Legalise cannabis?

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Everything alters the state of mind. How susceptible a fragile individual is to engaging in inappropriate behaviour in these states of altered mind (be it drink, chocolate, weed, or anything else for that matter) is down to their upbringing, environment, and peer group.

Absolute nonsense. Source?

[sphericalfox]

Absolute nonsense. Source?

Do you know nothing about science whatsoever? Do I really need to explain to you how the body works?

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

I suspect that most of those who favour legalising Cannabis, are merely immature youngsters, with no concept of social responsability.

[l444ry]

Everything alters the state of mind. How susceptible a fragile individual is to engaging in inappropriate behaviour in these states of altered mind (be it drink, chocolate, weed, or anything else for that matter) is down to their upbringing, environment, and peer group.

I never realised that a Twix was hallucinatory!

[Houdini Logic]

To come out with such a sweeping statement is bullshit.

Jimmy Hendrix, Elvis Presley were drug users, members of, amongst others, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith etc. were drug users - all have contributed greatly to society.

Not really the best examples to give

Hendrix - Choked on his own vomit

Elvis - Died of glaucoma, high blood pressure, liver damage, and an enlarged colon caused by drug abuse

The Rolling Stones - Brian Jones - drowned in a swimming pool, liver and heart were heavily enlarged by drug and alcohol abuse

Led Zeppelin - John Bonham - Choked on his own vomit

The Who - Keith Moon - Overdose of prescription drugs trying to get clean

The Who - John Enwistle - Cocaine enduced heart attack

[Rincewind]

I am no expert but I would guess as SF says that a person can have an allergic reaction to any substance, drug related or not. There are still many things about the human body we don't know. It was only in recent years that caffeine was found to have affects on some.

I picked up a beermat the other week. They are asking for volunteers to do tests on and be paid for it. You get expenses and up to £1000. Not looked at the website yet but the money would be useful. Anyone know about this sort of thing.? Will they pump me full of weed? And will I care after?

Edited 14 November 2011 by Nightguard

[sphericalfox]

I suspect that most of those who favour legalising Cannabis, are merely immature youngsters, with no concept of social responsability.

I'm no youngster, and I have a very well developed concept of social responsibility thank you. I wouldn't be involved in the work that I do if I didn't.

[Finnegan]

I never realised that a Twix was hallucinatory!

You're not getting the good stuff.

[The Doctor]

Not really the best examples to give

Hendrix - Choked on his own vomit

Elvis - Died of glaucoma, high blood pressure, liver damage, and an enlarged colon caused by drug abuse

The Rolling Stones - Brian Jones - drowned in a swimming pool, liver and heart were heavily enlarged by drug and alcohol abuse

Led Zeppelin - John Bonham - Choked on his own vomit

The Who - Keith Moon - Overdose of prescription drugs trying to get clean

The Who - John Enwistle - Cocaine enduced heart attack

The Rolling Stones - Mick Jagger & Keith Richards - Still alive (although god knows how in Richards case)

Aerosmith - Steven Tyler - Still alive

[sphericalfox]

I never realised that a Twix was hallucinatory!

Have you ever sat and watched some families in McDonalds' for example gobbling down their baby food, and looking that much happier as the blood rushes around their gullet, thankful for the 'instant hit' they've just received? Also if you think chocolate has no chnage on mood then you must be single.

[lavrentis]

Needles to say I took drugs.

[Zingari]

No matter what research you read or who's stories you listen to, the fact remains that the bad or good aspects of marijuana use are above all else subjective, and in essence an opinion. It is simply a judgement call. Each side has it's opinion on the benefits and/or negative ramifications of marijuana use. With marijuana use there are the same pitfalls as any other life activity... bad judgement yields bad results, but our ability to choose for ourselves must be preserved.

There are more severe social ramifications from a government that is allowed to criminalize solely on the basis of maybes. Should they criminlize fast food if it is accepted that it is bad for you.

They should not criminalize anything on the notion that it MAY cause harm.

Civil liberty and the right to choose our own way of life should be paramount , not the opinions of interfering government demagogues who want to dictate how we should behave .

Edited 14 November 2011 by Zingari

[Finnegan]

Not really the best examples to give

Hendrix - Choked on his own vomit

Elvis - Died of glaucoma, high blood pressure, liver damage, and an enlarged colon caused by drug abuse

The Rolling Stones - Brian Jones - drowned in a swimming pool, liver and heart were heavily enlarged by drug and alcohol abuse

Led Zeppelin - John Bonham - Choked on his own vomit

The Who - Keith Moon - Overdose of prescription drugs trying to get clean

The Who - John Enwistle - Cocaine enduced heart attack

And all had a fucking great deal of fun.

[Webbo]

Not really the best examples to give

Hendrix - Choked on his own vomit

Elvis - Died of glaucoma, high blood pressure, liver damage, and an enlarged colon caused by drug abuse

The Rolling Stones - Brian Jones - drowned in a swimming pool, liver and heart were heavily enlarged by drug and alcohol abuse

Led Zeppelin - John Bonham - Choked on his own vomit

The Who - Keith Moon - Overdose of prescription drugs trying to get clean

The Who - John Enwistle - Cocaine enduced heart attack

Did you read that in the Daily Mail?

And all had a fucking great deal of fun.

I bet you wouldn't swap places with them.

[I am Rod Hull]

I never realised that a Twix was hallucinatory!

Smoke one..

I cant wait for Friday so i can snort a crunchie...

[Houdini Logic]

Yet you are basing your information on having had a toke when young, not being impressed and you know some people who smoke cannabis and are dependant. Do you always assume that your own life experiences are generally a consensus for the rest of society?

Of course I do! I could sit on the internet and read facts or listen to government polls, but I'd much rather take my information from what I know and can see all around me. All the research in the world can tell me that cannabis is not addictive, but I've seen people who are so dependant on it that I simply don't believe it.

Now this is all somewhat of an aside and you seem to be mixing up arguments - I had an issue with you not knowing the source of the data, but if you want my opinion I'd actually agree and believe that alcohol contributes to the vast majority of cases of violence in A&E, far more than that of cannabis. That said, I don't think you should be using your 'facts' to shoot down other people unless you know how they're actually recorded. 'Medical Experts' doesn't cut it for me

[l444ry]

Have you ever sat and watched some families in McDonalds' for example gobbling down their baby food, and looking that much happier as the blood rushes around their gullet, thankful for the 'instant hit' they've just received? Also if you think chocolate has no chnage on mood then you must be single.

There is a legitimate argument to be had for legalising but I wouldn't want you as my advocate if my life depended on it.

[dave the caveman]

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.

I actually agree that weed is a gateway drug, but the link is the illegality itself, not the drug. Once someone has broken the law by taking an illegal drug such as cannabis, there is no longer any further concern about crossing a legal boundary. Legalise weed and the drug laws may regain some authority, thus preventing people moving from weed to harder drugs.

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.

Who is going to buy from some grubby street dealer when they can get it from Tesco? I don't know about you but I don't buy my alcohol from the guy down the road who makes it in his shed.

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.

The obvious difference here is that guns are designed to kill other people while drugs, even when highly dangerous, only potentially kill the user and therefore have much less effect on innocent bystanders than say, someone spraying bullets from an AK47 around a cinema. As long as people are educated then what right does the government really have to tell them what they can and can't do to themselves?

[BoneDog]

Drugs and violence definitely go hand in hand. The thing is the violence isn't normally in town centres and on cctv like with drunks, it's usually down the park, random attacks and robberies on the back streets or round somebody's house. A few crack and smackheads I've known of have been responsible for quite a bit of violent crime. It's a big problem we could do without for sure!

Not sure about the cannabis and violence link though (apart from between dealers) because all the violent lads around here who smoke cannabis are also on crack, heroin, other drugs and/or cans of Stella. And most of the guys I know who just inhale cannabis as their only 'pleasure' are not criminals in any way, they just sit at home watching dvd's, playing x-box or do other normal things when they're not at work!

I think the only drug I would legalize if we allow any, would be cannabis. I've also heard (never bought any or tried it) that hemp oil is one of the best natural healers on the planet. Like some sort of superfood. About £6 for a small bottle from health food stores I think.

[Houdini Logic]

Did you read that in the Daily Mail?

Yes mate. Clearly. Well argued.

[Finnegan]

I bet you wouldn't swap places with them.

Mh, I think some I would.

Hendrix and Jones were very young but Elvis got to his 40s, Entwistle his 50s and even Bonham and Moon were done with their twenties when they fluffed it.

I don't really fear dying, I don't want to be tortured or mutilated horrendously but I'd take a slightly grizzly drown on vom if I got a decade or so of ridiculous parties, arena tours, platinum albums, shagging way above my average and carving my name into musical legend.

Maybe I've got an odd world view, I don't know. I certainly wouldn't do "anything" for fame but I'd take their life over my own and any of yours.

[Zingari]

I suspect that most of those who favour legalising Cannabis, are merely immature youngsters, with no concept of social responsability.

not at all

i suspect most who want to criminalize anything solely because it may harm them are merely unwitting mouthpieces for a nanny state that thinks it should dictate how we all should behave .

i have never smoked, ( weed or tobacco )

[Rincewind]

Eat a Mars and finish up on a Venus.

[Finnegan]

Yes mate. Clearly. Well argued.

I think he was being ironic.

[sphericalfox]

There is a legitimate argument to be had for legalising but I wouldn't want you as my advocate if my life depended on it.

At which point did I advocate the legalisation of cannabis?