CHALLENGE-SEEKERS:
Whereas some folks instructed police they needed to develop hashish for private use, others stated that they needed to check their agricultural expertise
-
By Wu Sheng-ju and Jake Chung / Employees reporter, with employees author
Police in Keelung final week urged folks to mood their curiosity about hashish horticulture and never purchase seeds of the class 2 drug on-line, because it stays unlawful to make use of, develop, transport and distribute.
Keelung Metropolis Police Division Felony Investigation Division Second Corp Captain Lin Hsueh-chih (林學志) on Monday final week stated that whereas marijuana has medicinal makes use of, it stays unlawful to import seeds and develop the plant in Taiwan.
Not too long ago, a number of folks have purchased hashish seeds on-line with the intent to develop, with a vendor immediately mailing packages to patrons to bypass laws, Lin stated.

Picture copied by Wu Sheng-ju, Taipei Instances
The police division stated it final yr pursued greater than 20 circumstances of individuals in search of to develop hashish, most of whom had bought the seeds over the Web.
A few of the patrons stated they supposed to develop the crops for private use, however others stated they purchased the seeds to problem their horticulture expertise, as they heard it may very well be troublesome to domesticate, it stated.
The hashish agriculture lovers included workplace staff, engineers, overseas staff and college students, it stated.
After being alerted to graduate college students in search of to purchase hashish seeds on-line, the police obtained a warrant to go looking one of many college students’ residences, it stated.
Police stated the coed instructed them that they have been simply inquisitive about what a hashish plant seemed like, including that they didn’t anticipate to succeed at rising one.
One other incident concerned a employee from Thailand, who instructed police that they grew hashish for private consumption — making a tea with the leaves, the police stated.
Whereas authorized amendments up to now few years have adjusted the sentencing primarily based on an individual’s intent for rising hashish — whether or not on the market or private use — the act itself continues to be unlawful, lawyer Ko Lin-hung (柯林宏) stated.
Underneath article 13 of the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例), folks convicted of transporting or promoting hashish seeds with intent to offer for cultivation face a minimal of two years in jail and a superb of not more than NT$200,000 (US$6,361).
The Legislative Yuan in 2022 handed amendments to the act that modified the sentencing for individuals who develop hashish for private use, with out intent to distribute, Ko stated.
The sentence was diminished from the unique 5 years in jail to a minimal of 1 yr, as much as a most of seven years, he added.
The modification additionally diminished the superb from NT$5 million to a most of NT$1 million, he stated.
Feedback will likely be moderated. Maintain feedback related to the article. Remarks containing abusive and obscene language, private assaults of any sort or promotion will likely be eliminated and the consumer banned. Closing choice will likely be on the discretion of the Taipei Instances.