Warning - Do not attempt to smuggle cannabis into UK
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Warning - Do not attempt to smuggle cannabis into UK
11 Sept 03:00Key points summarised by AI
UK authorities issue a stark warning against smuggling cannabis, reporting a dramatic surge in arrests (378 people by August 2024) and seizures (15 tonnes) from countries where it's legal, including Thailand, Canada, and the US.
Individuals caught attempting to import cannabis face severe legal consequences, with a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail, directly contradicting misinformation from recruiters about minor fines.
Organised crime groups are exploiting legal cannabis sources overseas and recruiting couriers, driving this trend and leading to significant convictions and lengthy prison sentences, as evidenced by 196 people already sentenced to nearly 188 years collectively this year.
Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.