Cannabis

[Matt-EUC]

To legalise or not to legalise?


There are no recorded deaths, it's less harmful than alcohol and could help the economy.



Discuss.

[Bibio]

the big telling tale will be the USA as there are so many states legalising it that the federal might have to do the same. once that happens then you might see a change in the law over here. dont hold your breath though.

my personal view is that they should legalise all drugs but still keep them as controlled substances. people are going to do what people do and the law does not deter them from doing it. the big problem is that a lot of people will loose their job as the proceeds of drugs go towards keeping the enforcers in a job.

[Kenzie]

If it is legalised it will need to be monitored, and legislation put in place to control quality. Just look at e-cigs, Joe Bloggs can make the liquids in his bedroom with god knows what in it.

[Matt-EUC]

Surely that's a good thing? It's currently unregulated and to use your own words it could have god knows what in it.


It's my belief that if legalised, people wouldn't be exposed to dealers who may wish to push harder substances. People will do what they want regardless of law, but giving a legal alternative may remove their need to look elsewhere for a kick.

[Bibio]

put it this way. i would not touch cannabis resin with a barge pole these days.

i stopped taking recreational drugs when i was 25 for the simple fact that the even back then the quality was getting bad.

[Matt-EUC]

My point exactly. Regulation and quality control is key.

Not to mention the jobs it could create and the farmers who'd benefit. The government could tax it similarly to tobacco and alcohol and generate millions in revenue. There would also be less imprisonment for cannabis users saving £40k per year per inmate!

Weed isn't harmless but it's harmful effects pale in comparison to alcohol.

I don't agree with other drugs such as MDMA, cocaine and heroin as they can really f*ck sh*t up. They are also cut with seriously harmful substances like rat poison to make the product go further.

[Bibio]

thing is Matt, if you legalise all drugs then as you say you can regulate it. its the shady back street dealers that are responsible for getting people hooked in the first place. if you take that away then there would be a loooooot less people turning to harder substances as they would be readily available. taking harder drugs once in a blue moon does not make you an addict. i think you would be surprised as to just how many people in high society take heroin never mind Columbian marching powder.

[DJ123]

To legalise or not to legalise?


There are no recorded deaths, it's less harmful than alcohol and could help the economy.



Discuss.


So who picks up the bill for all the mental issues it causes? the NHS?

[Matt-EUC]

Doesn't it do that already?

[Bibio]

ahhh the old mental health argument, that was the exact excuse that got it criminalised in the first place. you would have to be susceptible to mental health issues in the first place and even then most would have ended up with problems without the drugs. but because of the way it was worded in the study the Dr (Potts i think it was) was told to read and only read one part of the sentience, he complained about this but was made to do so in court. the original study concluded that it would be no worse than alcohol abuse.

the big problem is that there are so many people taking recreational drugs these days its hard to tell who would have had the mental health issues to begin with.

there are a lot of people in mental health institutes that have never taken drugs in their life.

two of the biggest drains on the NHS is tobacco and alcohol related but they are legal.

[DJ123]

two of the biggest drains on the NHS is tobacco and alcohol related but they are legal.





The same as Obese people are becoming, food is legal as well!

[Matt-EUC]

Again, an abuse issue. All things in moderation.

[Teejayexc]

two of the biggest drains on the NHS is tobacco and alcohol related but they are legal.

Aah yes, but the duties/taxes raised on those to also go a long way to paying for the Nhs.

By legalising cannabis is hm gov missing a trick to raise more revenue?

[DJ123]

Aah yes, but the duties/taxes raised on those to also go a long way to paying for the Nhs.

By legalising cannabis is hm gov missing a trick to raise more revenue?

It's already widely distributed illegally in huge quantity around the UK. Trying to tax it will keep it in the same underground channels. This is why you can't legalise drugs and make them and everyday product with tax, because everyone who currently sells or buys them pays no tax . . .

[Bibio]

Holland is a classic example of how it works. underground weed/dope selling is not that common.

same could be said for homebrew lots of people do it and its becoming more and more popular and they pay no duty or tax.

the biggest problem would be the acceptance of the older generation who were born in the 30-40's. they have been brainwashed since the 70's being told that its bad.

people of my generation (born in the 60-70's) however have a much more relaxed attitude towards it. i have very very few friends that have not taken drugs at some point in their life.

so a bit like homebrew you can make your own or buy from a shop.

[Matt-EUC]

Farm the product here, and sell it at a similar price as the dealers do. Then, the dealers will have almost no advantage.

[BanannaMan]

Here in the US, legalization may actually reduce usage as now more and more work places are drug testing.
So while it may be legal to smoke it's also legal for your work to dismiss you for drug use.

[Matt-EUC]

Whilst at work? Or for having it in your system at all?

[BanannaMan]

In your system at all.
Kinda makes being legal pointless if you can be fired for doing something that is not breaking the law.

But that's the good ol' US of A for you.
Nothing here really makes any sense.

[Matt-EUC]

It'll have to be legalised at a federal level at some point.

Also, cannabis stays in your system for ages. So that really sucks.

[BanannaMan]

It'll have to be legalised at a federal level at some point.

Also, cannabis stays in your system for ages. So that really sucks.




Yes, it takes two weeks to get out of your system (enough to pass the test) (even if you only had a couple of hits off a spliff )

[Bibio]

But that's the good ol' US of A for you.
Nothing here really makes any sense.

yup especially since the CIA admitted selling crack to dealers to fund the Iraq war but surprise surprise Clinton was caught getting a BJ so took precedence over the media.

[DaveW_42]

Wasn't that Reagan funding the Contra rebels in Nicaragua, rather than Clinton and Iraq? Good movie about it recently called 'Kill the Messenger' : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1216491/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl

[Bibio]

aahhh yes so it was. just remember the Clinton part.

[Teejayexc]

?.... it's also legal for your work to dismiss you for drug use.

Some firms are already doing that here, not sure about the legalities of it though :confused:

[Jayneflakes]

I do not agree with prohibition, I do not believe it works and I also disapprove of shoddy drug dealers selling undefined muck that harms people. However, I also disapprove of the Nanny state stepping in to deal with people after they pee'd it up the wall, so if some one is stupid enough to get hooked on alcohol, fags, heroin or cocaine, stuff 'em. This attitude comes from having been in relationships with an alcoholic and a junkie and I am aware that it is not very nice of me, however I have never claimed to be nice.

So now for the confession, I do not drink, smoke or take drugs because I just don't enjoy being intoxicated. However if that is your thing, who am I to tell you what you can and cannot do? Simple put, it is none of my f***ing business. Just don't make it my business by being a wuss and turning into a wreck!

I am also an advocate of euthanasia, abortion, eating meat, wearing leather, muscle cars and huge feck off bikes. Alternatively I am opposed to hunting with dogs, pay day loan companies and UKIP and other far right groups.

So not at all controversial.

[keith_d]

I'm generally in favour of legalising cannabis with appropriate safeguards. But I would still oppose legalisation of more physiologically addictive drugs.

To see why, we only need to look at what happened in China in the 1830s. According to one source up to 90% of the working male population in Southern Chinea were smoking opium when it was readily available from the British. In Canton alone a British doctor estimated there were 12 million addicts, while the Chinese estimated there were 4 million.

These figures might not be accurate, but they indicate the massive potential for social problems when addictive drugs are readily available. Today we have much the potential to produce much purer and more addictive drugs than opium. So I don't see legalisation of 'hard' drugs as a practical option.

[Littlepeahead]

I wish they'd make Cadburys Mini Eggs illegal. Instead they allow them to be sold freely for 99p per 100g from Boxing day until Easter Monday. Just long enough for me to develop a an addiction far worse than the one I used to have to Valium. I'm convinced the sugar coating is actually made of crack cocaine. Then they stop selling them and I have to go cold turkey all over again. It's a total failing on the part of our government, and Kraft. This year I'm just going to switch to heroin on the Tuesday after Easter.

[carelesschucca]

I'm surprised that they haven't legalised cannabis, it would make the country so much easier to police... All the trouble makers will just be lying about eating space raiders and watching rubbish tv.

[BanannaMan]

I wish they'd make Cadburys Mini Eggs illegal. Instead they allow them to be sold freely for 99p per 100g from Boxing day until Easter Monday. Just long enough for me to develop a an addiction far worse than the one I used to have to Valium. I'm convinced the sugar coating is actually made of crack cocaine. Then they stop selling them and I have to go cold turkey all over again. It's a total failing on the part of our government, and Kraft. This year I'm just going to switch to heroin on the Tuesday after Easter.







Yes, we see how things are at your house! ;)

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/03/21/a734ab088c8d16e03911aa395a246236.jpg

Even the cat is stoned. LOL

[Amadeus]

To legalise or not to legalise?


Not legalise.
And ban loud cans which only exist to be inconsiderate.

[Amadeus]

I wish they'd make Cadburys Mini Eggs illegal. Instead they allow them to be sold freely for 99p per 100g from Boxing day until Easter Monday. Just long enough for me to develop a an addiction far worse than the one I used to have to Valium. I'm convinced the sugar coating is actually made of crack cocaine. Then they stop selling them and I have to go cold turkey all over again. It's a total failing on the part of our government, and Kraft. This year I'm just going to switch to heroin on the Tuesday after Easter.


If you stopped eating them now, there would be more for me.

[Specialone]

Every single person who I know that are long term cannabis users have brain mush, it does have a lasting effect whatever people say.

That said, I'm not opposed to legalising it.

[L3nny]

Every single person who I know that are long term cannabis users have brain mush, it does have a lasting effect whatever people say.

That said, I'm not opposed to legalising it.

In Birmingham I doubt you'd notice the difference!

Never seen the point in making drugs illegal, it's not like it stops people taking them, all it does is make drug dealers rich and wastes public money on an unwinnable "war on drugs"

Some people are just self destructive, they will feck their lives up no matter what, whether thy decide to do it via drugs, drink, gambling, or whatever.

Millions of people take ectasy, cocaine or whatever every weekend and manage to lead a normal life, most of the problems arise when the drugs are cut with other rubbish or they take something they are unaware of the dangers of. If they were legal with a big warning on and the ingredients controlled I can't see how that will be worse.

People go on about the NHS paying the bill but raising taxes to pay for the NHS is the job of the treasury, I don't see how it's any different from people who do other things which have more risk like you know.....motorbikes?

[Specialone]

I think most brummies would rather have brain mush than webbed digits.

[atassiedevil]

They also seem to think they have genius level IQs.

Every single person who I know that are long term cannabis users have brain mush, it does have a lasting effect whatever people say.

That said, I'm not opposed to legalising it.

[TamSV]

Legalise them all.

Firstly, from a libertarian viewpoint, if someone wants to do something that doesn't harm anyone else then why should society prevent them from doing it? Mere disapproval of the activity isn't sufficient reason.

Secondly, from a practical point of view, prohibition clearly and demonstrably doesn't work.

[Spank86]

Every single person who I know that are long term cannabis users have brain mush, it does have a lasting effect whatever people say.

That said, I'm not opposed to legalising it.
that's correlation, not necessarily cause and effect.

Plus for cannabis to be fully out of the system takes up to 5 years so it's difficult to separate a lasting effect from a temporary one.

[NTECUK]

Legalise them all.

Firstly, from a libertarian viewpoint, if someone wants to do something that doesn't harm anyone else then why should society prevent them from doing it? Mere disapproval of the activity isn't sufficient reason.

Secondly, from a practical point of view, prohibition clearly and demonstrably doesn't work.

Not necessarily a safe standpoint.
If you are doing weed and drive your not in full control.
Also you can't apply that statement generally.

[timwilky]

I was born in 1960 and grew up in the 70s and had what I thought to be a relaxed and well informed attitude to drugs/usage.

I wish, I had never tried it, got in with a group of regular users and as a result became for a number of years a tobacco addict. So been there done that, moved on.

But, as a parent. I can see the damage the stuff has done to my son. His behavior is at best irrational. He has bouts of paranoia, aggression. depression and violence. So much for me thinking a bit of weed would chill him.

Modern skunk is far more potent than the rocky/leb resin of my day.
Decriminalise possession by all means. But do not legalise. Crack down hard on those who deal. Sorry I know it is not a popular view. But I only need to look at my son to know that he is not the person he was.

[TamSV]

Not necessarily a safe standpoint.

Safe for who? The current situation isn't safer for drug users or for society in general IMO.

If you are doing weed and drive your not in full control.

True, but I'm not advocating driving under the influence of drugs. That's a different issue and is already dealt with as a different offence.

Also you can't apply that statement generally.

But I did and I do. :p

[NTECUK]

OK. It's hard enough to keep kids on the right path without easy accessed distraction.
Whilst you're right in regulation of the substance and those who supply it is a good thing.
Generally letting people do what they want with out harm on others.
Plenty of things that are restricted
Should stay that way.

Oh and I'm not saying that if you smoked a bit of weed your a evil person etc.
It's in my opinion no different to drinking Speeding were it's not unduly dangerous etc
All things in moderation. So

[Spank86]

Not necessarily a safe standpoint.
If you are doing weed and drive your not in full control.
Also you can't apply that statement generally.
If you're drinking and driving you're not in full control.

If you're on the phone and driving you're not in full control.

Legalizing isn't an issue there in itself.

OK. It's hard enough to keep kids on the right path without easy accessed distraction.
Whilst you're right in regulation of the substance and those who supply it is a good thing.
Generally letting people do what they want with out harm on others.
Plenty of things that are restricted
Should stay that way.
Restricted certainly.

Going back to alcohol or tobacco, a minimum age limit would be sensible.

If anything banning it encourages kids to try it. Drugs aren't exactly hard to get, for anyone.

[NTECUK]

Deff not in Braintree!!

[Matt-EUC]

Speeding were it's not unduly dangerous etc
All things in moderation.


So you only speed when it's unduly dangerous?

[NTECUK]

I never speed matt.

[Matt-EUC]

I have evidence to the contrary.

[NTECUK]

Maybe when I was younger.
I did my ban payed the fine.
Don't even have a sports bike (on the road) . I'm a reformed Rospa student. :smt059

[Matt-EUC]

Hmm...