Legalise cannabis?

[Steven]

Two more good reasons for drug legalisation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22705901

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22697505

[Finnaldo]

I voted yes, simply because legalising it would allow cannabis to be closely supervised (e.g. the chemicals and other nasty shite added in when it's on the street) and the stupid amount of money we've spent on drug raids and other operations carried out as a result of war on drugs.

 

Although I personally see it as morally wrong, I don't see why others shouldn't have the opportunity to use cannabis, especially when it yields less harmful effects than tobacco does.     

[Steven]

Time to make alcohol illegal.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/30/hospital-admissions-alcohol-million-year

[theessexfox]

Time to make alcohol illegal.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/30/hospital-admissions-alcohol-million-year

[Fox92]

Time to make alcohol illegal.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/30/hospital-admissions-alcohol-million-year

 

Sad to see but does that make it fair for the rest of us? No... If people want to drink alcohol all day/every day, nothing is going to prevent that. I do hate seeing the NHS wasting time and money on people who can't control their addictions (smoking, alcohol, eating the main three), when there are people with real problems, but we've gone through all this before - if anyone is to blame, other than the person, it's supermarkets for selling it so cheap.

 

I like a drink, now and then. Yeah, I sometimes get drunk when I go out with my mates, but nothing major like doing it every night. If anything it puts me off for a good 5 days!! Increasing prices of alcohol, I don't agree with, it would basically do nothing imo.

[Guest BlueBrett]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22738895

 

The movement is gathering momentum! Surely it's only a matter of time now

[Bellend Sebastian]

http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/29/drug-prohibition-rise-legal-highs

[Rincewind]

I do hate seeing the NHS wasting time and money on people who can't control their addictions

 

 

The key word in that sentence is addiction. Some addictions are difficult to control. First the person has to admit it, then they have to want to control the addiction. Thirdly they need support.

I suppose an addiction can be thought of as the opposite to an allergy. The body still reacts to certain chemicals which in food, drink, pills etc.

 

No doubt I will be slagged off for my 'liberal leftie' views but I'm the first to admit I'm wrong if my theory is proven not to have any basis to it.

[ADK]

I believe people who have a problem and want to do something about it should be offered treatment. I think people who make no effort are annoying though.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

All those who vote in favour of legalising Cannabis, no doubt smoke it. DOPES!     

[absolutelegend]

Most people who I've met who smoke weed aren't exactly good adverts for a for full and engaging lifestyles.  Most are totally the opposite.

[leicsmac]

All those who vote in favour of legalising Cannabis, no doubt smoke it. DOPES!     

 

If 60% of the UK population smoke weed...that's going to be interesting! 

[Guest MattP]

Most people who I've met who smoke weed aren't exactly good adverts for a for full and engaging lifestyles.  Most are totally the opposite.

 

It's the memory loss I can't stand with my mates who smoke it, it's just ridiculous at times for the regular smokers of it.

 

I'm not perfect at all as I consume about 40 pints and a few bottles of wine a week which will kill me eventually but I don't forget to turn up for half the things I agree too.

[Charl91]

I'm totally torn on whether or not it should be legal. I can see both arguments, but my gut instinct says it shouldn't be legal, simply because I don't have much faith in mankind, and the amount of people that use it responsibly will probably be outweighed by the masses of brain-dead zombies roaming the streets.

[Vacamion]

All those who vote in favour of legalising Cannabis, no doubt smoke it. DOPES!     

 

 

Another ad hominem argument.  If you can't win the discussion, insult the other guy.

 

 

I don't smoke it - I gave up all kinds of smoking a few years ago, but I would still like to see it legalised.

 

The stuff is relatively harmless for adults and the nanny state should get over its judeo-christian notion of "sin" and allow consenting adults partake of it within their private property, on a basis which will bring in millions of £s in tax revenue. 

 

Prohibition doesn't work.  Never has done.

[flowwolf]

Another ad hominem argument.  If you can't win the discussion, insult the other guy.

 

 

I don't smoke it - I gave up all kinds of smoking a few years ago, but I would still like to see it legalised.

 

The stuff is relatively harmless for adults and the nanny state should get over its judeo-christian notion of "sin" and allow consenting adults partake of it within their private property, on a basis which will bring in millions of £s in tax revenue. 

 

Prohibition doesn't work.  Never has done.

 

Lets all follow the prohibition doesn't work mantra. Lets allow consenting adults to chase the dragon in the comfort of their own homes , after all what harm could it do ? and just think of the millions gathered in tax revenue . Can't think why it has not been thought of before.

 

Yeah Baby that's really Free.

[Steven]

 

Another ad hominem argument.  If you can't win the discussion, insult the other guy.

 

 

I don't smoke it - I gave up all kinds of smoking a few years ago, but I would still like to see it legalised.

 

The stuff is relatively harmless for adults and the nanny state should get over its judeo-christian notion of "sin" and allow consenting adults partake of it within their private property, on a basis which will bring in millions of £s in tax revenue. 

 

Prohibition doesn't work.  Never has done.

Much too sensible for this thread.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Another ad hominem argument.  If you can't win the discussion, insult the other guy.

 

 

I don't smoke it - I gave up all kinds of smoking a few years ago, but I would still like to see it legalised.

 

The stuff is relatively harmless for adults and the nanny state should get over its judeo-christian notion of "sin" and allow consenting adults partake of it within their private property, on a basis which will bring in millions of £s in tax revenue. 

 

Prohibition doesn't work.  Never has done.

 I smell Anarchy! 

 

To say it is harmless is ridiculous. Like drink, it also costs the NHS millions of pounds a year, and is the starting point for many who go on to take stronger drugs. Met a good number of such people who have admitted this to me in my role within the Police.

 

Your tax revenue is flawed by the cost to the NHS, and I think your failure to comprehend this is shared by the ignorant.

[AdamN]

 I smell Anarchy! 

 

To say it is harmless is ridiculous. Like drink, it also costs the NHS millions of pounds a year, and is the starting point for many who go on to take stronger drugs. Met a good number of such people who have admitted this to me in my role within the Police.

 

Your tax revenue is flawed by the cost to the NHS, and I think your failure to comprehend this is shared by the ignorant.

 

If it already costs the NHS millions of pounds a year then couldn't you argue that the tax revenue from legalised cannabis would help to reduce the overall costs?

[sphericalfox]

 I smell Anarchy! 

 

To say it is harmless is ridiculous. Like drink, it also costs the NHS millions of pounds a year, and is the starting point for many who go on to take stronger drugs. Met a good number of such people who have admitted this to me in my role within the Police.

 

Your tax revenue is flawed by the cost to the NHS, and I think your failure to comprehend this is shared by the ignorant.

 

If you added all the costs of illegal drugs to the NHS, they still wouldn't add up to the costs of what alcohol costs the NHS. You sir are one of the ignorant.

[AdamN]

If it already costs the NHS millions of pounds a year then couldn't you argue that the tax revenue from legalised cannabis would help to reduce the overall costs?

 

To answer my own question, yes, you could.

 

https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx Total alcohol revenue: £10,219m (£10.2bn)

http://www.ifs.org.uk/bns/bn09.pdf Total alcohol revenue: £10.6bn, total tobacco revenue: £9.8bn

 

http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/alcoholcommentary2013final.pdf

There were around 1.2 million alcohol-related hospital admissions in England in 2010-11 while close to 15,500 people died from alcohol-related causes in 2010. Estimates suggest alcohol-related harm overall costs the NHS in England £3.5bn a year.

 

http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_694.pdf Total cost of smoking: £2.7bn

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8086142.stm Perhaps as high as £5bn

 

So yeah, there's no real valid argument against legalisation from a purely financial standpoint, seeing as the tax revenue generated far outweighs the total cost to the NHS. 

[flowwolf]

If you added all the costs of illegal drugs to the NHS, they still wouldn't add up to the costs of what alcohol costs the NHS. You sir are one of the ignorant.

Oh really ? factualise your ignorant comment. You sir are king of the ignorant sweeping statement so come on lets see the figures you are talking about in relation to alcohol given that the illegal drugs can have no figures ?

A little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing.

[Steven]

Oh really ? factualise your ignorant comment. You sir are king of the ignorant sweeping statement so come on lets see the figures you are talking about in relation to alcohol given that the illegal drugs can have no figures ?

A little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing.

 

A lack of knowledge is even more dangerous. As you say illegal drugs have no figures so what is to say that they cost less in terms of what it costs the NHS. In any case the criminal and social cost of the illegal drug "policy" is higher than that of tobacco and alcohol. Surely reason enough to put drugs under the same regulatory regime as tobacco and alcohol.

Edited 6 June 2013 by Steven

[sphericalfox]

A lack of knowledge is even more dangerous. As you say illegal drugs have no figures so what is to say that they cost less in terms of what it costs the NHS. In any case the criminal and social cost of the illegal drug "policy" is higher than that of tobacco and alcohol. Surely reason enough to put drugs under the same regulatory regime as tobacco and alcohol.

Coming from him it is indeed a dangerous thing.

 

Not counting the violence, accidents, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and including diabetes, all of which are long term conditions requiring serious amounts of money to the NHS only a moron would suggest otherwise.

 

As I don't have the time to go directly to the ONS figures, here is a couple of articles.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1503184/Drug-abuse-may-cost-AandE-units-100m.html

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-19699/Alcohol-abuse-costing-Britain-6bn-year.html

 

Now I'm no mathematician, but can you guess what the difference is? They don't even compare.

[ADK]

Yeah lets argue for legalising drugs by quoting evidence that a drug that is already legalised is costing the taxpayer billions and causing ill health and crime. Surely the only sane conclusion is we should be curbing the influence of alcohol on our culture, not throwing more drugs into the mix.

Edited 6 June 2013 by ADK