulty in comprehending the severity of the sentence for cannabis trafficking.

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Why does Singapore retain the death penalty for cannabis trafficking?

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