Cannabis should not be decriminalised - AIBU?

I'm with the legalise it, tax it and manage the strengths of strains sold. I've not smoked cigarettes or joints for years but would love some legal edibles instead of my weekend wine habit. I think it's better than alcohol tbh.

It could be argued to be gateway drug but that is only because it's the "tamest" illegal drug and should certain people want to be more out of it, they will choose to go up the drug rungs anyway. Nitrous gas canisters and alcohol can be argued to be a gateway drug too.

I thought the gateway drug thing had been debunked. Like beer doesn't lead you onto absynthe.

Or https://www.mpp.org/issues/legalization/cannabis-tax-revenue-states-regulate-cannabis-adult-use/ if you want the numbers

You seem to have a huge amount of info...

It's a gateway drug
It wont generate revenue

Where's your sources for this?

https://www.businessinsider.com/albuquerque-new-mexico-basic-income-marijuana-tax-2025-5

I'd rather hang out with a bunch of stoners than a bunch of pissheads 🤷‍♀️

I'm not sure it would make a difference. I must admit I'm sick to death of smelling it when I have my windows open because of my stoner neighbours. But no one cares, so 🤷🏼‍♀️

I was able to very easily source some to try for pain relief as a disabled person. Unfortunately it didn't work for me, but for those disabled people it does help, it's invaluable. It's also extremely expensive when medically sourced.

Agree, smoked it loads in the past and I’ve never wanted to try anything else. Haven’t had a joint in several years, but I quite like the smell when I’m out walking and smell it. Reminds me of happy days.

It absolutely stinks and can do terrible harm.
I had a neighbour smoking so much of it I couldn’t let my children use the garden or have my windows open.
No way should it be decriminalised.

Proven not to be true in places that have tried it. Given a choice, most people will buy legally.

I’ve done marijuana and am happy to report have not done any harder drugs.

I don’t think it’s anymore of a gateway drug than alcohol, which gives the consumer an altered mental state. That’s what encourages people to try different drugs: having experienced alternate mental states and being curious about the effects of other drugs.

Yes, YABU. You Not likening the smell of something is not a good reason to ban it, and in any case in places where it is legal edibles and vapes rapidly become the method of choice, and those don’t smell at all. Driving under the influence of cannabis is far less of an issue than driving under the influence of alcohol. There are fewer reported health issues than with alcohol, obesity or tobacco. There is no evidence it being a gateway drug, except possibly in that it puts people in touch with drug dealers, and legalisation would fix that. And finally, we should be using the tax for societal benefit rather than letting the profits go to drug lords while we pay thousands to lock up way too many young black people.

I would happily give it a go, if it would help me escape my cancer pain hell. Which reminds me, I must ask about it next week.

Alcohol smells and people who have been drinking absolutely do smell, they reek of booze even the night after.. but fortunately a criterion for keeping it illegal will never be if several MN'etters don't like the smell.

Tax it.

Helped*

I've genuinely lost count of how many people my age (late 50s) who say they've smoked cannabis at some point in their lives, or at least tried it and then 'grew out of it'.

So it's certainly not a gateway drug for everyone.

Its help a lot of health issues

From my experiences at work it is a gateway drug for alot of the drug addicts.

YABU. It's legal where I live and we haven't all turned into 24/7 stoners on the verge of getting hooked on 'a class' drugs. 🙄

You know cannabis is legally prescribed here in the UK for a host of health reasons, right?

I smoked it and didn't make me want to try other drugs. Its more the influence of others

Yes it is.
I know someone who started on cannabis and moved onto heroin. Whilst under the influence they started a fire in a block of flats, fortunately the residents got out.
I think more and more crimes are committed because of drugs; wasn’t the car driver in Liverpool under the influence?