Legalise cannabis?

[John Matrix]

Thanks, but I'm not.

NO.

you clearly are.

[lavrentis]

I've got to admit I don't know anyone who's turned schizophrenic, but I do know a lot of people who are dependant, or at least think they're dependant, and these aren't the type of people who work - they just sit in all day smoking weed and do absolutely nothing. I do know people who smoke and do hold down a job, and they can't get into the car to go to work unless they've had a smoke beforehand.

What I don't understand is the people on here who smoke weed and have friends that do will know people like this, yet will just post silly comments about how you're a muppet if you don't want to legalize it or other stupid comments to make them seem cool for smoking pot. It's like playground stuff.

Yes the same guy I was talking about was like that and I see your point but it doesn't affect me either way what they do.

I just wish the government would look at the issue.

Edited 14 November 2011 by lavrentis

[m00nie]

whoever voted no is a muppet.

or maybe a drug dealer

Edited 14 November 2011 by m00nie

[Fox92]

whoever voted no is a muppet.

I don't really mind what people smoke (I'm a Beatles fan, and they took drugs and smoked as good as they could ), as long as they are not in my face with it. But I seem to think some people are total ignorant when smoking. Yes, more people die of alcohol and pure smoking, but cannabis certainly has cardiovascular risk factors, like any/most drugs.

But I don't smoke anything, and never will.

And people are not muppet's, just because they have an opinion which you don't think is correct.

Edited 14 November 2011 by Fox92

[purpleronnie]

[Ilkeston_Fox]

I don't really mind what people smoke (I'm a Beatles fan, and they took drugs and smoked as good as they could ), as long as they are not in my face with it. But I seem to think some people are total ignorant when smoking. Yes, more people die of alcohol and pure smoking, but cannabis certainly has cardiovascular risk factors, like any/most drugs.

But I don't smoke anything, and never will.

And people are not muppet's, just because they have an opinion which you don't think is correct.

Spot on, have a +1 from me. Thats like me saying everyone who has ever smoked weed is a law breaking piece of scum and deserves to be locked up blah blah. They're clearly not scum.

It's my opinion that cannabis shouldn't be leagalised and I'm entitiled to it. John Matrix is just ignorant to that fact.

I'm also of the opinion that driving while under the influence of drugs is just as dangerous as drink driving - I think someone alluded to this in a previous post - or at least mentioned that they know people who drive under the influence of drugs.

[John Matrix]

I don't really mind what people smoke (I'm a Beatles fan, and they took drugs and smoked as good as they could ), as long as they are not in my face with it. But I seem to think some people are total ignorant when smoking. Yes, more people die of alcohol and pure smoking, but cannabis certainly has cardiovascular risk factors, like any/most drugs.

But I don't smoke anything, and never will.

And people are not muppet's, just because they have an opinion which you don't think is correct.

they are when said opinion has no base in reality. the pro's far outweigh any cons. therefore you are a muppet. anyone with an informed opinion on the subject knows this to be true. The "War on Drugs" is a complete joke. so i reiterate. they are muppets.

i'd love to hear the reasons behind why it shouldn't be legalised. i'm sure they'll be worthwhile.

Edited 14 November 2011 by John Matrix

[samlcfc]

Marijuana kills!!!

[Bugg]

I don't really see why it shouldn't be legalised.

The argument of people becoming dependent on the drug us true in some cases but surely many people become dependent on prescription medicines, alcohol etc. It seems that the opinion that drugs cause mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia is a bit of fear mongering if I'm honest.

Most drugs shouldn't be banned in this country, Holland has seemed to have managed to get it right by keeping drugs legal which kind of takes the edge off it (I went to Holland and most people thought that weed was a boring drug and people in the UK only smoke it because it's illegal and probably makes people think they're cool by doing it)

[davieG]

Why do people feel the need to 'inject' their bodies with these drugs?

Is it to be anti-establishment, cool, part of the crowd?

At least with drink there's actually some enjoyment/pleasure from the ingestion where as most of these drugs it's an after effect situation.

[RyanB89]

Why do people feel the need to 'inject' their bodies with these drugs?

Is it to be anti-establishment, cool, part of the crowd?

At least with drink there's actually some enjoyment/pleasure from the ingestion where as most of these drugs it's an after effect situation.

You gotta be on the wrong thread

[m00nie]

look how much money the government make from tax on fags and booze. do you not think they would love to get there hands on the extra money they could get from legalising this. if theres any doubts over health implications then i feel there right not to legalise it.

[Houdini Logic]

they are when said opinion has no base in reality. the pro's far outweigh any cons. therefore you are a muppet. anyone with an informed opinion on the subject knows this to be true. The "War on Drugs" is a complete joke. so i reiterate. they are muppets.

i'd love to hear the reasons behind why it shouldn't be legalised. i'm sure they'll be worthwhile.

Ah right, you see your opening comment on this subject didn't really come across that you were looking to debate this topic - just that you were trying to be clever and cocky little shit.

But seeing that you do want to get involved in a discussion, I'll list some of the reasons why I don't think legalising cannabis is such a great idea.

I can hand on heart say that every person I know who has tried or become addicted to class A drugs started by smoking pot. Could be a coincidence, possibly? But I know from personal experience that within a matter of months use of a certain drug turns from a little bit nervy about trying it to wanting to get a stronger buzz. My housemate is several years younger than me and until last year he had never tried any illegal drugs. He started smoking pot at festivals at the start of last summer and has progressed to taking cocaine or MDMA every time he's out. Now there could be the possibility that he would have tried these drugs anyway, but I think it's a hell of a lot easier the more you're around drugs, use other drugs and begin to get into the mindset that drug acceptable and not dangerous.

I don't buy the argument that if it is government regulated then it will be 'safer' because even if we overlook the fact that the purest form of cannabis can be harmful, this also assumes that all drug dealers will cease to trade and they would not bother finding new ways of making a stronger and more potent black market version.

I know several people who don't work and stay in all day smoking pot, including a friend's mum who has never worked a day in her life as long as I've known her. Now there's a chance that these people wouldn't have worked anyway, but why would you risk the possibility of adding another reason for a whole new group of people to stay at home and do nothing?

The only argument I can somewhat understand is that at least the government could tax cannabis if it was legal, but to be honest they could tax guns if they decided to make them legal, but it doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Now I don't deny that there are some people who live a happy and productive life whilst also smoking weed, but if they can do this now then let them continue without risking so many other people who wouldn't usually have the exposure.

[Finnegan]

Why do people feel the need to 'inject' their bodies with these drugs?

Because they like the effects? I don't understand why people feel the need to be critical, to be honest.

I'm perpetually baffled by some people's attitudes towards drugs; I especially hate comments like "why do they need X to have a good time?" from people who've never bothered (and have no interest in) trying.

I completely understand that some drugs are dangerously addictive and I've never been stupid enough in my life to mess around with the like of heroin and nor could I ever be tempted, regardless of how amazing it may or may not feel. I'm not saying that everyone should go out and take drugs and my comment about legalizing everything was (whilst partially dipping in to my personal views) mostly tongue-in-cheek.

But I really hope the future of drugs and drug enforcement is more about education and breaking down views of drugs, both naive ones from users but also some of the close-minded fear that we preach as well.

At the end of the day, if someone enjoys - for example - the effects of LSD and wants to partake in the comfort and the privacy of their own home, then what harm to society is making it legal for them to do so?

[The Doctor]

look how much money the government make from tax on fags and booze. do you not think they would love to get there hands on the extra money they could get from legalising this. if theres any doubts over health implications then i feel there right not to legalise it.

But there isn't much in the way of health implications - particularly compared to Alcohol and Nicotine - why do you think it's legalised on a medicinal basis over in some parts of the US?

[Head Honcho]

Definitely not.

I've seen grown men who think nothing of shoving a couple of bags of coke up their hooter on a Saturday night turned into gibbering wrecks after half a hash cake, imagine your kids on the stuff...............legally!

[m00nie]

At the end of the day, if someone enjoys - for example - the effects of LSD and wants to partake in the comfort and the privacy of their own home, then what harm to society is making it legal for them to do so?

because it dont stay in the privacy of there own home.. people go out and do it, people go out to get the money illegally to do it , people go out actually on it and do things.. leaving others with the costs/trauma etc..

[Phube]

Never smoked i, never tried it... But I believe all drugs should be legalised and taxed!

[crazylegs1984]

Legalise and tax the shit out of.

No worse than alcohol for causing antisocial behaviour or disorders that would plague the NHS and the Treasury coffers could certainly do with the massive boost a tax on this would give.

i call bullshit i can never say i wanted to go out and start a fight or get in a argument or even move after a spliff where as in alcohol its the oppisite

MAN MADE BEER GOD MADE GRASS YOU DECIDE

[Finnegan]

I can hand on heart say that every person I know who has tried or become addicted to class A drugs started by smoking pot. Could be a coincidence, possibly?

"Possibly," yes, but how many alcoholics do we know between us? Or how many people addicted to fags who are burning thousands a year on their habit and ruining their health? How many people do you ACTUALLY know who are "addicted to class A drugs?" Because I know scores and scores (and scores and scores) of weed smokers for whom it HASN'T been a gateway drug and I'm sure you do too. It's really difficult to have a debate about weed and not end up plagiarising Bill Hicks because, let's face it, the man talked a lot about pot and talked a lot of sense; however, he made a very good point several times on the subject and that's that we only ever pick out the odd one or two examples where weed (or similar drugs) were damaging to people and don't ever pick out the millions of cases where it wasn't or isn't.

He started smoking pot at festivals at the start of last summer and has progressed to taking cocaine or MDMA every time he's out.

Surely that has infinitely more to do with the people he's friends with than the drugs he chose to take? I highly doubt he just stumbled upon a spliff at a festival, got high, and then just made an entirely new set of friends in order to seek out new drugs? That's just not how people work. If he's got himself in with a party going crowd who are happy to indulge in a variety of recreational substances then it rubbing off in him is no surprise. Had he got himself "in" with a group of my friends in London, for example, he could have gotten himself a harmless, quiet weed habit and never touched an ounce of anything stronger.

I've a whole commune of friends in Croydon, the most harmless people alive, don't drink, don't do anything hard, don't get loud or boisterous, just love a good smoke. Every party, toking away, just chilling at home after their 9 - 5s, toking away. Easy life. Just these people make a very boring "STAY OFF DRUGS!" story so, despite being a probably majority, they rarely come up in converse.

It's not what you're taking, it's who you're with. Every time.

[acooling08]

I think it should be legalised but anyone who gets a health related issue from it (as with smoking and drinking) should get NO NHS help. If you're stupid enough to smoke it then don't expect my tax £££ to help you, you irresponsible cvnt.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZqYV9KKOZQ

There's my contribution to this thread.

Weed has a great deal of medicinal properties & is no more of a health threat than booze. I see no reason for it to be illegal.

You are right when you say it has a use in health care, as it helps kill pain, and relaxes Thus, I believe controlled use in this field, to be beneficial/.

However, other than the above, only a total idiot would support it being legalized. Have you ever had to confront people using it? Well, I have, and they generally react more violently than those who are drunk.

I went on a drugs course, when with the police, and spoke to many ex addicts and current addicts, who were given the opportunity to speak openly. Without exception, they ALL blamed the first step to becoming hard drug users, on Cannabis. I've also seen and spoken many people in rehab, and it's not nice to listen to their experiences. Many of them have literally become a shell of their former selves. Their family life has been destroyed, devastating their loved ones in the process.

ANYONE, who believes in legalizing this drug, is incapable of seeing beyond the end of their nose.Being drunk is one thing, but you cannot compare it to the dangers of smoking cannabis. I just wish that you could see the awful mess, this drug can lead to. , both physically, and mentally.

[The Doctor]

because it dont stay in the privacy of there own home.. people go out and do it,

Different to legal drugs how?

people go out to get the money illegally to do it

I love the notion that everyone who partakes in illegal drugs must have robbed something to get the money, not possible that they could have, y'know, a job, family etc. and just do it to relax or socially - like drinking/smoking?

[Finnegan]

because it dont stay in the privacy of there own home.. people go out and do it, people go out to get the money illegally to do it , people go out actually on it and do things.. leaving others with the costs/trauma etc..

So? People go out, drunk as fucking anything, and beat the living shit out of each other, crash their cars, kill each other and cost MILLIONS yearly in damages. That isn't legal, either.

One assumes that legalization of a host of casual drugs would still make it illegal to be dangerously under the influence in public and a disturbance to your environment.

Edited 14 November 2011 by Finnegan

[Finnegan]

Have you ever had to confront people using it? Well, I have, and they generally react more violently than those who are drunk.

lol absolute fucking bullshit. You lost me then and there.

I'd like to think I'm pretty open minded and I hope my days of plugging my ears and shouting people down in a debate are over. I see my involvement in this thread continuing and I'll try my best to stay open to everyone's views.

But that's just a crock of complete wank right there. I don't care how long you spent being a PCSO or a special; there is just catergorically no way that stoners are more violent people than drunks. That's just simply, chemically, factually inaccurate.