Taiwan and China share at least one thing

Tensions between China and Taiwan are rising. China believes Taiwan has seceded from the country and insists on unity with the mainland. Taiwanese citizens can see their opponent from Kinmen Island (about 200 miles from the capital, Taipei). Kinmen is only 6 miles away from China. Taiwan believes in its independence and is a sovereign country. Under the previous US administration, China began to take bolder steps to encourage a “return to the fold” for Taiwan. Taiwan has resisted fiercely and is working to recruit allies to its cause. Taiwan’s economy is driven by a healthy manufacturing sector that includes electronics, machinery, petrochemicals, and information and communication technology products. Taiwan produces over 60% of the world’s semiconductors and over 90% of the most advanced. All crucial to the computing world of the world.

As they fight, China and Taiwan share common ground, including bad marijuana policies.

In China, there are severe penalties for being caught with cannabis. Possession of five kilograms or more carries the risk of the death penalty. In addition, severe penalties are imposed; anything from five years imprisonment to a life sentence. The government identified marijuana as a dangerous addictive drug and its possession and use is illegal. However, the cultivation of cannabis for industrial purposes (hemp) has never been banned in China. Medical marijuana has been made from cannabis seeds for around two thousand years. Today the seeds are mainly used as a laxative. The country has a population of more than 1.4 billion people and in 2017 there are 24,000 citizens consuming according to the latest source. China tightly controls information with its own versions of Amazon (Alibaba), Google (Baidu) and Facebook (WeChat) heavily censored.

In Taiwan, those found guilty of marijuana use face a maximum sentence of three years in prison under the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act. Possession with intent to sell carries a minimum sentence of five years and a fine of up to $164,000. Today, only four types of THC-containing medicines are approved for patient use and are subject to strict controls. Taiwan’s population is 23.5 million, with fewer than 250,000 consumers. These are mostly young people who get their information from global social media. This helps them avoid government messages about the evils of marijuana as they have access to global social media.

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According to observational data published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, patients suffering from pain, cancer, anxiety and insomnia report significant, sustained improvements in their health-related quality of life after using medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is legal in 40 states and recreational marijuana in 23 because there is scientific evidence and data to support its use.

In Europe, there is no clear list of pathologies that can be treated with cannabis-based medicines as far as medical marijuana is concerned. It is not considered a cure but rather a palliative treatment. Medical marijuana is legal in much of Europe, but recreational use is growing in popularity.

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China and Taiwan’s conservative culture toward marijuana is perplexing, as Eastern medicine takes a more holistic approach that includes plants and other aspects of health.

Perhaps their shared animosity towards marijuana could be a starting point for discussing commonalities and finding more benefits for both sets of citizens.