Legalise cannabis?

[String fellow]

From what I've read, cannabis smoke is a carcinogen which is as harmful to the lungs as tobacco smoke, because it tends to be inhaled more deeply. It can also compromise the body's immune system and may lead to increased risk of stroke, due to its long-term adverse impact on the cerebrovascular system. It has also been linked to an increase in car crashes in the American states where it's now been legalised. I realise that this may be inconsistent with the general narrative of this thread and my view is that folk should be allowed to do what they want with their bodies, but ideally pot-smokers shouldn't try to promote it as something that's harmless, when there's plenty of evidence to the contrary.

[Buce]

3 minutes ago, String fellow said:

From what I've read, cannabis smoke is a carcinogen which is as harmful to the lungs as tobacco smoke, because it tends to be inhaled more deeply. It can also compromise the body's immune system and may lead to increased risk of stroke, due to its long-term adverse impact on the cerebrovascular system. It has also been linked to an increase in car crashes in the American states where it's now been legalised. I realise that this may be inconsistent with the general narrative of this thread and my view is that folk should be allowed to do what they want with their bodies, but ideally pot-smokers shouldn't try to promote it as something that's harmless, when there's plenty of evidence to the contrary.

 

I haven't read anyone saying it's harmless.

 

However, compared to alcohol and tobacco, it is relatively so.

[Vacamion]

 

 

The assumption that cannabis users will all smoke it is mistaken.

 

Within those countries with the foresight to end prohibition, there is a massive market for edibles.

 

I’ve not seen any research to suggest that ingested consumption is a cancer risk.

[String fellow]

Imagine the crowded roads of Britain where cannabis is legal and widely commercially available. It would mean some folk driving under the legal limit for alcohol mixed with the effects of cannabis. According to research from Australia, America and Canada, the consequence of mixing the two significantly increases annual road accident fatalities. So if voting to legalise it is also a vote for more deaths on our roads, then count me out, sorry. As regards ingesting rather than inhaling, the effects are similar, except for the time delay in the THC taking effect. 

[Buce]

2 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Imagine the crowded roads of Britain where cannabis is legal and widely commercially available.

 

It's already widely available.

 

2 minutes ago, String fellow said:

It would mean some folk driving under the legal limit for alcohol mixed with the effects of cannabis. According to research from Australia, America and Canada, the consequence of mixing the two significantly increases annual road accident fatalities. So if voting to legalise it is also a vote for more deaths on our roads, then count me out, sorry. As regards ingesting rather than inhaling, the effects are similar, except for the time delay in the THC taking effect. 

 

Presumably you're in favour of prohibition of alcohol then?

[Finnaldo]

21 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Imagine the crowded roads of Britain where cannabis is legal and widely commercially available. It would mean some folk driving under the legal limit for alcohol mixed with the effects of cannabis. According to research from Australia, America and Canada, the consequence of mixing the two significantly increases annual road accident fatalities. So if voting to legalise it is also a vote for more deaths on our roads, then count me out, sorry. As regards ingesting rather than inhaling, the effects are similar, except for the time delay in the THC taking effect. 

Once again, you’re implying the legalisation of cannabis comes with no change in laws around it. There’s nothing stopping our government, for example, lowering the ‘legal limit’ when both alcohol and weed are consumed. This would have to be changed to include cannabis as a legal substance anyway. 
 

It’s usually no one except hardcore libertarians who believe cannabis should be available without regulation, sensible law & policy change and education of substance usage, as I pointed out in my original post. 
 

 

 

[Finnaldo]

3 hours ago, String fellow said:

From what I've read, cannabis smoke is a carcinogen which is as harmful to the lungs as tobacco smoke, because it tends to be inhaled more deeply. It can also compromise the body's immune system and may lead to increased risk of stroke, due to its long-term adverse impact on the cerebrovascular system.

I’d be interested in some sources for those claims if possible, namely if this is compared to pure ‘tobacco’ smoke or ‘cigarette’ smoke, with the additional elements added, that is the commercial norm in the U.K. In which case it’s not much of a comparison. 
 

As a general point, my mum has the BRACA1 gene, which puts her at increased risk of cancer. Some of the main things she was recommended to avoid were red meat and alcohol. A large proportion of day to day consumption exposes your body to carcinogens. Cannabis, from studies I’ve seen and read, generally isn’t the biggest worry compared to what most people consume on a regular basis. 

[LCFCCHRIS]

Cannabis isn't risk free also. There's plenty of risk for triggering mental disorders too when abused (I've seen this first hand). It's not as harmless as some will like to make it out to be, however, as others said, it's no worse than alcohol in moderation and if consumed in a less damaging way can be fine for the body (edibles, potentially vaping). Certainly has a good case for being legalized. The tax money alone would be huge compared to what's going into the hands of organized crime.

Edited 14 December 2021 by LCFCCHRIS

[Matt_Lcfc]

20 minutes ago, LCFCCHRIS said:

Cannabis isn't risk free also. There's plenty of risk for triggering mental disorders too when abused (I've seen this first hand). It's not as harmless as some will like to make it out to be, however, as others said, it's no worse than alcohol in moderation and if consumed in a less damaging way can be fine for the body (edibles, potentially vaping). Certainly has a good case for being legalized. The tax money alone would be huge compared to what's going into the hands of organized crime.

This is a fair point. I am pro legalizing cannabis but it is important to recognize the impacts that it can have - I have seen people decline so much intellectually through regular use. It also gives people massive mood swings too.

 

That said, is this any different to alcohol? I think that these things should be measured by how much they affect other citizens' to be honest, alcohol often makes some people more aggressive - cannabis really does not. It is a flawed argument really when people compare the two.

 

[String fellow]

1 hour ago, Finnaldo said:

I’d be interested in some sources for those claims if possible, namely if this is compared to pure ‘tobacco’ smoke or ‘cigarette’ smoke, with the additional elements added, that is the commercial norm in the U.K. In which case it’s not much of a comparison. 
 

As a general point, my mum has the BRACA1 gene, which puts her at increased risk of cancer. Some of the main things she was recommended to avoid were red meat and alcohol. A large proportion of day to day consumption exposes your body to carcinogens. Cannabis, from studies I’ve seen and read, generally isn’t the biggest worry compared to what most people consume on a regular basis. 

Here's one of sources that mentions the depth of inhalation of cannabis smoke as a cause of concern for the medics. Also, a study from Australia which shows how cannabis users tend to die. Road deaths and suicide are high up on the list. I could produce lots more articles which portray cannabis in a pretty negative way, but what's the point? The general view here seems to be in favour of its legalisation, regardless of the arguments against such a move.   

https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/smoking-facts/health-effects/marijuana-and-lung-health

https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/news/motor-vehicle-accidents-leading-cause-cannabis-related-deaths-new-study-finds

[GingerrrFox]

5 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Here's one of sources that mentions the depth of inhalation of cannabis smoke as a cause of concern for the medics. Also, a study from Australia which shows how cannabis users tend to die. Road deaths and suicide are high up on the list. I could produce lots more articles which portray cannabis in a pretty negative way, but what's the point? The general view here seems to be in favour of its legalisation, regardless of the arguments against such a move.   

https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/smoking-facts/health-effects/marijuana-and-lung-health

https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/news/motor-vehicle-accidents-leading-cause-cannabis-related-deaths-new-study-finds

Alcohol is far more destructive a drug than cannabis, that’s a fact, yet it’s legal in the UK and cannabis isn’t. I struggle to see how anyone thinks it’s fine that alcohol is legal and cannabis isn’t in the 21st century UK. 

[BKLFox]

[Vacamion]

 

If I were to:

 

1. Grow it in my own garden.

 

2. Ingest it in my own home only in the presence of consenting adults.

 

3. Not drive, operate heavy machinery or do anything other than sit on my couch if under its influence.

 

4  Not call upon the resources of the Health Service any more than I would do anyway because of its use (less than than rock climbers, rugby players, or morbidly obese people)

 

Then what business is it of The State what goes on between my ears?

 

Notwithstanding all the other stuff, much of it very compelling, within this thread which argues against continued cannabis prohibition, the right that The State currently asserts to control the states of mind I might want to enjoy in my own home - that really baffles me.

 

 

 

[Buce]

 

What do people think about weed vapers?

 

I've been using one for the last three weeks and despite it being better than smoking in every metric, for some reason I'm stuggling to warm to it. It makes no sense: it's a better hit for less weed used; controlling the temperature allows you to choose your high (lower temps activate CBD, higher temps to get the full THC hit); it's a smoother smoke with no coughing. But I really miss smoking a spliff.

[Kopic]

2 hours ago, Buce said:

 

What do people think about weed vapers?

 

I've been using one for the last three weeks and despite it being better than smoking in every metric, for some reason I'm stuggling to warm to it. It makes no sense: it's a better hit for less weed used; controlling the temperature allows you to choose your high (lower temps activate CBD, higher temps to get the full THC hit); it's a smoother smoke with no coughing. But I really miss smoking a spliff.

Are you in the UK? I was looking into this for the other half but could only find CBD vapes and kept reading that those with THC aren't legal here.

[Buce]

2 minutes ago, Kopic said:

Are you in the UK? I was looking into this for the other half but could only find CBD vapes and kept reading that those with THC aren't legal here.

 

Yes.

 

Sorry, I've not been clear - I was referring to a dry-herb vaper:

 

[TeamRocket]

I read this thread so wrong 😔  my dyslexic brain read it as legalise cannibalism was gonna say wtf has FT gone mad lol.. ahh got to love the dyslexic brain 🧠 😍 

[Detroit Blues]

3 hours ago, TeamRocket said:

I read this thread so wrong 😔  my dyslexic brain read it as legalise cannibalism was gonna say wtf has FT gone mad lol.. ahh got to love the dyslexic brain 🧠 😍 

What's wrong with me eating another consenting adult in the privacy of my own home?