Cambodia Expats Online: Forum | News | Information | Blog

I think they just thought it made the chicken soup cluck.

The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia that arrived in 1992 – a peacekeeping mission that marked the first time a country’s government was taken over by the UN – nominally banned marijuana, though enforcement of the law was extremely lax.

The country’s first concrete anti-drug law was passed in 1996 – the same year that the US added Cambodia to its list of “major illicit drug producing and drug transit countries”, after a recommendation from the UN Drugs Control Programme and enforcement has been ramping up ever since.

“In certain parts of the countryside, they still use it,” Page said. “It hasn’t evaporated, but you have to be in a village at the right time.

“It was much more common than it is today. It’s not considered a good social habit any more. You don’t want granddad sitting in the corner smoking a water pipe.”

Page pointed out the irony of Cambodia stamping out the traditional use of cannabis at the US government’s behest while many US states were now moving away from prohibitionist policies.

“It’s legal right across America, so why is it illegal in Cambodia?” he said.

Cambodia has a complicated relationship with cannabis. While it’s technically illegal, the authorities make exceptions for traditional and medicinal use. But now with a global trend away from prohibition, some suggest it’s high time the government here followed suit.

Sailorman wrote:As usual its the UN pushed by the US's antiquated drug laws (and the out of control DEA) that are forcing countries to adopt laws that should have been stricken in the US (and all overt the world) years ago. The war on drugs is the war on people. Once US federal law on weed is changed (and it will) how may years will it be before the UN and countries that have been forced to pass draconian laws on weed catch up to that change?

The US and US tax payers pay for 22% of the budget of the useless UN and this has to stop. The US is bankrupt and its credit cards are maxed out.

On Dec 10, 2013 Uruguay defied the UN charter/drug laws and the US, and made Marijuana legal. How long before the rest of the world catch's up?

Anchor Moy wrote:OMG I agree with Sailorman 100 % .

Username Taken wrote:Comedy Gold!

Meas Vyrith, the secretary-general of Cambodia’s National Authority for Combating Drugs, said the law grouped cannabis alongside heroin and methamphetamine in the “most harmful drugs” category.

Legendary English Vietnam War photographer Tim Page, who is now based in Australia, first visited Cambodia in 1964 on holiday and said that cannabis was ubiquitous at the time.

“Virtually every roadside cafe, truck stop or any Cambodian eatery – even major hotels – would all offer you a menu with or without ganja. If you wanted an omelette done with lots of herb, you just had to ask,” he said in a phone interview.
“We use all kinds of herbs in our cooking. For them, it was just another source of flavour, and I think they just thought it made the chicken soup cluck.”

“The quality of weed in Cambodia was better than in Vietnam,” he added.