Cannabis

[J4CKO]

I knew someone who hated drugs and "Druggies", any mention of illicit drugs and he was off, completely missing the irony of the bottle or two of wine he drank a night, not to mention the Brandies and whatever else, oh and the chain smoking of small cigars from sunrise until bedtime.

[Adam B]

Shuvi McTupya said:

I just don't understand it at all. Obviously those that make the decisions like it this way.

politicians are too scared that a legalisation policy would be seen by Daily Mail as soft on crime and therefore a vote loser to the those who breathe through their mouth; the pro lobby are too stoned to get off the sofa and vote

[The Moose]

2xChevrons said:

That's not the substance's fault

That’s the cannibis equivalent to ‘guns don’t kill people’ (which I agree with)

Edited by The Moose on Wednesday 20th June 17:38

[TheJimi]

Interesting thread.

Anecdotally, some of my most successful friends and acquaintances smoke weed, at the very least, on an occasional basis.

There are a lot of individuals here weilding very broad tar-soaked brushes.

[ar-em-en]

I ended up writing alot of my views in the drug driving thread having seen it rapidly deteriorate into widespread unrealistic generalisations about drug users in general rather than people driving under the influence.

Legalise it, tax it, let it be available to those who want to use it and let it be sold discretely without overt marketing or the ability to buy it everywhere. A members only club with a nominal fee that operates discreetly would be best in my opinion.

With any substance there will be people who use it moderately and people who use it to excess. With cannabis that's likely to be balanced enough not for the majority of users to not be harmful to society as a whole.

The current system criminalises otherwise decent people, marginalises people and creates a black market. None of those things are useful to society and only do harm.

[TheJimi]

Interestingly, this thread has confirmed to me, what I've always suspected of a certain PH'er.

So if nothing else, I've gained at least that

[Cold]

PotHeads. Speed Matters.

[bazza white]

Used to smoke the odd joint in school/college/uni when solids was all you could get poaaibly the odd bit of green but not for 15 years or so. Problem now is i dont want some super strength skunk which ia all thats available from any sources i know. Other thing is i quite smoking 5 years ago and vape now and i just dont fancy smoking it any more. Vaping it id be interested in.

[manracer]

At 16 I was taking pills at raves, by 18 cocaine, and I stopped about 5 years ago. Now, aged 35 I only have an occasional smoke of cannabis, perhaps twice a month. It's certainly not a pathway to harder stuff for me, the opposite in fact.

I run a limited company, I am a single parent to a 17 year old son. I own my own house, I have 2 cars, I don't drink, I don't harm anyone.

To legalise cannabis is the right thing, in my opinion. British views are based on the legal status of it in the UK, when you only have to visit California or Amsterdam to see that legalisation or at least, turning a blind eye, doesn't automatically mean we are on a slippery slope.

I do get frustrated when people make sweeping statements about it with no personal experience or understanding. Equally those who place cannabis in the same category as heroin grind my gears also!

I understand everyone has their own opinion, that's fine. Just understand that there are also some who function just fine with the occasional smoke.

[Funkmachine7]

The sooner we get the supply out of criminal hands and in to the local off license the better.
Treat it like alcohol and tobacco and the main market that gone.
Right now dealing and growing it keep criminals rich, there no other drug or market to replace it really.
Sure some might be able to move it the smuggling it like with cigarettes, but that's limited, sure you've been offered the odd spare bottle or carton or duty free but that's it a tax doge.
Ok so the stoners might smoke some more but there not limited by the ban anyway now.
Maybe some kids might buy a little bit off corrupt off licenses but that's a better regulated supply line then we have now in criminal hands.

[silverthorn2151]

Shakermaker said:

Voldemort said:

What if they outlaw broccoli?

Good! Hateful stuff, and it would be one of the pillars of any political campaign I undertook [/quote

Broccoli is the devils pubes!

I hate being around anyone who uses weed and I detest the smell.

[Shuvi McTupya]

Interesting numbers from the poll.

60% of people who have voted are current or ex 'criminals' .

If the majority of people choose to ignore a law, then that law is too strict, or just wrong..IMO of course..

[Astacus]

I don't think there is a huge problem with legalising and taxing it, however, I am not convinced that this means all the bad people will go away as a result. I think that if its licensed and taxed, then it will likely be more expensive. This means that there will still be a market for people selling it "unofficially". Even if its not more expensive, there will still be people selling it for cash, no questions asked, no? I am guessing that will be the bottom end of the market though.

[RichTT]

Astacus said:

I don't think there is a huge problem with legalising and taxing it, however, I am not convinced that this means all the bad people will go away as a result. I think that if its licensed and taxed, then it will likely be more expensive. This means that there will still be a market for people selling it "unofficially". Even if its not more expensive, there will still be people selling it for cash, no questions asked, no? I am guessing that will be the bottom end of the market though.

It's actually had the opposite effect in the legalised states in the US. But it will be dependent on the taxes. If its profitable people will grow it, the more people grow then the larger the source is and the cheaper it gets. More and more growers are actually going out of business because it is no longer profitable to grow it. There is such a glut of product. If people were given the option to buy non-sanctioned weed from a dude in a smelly little flat over heading to a shop on the street I think that even if its on parity cost-wise people will choose the shop option.

[xx99xx]

A long time ago, as a group of 18 year old lads on holiday, we acquired some weed which I assumed was the first time any of us had tried it.

From literally that one time, one of our group instantly developed severe phycological issues which continued for the rest of the holiday and, as far as I know, for the rest of his life. He tried to commit suicide several times over the following years but he's still alive and living a happy life but is still 'not quite right'.

These kind of phycological effects have been widely documented so it's perhaps not as safe as people make out. Although these side effects are quite rare. However, I'm aware that alcohol has pretty severe side effects too but only if consumed excessively.

I think it's probably safe enough to be legalised providing it comes with the usual health warnings and people can make up their own mind as to whether they consume it or not. Just like alcohol and tobacco.

[RTB]

xx99xx said:

A long time ago, as a group of 18 year old lads on holiday, we acquired some weed which I assumed was the first time any of us had tried it.

From literally that one time, one of our group instantly developed severe phycological issues which continued for the rest of the holiday and, as far as I know, for the rest of his life. He tried to commit suicide several times over the following years but he's still alive and living a happy life but is still 'not quite right'.

These kind of phycological effects have been widely documented so it's perhaps not as safe as people make out. Although these side effects are quite rare. However, I'm aware that alcohol has pretty severe side effects too but only if consumed excessively.

I think it's probably safe enough to be legalised providing it comes with the usual health warnings and people can make up their own mind as to whether they consume it or not. Just like alcohol and tobacco.

Spiders hear sound through their legs. If you tap on the table they run off, however, if you rip all their legs off and tap on the table they don't run off, ergo they hear sound through their legs.....

Correlation/causation

[Adam B]

RichTT said:

If its profitable people will grow it, the more people grow then the larger the source is and the cheaper it gets. More and more growers are actually going out of business because it is no longer profitable to grow it. There is such a glut of product. If people were given the option to buy non-sanctioned weed from a dude in a smelly little flat over heading to a shop on the street I think that even if its on parity cost-wise people will choose the shop option.

most would choose a quality controlled product from a shop where their cash contributes to the nation/NHS/whatever over lining some dealers profits - even if it was a bit more expensive

all the arguments are pretty convincing and one-way - we just don't have governments (of either side) with the guts to propose it

[Shuvi McTupya]

xx99xx said:

A long time ago, as a group of 18 year old lads on holiday, we acquired some weed which I assumed was the first time any of us had tried it.

From literally that one time, one of our group instantly developed severe phycological issues which continued for the rest of the holiday and, as far as I know, for the rest of his life. He tried to commit suicide several times over the following years but he's still alive and living a happy life but is still 'not quite right'.

I have known a hell of a lot of stoners and full on drug abusers in my time and I will freely admit that some of them were fairly batty, but most were not.

I never really knew whether it was the drugs that caused the battyness, or the battyness that led them to get into drugs, but i do appreciate that Marijuana is known to be a trigger for some people with dormant mental issues.

I overdid it with weed over many years and i would be lying if i said it hasn't had long term side effects. I was always a bit quiet and at first i got into dope because i was 'accepted' by a group of people that smoked, so it was a positive, as i gained freinds and a social life.

Over the years though it became less of a social thing and i would just smoke it all the time I wasn't at work. and I would always be thinking about getting home so i could just 'chill'.

I was a heavy drinker too though, so i guess i just have that type of personality, a bit of a loner who enjoys a slightly altered reality.

These days I very rarely smoke but i do think about it and miss it. On the odd occasions i do smoke though, I never enjoy it as much as i think i will and the same goes with drinking. I hardly drink at all but sometimes get the urge to buy a bottle of port or something with the thought of getting a bit of a buzz going but i just don't like it like I used to.


I guess i am a recovering 'addict' in some ways but my lifestyle is the same as it always was, I am still a weird loner type just like i was during and before i went down the path of booze and weed!

I have come to accept that I am just a 'homebody' who only likes socialising once in a while and what that means in reality is, basically never., the weed isn't responsible for that although it probably made it worse.

[captain_cynic]

Shuvi McTupya said:

xx99xx said:

A long time ago, as a group of 18 year old lads on holiday, we acquired some weed which I assumed was the first time any of us had tried it.

From literally that one time, one of our group instantly developed severe phycological issues which continued for the rest of the holiday and, as far as I know, for the rest of his life. He tried to commit suicide several times over the following years but he's still alive and living a happy life but is still 'not quite right'.

I have known a hell of a lot of stoners and full on drug abusers in my time and I will freely admit that some of them were fairly batty, but most were not.

This, there's no shortage of "my friend smoked the marijuanas once and got uber psycosymatics" stories... I doubt few of them are true and if they are, its a pretty sure sign that person had mental problems before and was just hiding them. Realistically anything could set them off, stress, change in diet, teletubbies.

I find most of these kinds of stories are used by the media to spread FUD. Its a waste of time arguing with them, even worse placating them. Ignore them and they'll be relegated into obscurity as society changes.

If you work in academia, you'll find a fair few of high functioning drug users, marijuana is popular as its non-destructive and non-addictive. Alcohol is another (there really are people who "drink and know things" as Tyrion Lannister would say), you'll find very few using destructive drugs like heroin or methamphetamine. For the most part you never see them high or drunk unless you fraternise with them outside of work. These people are no different to those who like a pint or 3 after work,

I freely admit to being a recreational marijuana user, less so than in my teens and 20's but it's something that's fun every now and then, like a cigar (of which I also have 1 or 2 a year).

[Timmy45]

zubzob said:

Pot rejectors are often problem drinkers in denial, that alcohol, even in moderation, is a hugely dangerous and mentally debilitating drug.

Interestingly they often have alcohol problems in the family and project their fear and hatred of drugs onto illegal substances, when actually alcohol is demonstrably responsible for the majority of recreational drug pain in the uk.

Look at any 50s ‘moderate’ drinker who drinks most days, vs a teetotal person (token or not) and the sad truth is plain to see.

That's what was so ironic about a load of drug users, both legal and illegal standing up in the House of Commons and holding forth about why the public must be protected from the evil of drugs.