skin up Mr Blunkett

[elanturbo]

Apparently Mr Blunkett will be announcing the lowering of the classification of cannabis from B to C.
Since I am keen to slate the government when they do wrong, I should like to praise them in this instance for this small step. I propose legalisation of cannabis and the licensing of retailers in order that the link with drug dealers can finally be broken.
Any thoughts?...

[mattjbatch]

Agreed. Lots of people want to smoke cannabis in the same way lots of people want to drink alcohol. So lets regulate the supply of it. Take it out of the hands of dealers and sell it in "coffee shops" or newsagents. It would be easier to control and police resources could be used elsewhere. And you'd be guaranteed to get a decent smoke

[pjg]

If they go ahead with that, I give it a year before they tax it.

[CarZee]

Totally disagree.. if they were to tax it by anything like as much as they tax fags, you can guarantee that pot will end up costing 3-5 times what it does now..

They wouldn't do it for our good you know - only for the treasury.

[mondeoman]

So what if they tax it - its controlled supply and regulated. But how do they provide quality control? - can you take a batch back and say it didn't work for you?

So whats next on the list of things to be legalised....

[mattjbatch]

quote:
So what if they tax it - its controlled supply and regulated. But how do they provide quality control? - can you take a batch back and say it didn't work for you?

So whats next on the list of things to be legalised....

If they're looking for someone to appoint as quality control manager I'm sure I could oblige

[mattjbatch]

quote:
Totally disagree.. if they were to tax it by anything like as much as they tax fags, you can guarantee that pot will end up costing 3-5 times what it does now..

They wouldn't do it for our good you know - only for the treasury.

OK but then no-one would buy it legally. Everyone would continue to use the dealers who are cheaper so it would be pointless and BLiar would have made a balls-up. He'll lose lots of votes and that can only be a good thing

[elanturbo]

mattjbatch suggested coffee shops. This seems to work ok in hamsterjam. The coffee shops probably pay some kind of tax which we pay for indirectly.
Chill dude,... it'll be cool.

[Windsorphil]

Once again the govt. hav only delivered a partial solution - if they want to de-criminalise cannabis users, then they should provide legal means of obtaining it...they seem to have a naive veiw that dealers specialise in one drug...it's the same bloke selling E's, Speed, coke and crack that sells dope, and guess what'll happen if a 16 year-old goes to puchase some dope and the dealers out? Here, try this...

[plotloss]

Its so Jack Straws son can protect his marketplace.

On the whole this a welcome move I reckon. The war on drugs has been lost and its high time (no pun intended) that governments of the world looked at the science of rehabilitation and addiction to identify the root cause.

Finally a plus point for the government, but no doubt there will be a hidden agenda.

Matt.

[Simonelite501]

The general consensus seems to be that this is a good thing. I therefore must throw my hat into the ring and put it on record that I do not think that this is a wise decision, easy option yes, wise no.

[elanturbo]

why?

[CarZee]

(i) they've got something big lined up and they want us all to be twatted when they unveil it..

and/or

(ii) They want to win over the yoof and make them start voting and most importantly voting for Labia. In the meantime they'll shaft ABC1s who are in their 30s and 40s whilst bringing 18-25s and C2DEs on board.

basically same reason DibLems want to legalise it - to placate yoofs and so we take our eye off the ball whilst they raise taxes by 20% and ban having more than one cabbage powered car per household.

cynic? me?

>> Edited by CarZee on Wednesday 10th July 10:23

[elanturbo]

I'd like to argue with you Carzee and say its because its the right thing to do,... quoting alcohol related death & injury figures compared to ganga, stressing that just cos 10% of the population of the uk (6 million people) regularly smoke it, it shouldnt brand them as criminal, etc blah blah blah,... but I guess you are probably right.

[CarZee]

quote:but I guess you are probably right.

you'd better believe it.. oh and Blunkett has shares in Mars and Pringles

I wonder if Rizla is a PLC? Hmmm...

Edited: It's part of Imperial Tobacco apparently.. not that I buy their shoddy papers..

>> Edited by CarZee on Wednesday 10th July 11:06

[elanturbo]

and that fecker Haliwell has resigned. Good riddance and dont come back.
What have we all been paying that knob for all this time?

[plotloss]

I've just read that because of Blunketts decision that chronically myopic ar$ehole Keith Hallawell has resigned.



He said that he was resigning over this decision which he doesnt understand on the basis that cannabis is a 'dangerous' substance.

Dangerous? What planet is he on, its dangerous for sweets and crisps maybe but its not like its nuclear waste for christs sake.

Blunkett for Prime Minister!

Matt.

[CarZee]

indeed .. good riddence to Halliwell or whatever his damn name is... Known a few people bearnig the Halliwell moniker.. uptight pricks to a man.

[GregE240]

quote:
I've just read that because of Blunketts decision that chronically myopic ar$ehole Keith Hallawell has resigned.

What a shame. He will be missed. Not.

He's probably the sort of dad that wraps his kids up in bubble wrap - out of touch idiot.

[smeagol]

Got to support this move. At last some common sense creeping in abouit drugs. Hopefully they will eventually see that education and help is the way to police all drugs not just have a "war on drugs" motif.

I'm all for cannabis being legally availble it would a) allow govt to tax it (i would rather give my money to the gov than to drug barron that does fcuk all with the money)

b) ensure the quality of the product and ensure its not "cut" with nasty surprises.

c) allow professionals like myself to use it (teachers, police etc. couldn't risk getting caught on a drug offense, as you lose your career). Absolutely stupid I could get rat@rsed on alcohol, smoke as many cigarettes as I liked no problem but illegal safer drugs oh no.

The argument that people will buy it on the black market already exists with cigarettes and alcohol but I don't see pubs, newsagents, and off-licenses closing down. The vast majority of people like myslef would like to buy this drug legally and don't mind paying tax for it - far better than stealth taxes IMHO.