Actress Under Fire for Backing Marijuana

[thrift.livejournal.com]

Actress Kim Bu-seon's calls on national TV for marijuana use to be legalized are causing a public uproar.

In a pre-recorded interview on MBC's live morning show on Friday, the 46-year-old, who has advocated the legalization of the drug, said, "Marijuana is not a narcotic; it is technically an Oriental herbal medicine which Koreans have used for 5,000 years."

Kim, who has been arrested for marijuana use several times, launched a campaign for the drug's legalization in 2004 after being sentenced to a suspended jail term. She then filed a petition with the Constitutional Court for a review of the constitutionality of the country's marijuana-related laws.

In MBC interview, she took the opportunity to protest the recent arrest of actor Oh Gwang-rok on charges of marijuana use, saying his actions caused no harm and that the drug did not affect his ability to act.

"Have you ever heard of any news that I committed a crime after smoking marijuana? I have never done anything harmful, as politicians or thieves have," she said.

The actress also claimed that marijuana use can be beneficial to people with certain medical conditions. "If smoking it doesn't do harm to others, those who do need it, such as those suffering from depression or cancer patients, should be allowed to use it. Marijuana increases appetite and improves sleep," she continued. "Korea has the highest ratio of death by suicide among OECD members. The nation needs to take marijuana as a depression remedy and make depression patients come back to society."

She also claimed that investigations into entertainers who smoke cannabis were politically motivated. "Whenever the government has troubles, it uses drug-taking entertainers to divert people's attention. It is the best way to make entertainers and artists obey the government"

After the interview, the show's host Shin Dong-ho said that he has a different opinion, but added that he would defend her right to speak out on her beliefs if she gets in trouble because of the remarks.

TV viewers and Internet users have attacked Kim and MBC over the comments. A blogger identified as findsoul said, "If marijuana is an Oriental medicine, is methamphetamine a Western medicine? It is not right to justify narcotics even though it is a minority opinion."

Another called sinwoos2002 said, "MBC, a public TV station, broadcast that marijuana could be helpful for society. It is obviously quite a low-quality show."

A number of people have demanded that MBC issue an apology for airing the controversial interview.

source

Comments

[merlinspants.livejournal.com]

A blogger identified as findsoul said, "If marijuana is an Oriental medicine, is methamphetamine a Western medicine?

o ok. but seriously, i'm glad she's out there doing things to legalize marijuana. i really don't get the big deal if people smoke weed

[thereisdiscord.livejournal.com]

That comment just... idek
Meth is a combination of nasty shit made in labs in people's basements. Marijuana actually is an herbal medicine.

[kyujong.livejournal.com]

Good on her for standing up for something she believes in, but I think people with depression need to do a little more than just smoke some weed lol.

[merlinspants.livejournal.com]

lmao ia

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

and boys can koreans drink

[maisoui.livejournal.com]

A number of people have demanded that MBC issue an apology for airing the controversial interview.

oic :\ no controversial topics, no matter how important they may be, no matter how well the opposition argues, huh? That's disappointing.

[queefing.livejournal.com]

good for her!

weed > alcohol

[iluvkidnappers.livejournal.com]

this entire comment :D

[no-genre.livejournal.com]

this whole thing

[sup-homeskillet.livejournal.com]

brb loling all over the place

[queefing.livejournal.com]

sadly yes!

[supremacists.livejournal.com]

i've done a debate on this before whereas i was for the legalization of marijuana. the legalization could do wonders for our economy right now:
open new jobs, save those who were laid off, provide more taxes, and there will be less people in jail for illegal drug use.

props to her for keeping her ground.

[mardigrasmaven.livejournal.com]

Weed isn't a drug... weed is a plant. It just grows like that. And if you should so happen to set it on fire... there are some effects. XDDD

[hp-groupie.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of the time when my mother was living in Uganda and everyone in her village got high when there was a nearby fire. XD

[pickychu.livejournal.com]

I love this woman. Though, I wouldn't say that marijuana helps depression, it really just buries the issue instead of coming to terms with what is making you so depressed in the first place.

[f-i-x-m-e.livejournal.com]

I don't care if someone smokes pot, but I hate when people BRAG about it.
And brag about how high they got on the weekend.
I don't care, it just makes you sound like an idiot.

[chasedbytime.livejournal.com]

wow iawtc so fucking hard.

idgaf if you smoke weed!! my best friends are some of the biggest potheads i know so the fact that you smoke won't impress me in any way. (also i think i should add that my friends who smoke are all very intelligent people... one of them is pulling a 3.8 in one of the hardest majors at my school.)

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

i can understand why her position is controversial, but people are taking it too far by demanding an apology from mbc. honestly, to voice such an opinion shouldn't be that big of a deal, even if you disagree with it. though i guess they're probably concerned children will think it's okay to smoke weed

[le-byul.livejournal.com]

"Korea has the highest ratio of death by suicide among OECD members. The nation needs to take marijuana as a depression remedy and make depression patients come back to society."

IOW Korea, stop killing yourselves and just smoke weed! 8D

[familiarplaces.livejournal.com]

honestly whether it is illegal or not doesn't stop a majority of my school from smoking it. i get the feel that a lot of people i know just smoke it because it's illegal and they like to be 'badass'.. mine as well legalize it and make money if people are going to smoke it anyway.

i think people should be more open-minded and consider all the ways it could benefit. she makes a valid argument except i don't think it can be considered a cure for depression..

[f-i-x-m-e.livejournal.com]

i get the feel that a lot of people i know just smoke it because it's illegal and they like to be 'badass'

IA.

[aurait.livejournal.com]

A blogger identified as findsoul said, "If marijuana is an Oriental medicine, is methamphetamine a Western medicine? It is not right to justify narcotics even though it is a minority opinion."

Well, while methamphetamine is largely recreational, amphetamines were developed originally as a treatment for asthma and are currently in commonly used as a treatment for ADD and ADHD so . . . yeah, actually.

[pumadragon.livejournal.com]

TRUTH.

amphetamines are the reason i don't fail out of school. ♥

[herro-is-vip.livejournal.com]

I don't think using drugs of any kind, legal or not, is a particularly wise decision but, I do think that if alcohol and cigarettes are legal, why not Marijuana?

[thereisdiscord.livejournal.com]

People don't need to apologize for bringing up controversial subjects.

[theweathertoday.livejournal.com]

this, seriously.

[poppytea.livejournal.com]

yes! drugs = should be de-regulated. illegalizing it just makes it a profitable business for gangs, etc. see: the prohibition.

also, it's commonly known that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol, cigarettes, etc, and less addictive than caffeine.

[pumadragon.livejournal.com]

PROHIBITION ARGUMENT WINS

[jia-zhang.livejournal.com]

Finally, someone in Korea who isn't sounding like a right-wing Evangelical fanatic. Korea should do some pot; it seriously needs to get off its high horse. Laws can be beneficial, but it can also be very restrictive.

And honestly, I've grown up in neighbourhoods where pot was quite prevalent. I used to have kids come to class all high and stuff, and they've been better people stoned than not stoned. The most it does is make you very giggly.

[risu-risu.livejournal.com]

i hope no one ends up apologizing for this interview. i really don't think that there is any reason to.

[aici-rua.livejournal.com]

OMG SOMEONE WITH A DIFFERENT OPINION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! O.O SAVE HERR, PRESERVE HER BRAAAAIIINN!!!!

Another called sinwoos2002 said, "MBC, a public TV station, broadcast that marijuana could be helpful for society. It is obviously quite a low-quality show."

A number of people have demanded that MBC issue an apology for airing the controversial interview.

1. What the woman said was not MBC's opinion. They were just paving the way for a different opinion to be heard for dumbasses like you. It doesn't make MBC anymore low-quality nor high-quality.

2. Why would they apologize for airing an interview you didn't agree with? It's not their job to show you things you agree with, it's to show something important and relevant to society.

[zizy.livejournal.com]

I think everyone in Korea would benefit from having a little pot. They're so overworked, stressed out and fanatical about being perfect. Chillax, people. It's just a little weed.

Of course I say this never having tried it but yeah. lol

[ultra-obscene84.livejournal.com]

That man is my personal Lord and Savior. I have an unnatural love for him.