Last August, Jaycee Chan was detained by the Beijing police department for hosting a party and providing marijuana at the party. Yesterday, the son of international Chinese Icon Jackie Chan was consequently sentenced to six months in a China prison and ordered to pay a fine of 2,000 yuan ($322) by a Beijing court.
Even though Jaycee wasn’t selling or distributing cannabis on any level, China has an extremely strict marijuana policy and would not let the nation’s biggest celebrity’s son escape the strong arm of the country’s weed law. Instead, both Jackie Chan–who serves as the nation’s anti-drug ambassador–and Chinese authorities agreed to come down on Jaycee just like any other Chinese defendant.
In my world, throwing a party and handing out joints is no crime but a blessing to society. But in China, doling out the dank remains blasphemy.
So 32-year-old Jaycee Chan, somewhat of an actor and celebrity himself in China, was wisely contrite at the hearing:
“I have violated the law and I should be punished. After I return to the society, I will definitely not make a mistake again because I have made my family and friends disappointed for one more time. I have gotten the punished [sic] I deserve, but it doesn’t mean I have been forgiven. I hope I can use my actions in the future to get the forgiveness and to pass positive energy.”
That sounds more like a scripted PR statement from Chan’s lawyer than the word’s of a 32-year-old who likes to get high with a little help from his friends. While wise words that should make his father happy, Jaycee likely knows that deep down, he’s no criminal and that China’s laws on marijuana are antiquated and absurd.
If Jaycee wants to legally light up, Colorado would more than welcome Chan, who attended William & Mary into our culture. And we’d show him how to help introduce our liberation of the plant to China.