Taipei:Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen has proposed a debate on drug policy, while Mayor Chiang Wan-an has expressed his willingness to discuss the issue in a formal debate setting. This development comes amid ongoing controversy regarding Shen's past writings on the subject.
According to Focus Taiwan, the two candidates have reached a preliminary agreement to participate in a debate organized by TVBS, with their aides set to negotiate the specific details. Shen, while campaigning at the Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station, accused Chiang's team of misrepresenting his drug policy positions and suggested that this topic be the focus of their initial debate.
Chiang, representing the Kuomintang (KMT), stated that all municipal issues, including drug policy, should be open for discussion. He emphasized his commitment to participate in the debate, aligning with the tradition of Taipei mayoral election debates.
The controversy stems from a September 2014 article by Shen for Thinking Taiwan, which was written after actor Kai Ko's arrest in China for marijuana use. In the article, Shen criticized a New Taipei proposal to include drug screening in school health examinations, arguing that punishment-focused policies could exacerbate inequalities and stigmatize disadvantaged students.