to think that cannabis should be legalised?

[StuckinTheMiddlewithYou]

Given that alcohol does far more damage, both to the individual and society?

yes you are

yabu. Ever been close to someone who's managed to fuck up their life thanks to weed? It'n not pretty

That's an argument to make alcohol illegal though isn't it?

I'm totally with you on this. YANBU.

I always have a box on home made hash truffles in my pantry. In fact I will very soon be having one as it's the weekend.

I do drink wine now and again but it doesn't suit me as well and I'm not really that keen on it.

Yes. I've known people who have abused it and no, it's not pretty.

I have also watched somebody die from alcoholism, it was far worse.

Of course there are a small handful of people who are pre-disposed with mental health issues which could be exascerbated by skunk, but it's just a tiny number.

Given that cannabis has some incredible health benefits about which we have known for years, it's high time (pardon the pun) that we stopped being so ridiculous.

Think of the revenue!

Also, if legalised, we remove a massive quantity of crime, we are able to control more the quality of the stuff being sold. (So no more nasty dealers selling skunk with ground glass to make it heavier and more sparkly - this really does happen.)

I'm off to find a link about how legalisation has worked so well in Portugal now.

YANBU. In my mind it's less harmful than alcohol and I disagree wholly with many of the reasons it's illegal.

Saying it leads onto other drugs is like saying that everyone who picks up a drink is going to be an alcoholic and the uses for the drug faaaaaaar outweigh any negatives.

There are loads of articles on the success of Portugal's legalisation.

Surely being made legal would give the impression it's ok to use it?

But on the other hand, think of the taxes, and regulation that could be put into place if it was legalised? Would that help the problem in the long run?

There's no point saying "it wrecks peoples lives" the people who chose to use it are wrecking their own lives are they not? Much as the people who chose to drink excessive alcohol, and expect the NHS to pick up the bill.

I'm undecided if YABU or not. On which grounds do you think it should be legalised?

Raynbestorm I agree that the 'gateway theory' (as in, it leads to other drugs) is ludicrous misinformation.

I bet most heroine addicts have also tried cigarettes and alcohol. They're never called 'gateway drugs'.

I agree it should be legalised.
If it was legalised we could be sure what our kids were actually taking rather than the mixes that they produce now!
wonder if this government has the balls to do it though.

And by the way I have a heroin addict brother so I dont say this lightly

1, Most people who use it come to no harm.

2, Tax.

1. Control. To keep it pure and remove revenue from criminal gangs.

1. Hypocrisy. Alcohol does more damage.

1. Personnal freedom.

I know loads of people who smoke cannabis. I don't know anyone who has had their life wrecked by it. Not one.

I don't even know anyone who's life has been adversly affected by it to be perfectly honest.

I know many people, myself included, whose lives are enhanced by it.

I've nothing but praise for the stuff. It's great.

Has anybody got any justification for it remaining illegal?

I wonder if the people calling for its legalisation have had a close relative completely wreck their life and made everyone else's extremely difficult and sad as well because of their cannabis use? My heart has been broken because of my brother's ensuing mental state. Granted he may have had a predisposition to psychosis, but his drug use has contributed to his current, extremely disturbed condition. Cannabis is no longer the happy, benign influence it was in the seventies - it's harder and harsher and stronger.

But spidermama, you are a user, you have to see that you're not completely unbiased here?
And I'll declare that I'm not either. I have never doen the stuff, but a lot of the people I went to uni with did. One ended up comitted in his final year as he lost the plot completely. 2 others are wasters with no ambition at all. Yes, they couldhave done it with alcohol, but they didn't they did it with weed. The potential side effects on your mental health are mind boggling

Yes, aries.

Basically, what I am getting it at is this: Just because a few people will react badly to/abuse something, is no justification for banning something.

I too, can tell horror stories of the effects of drink and drugs etc.

At least when you buy a bottle of vodka you can be pretty sure it hasn't been bulked out with turps.

But would more people take it if it became legal? It's not exactly hard to get hold of now is it!

I didn't take bucketfulls of drugs when I was younger as I was a vain control freak who didn't want to risk her health. Nothing to do with them being illegal, they were easy for my mates to get hold of and no-one was ever prosecuted.

At least the criminals could be kept at bay and taxes paid on it if it was legal. (I would still be anti-drugs though).

Weed is as bad as smoking, and to be honest I'd rather not have something like that legalised. There is a lot of commotion about weed causing mental health problems.

However, this being said, alcohol is extremely bad too and weed is known to help those with conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

Lastly, I must admit the very mention of illegal drugs makes me angry and upset as bother a previous childhood friend and my brother have become addicted to them. I suffer from multiple mental health problems and I don't see why anyone would want to play with their mind like that.

*both, bad spelling.

Booboo I don't recognise your experience. Loads of friends and people I know smoke or eat it - some regularly - others occasionally, and they're not wasters or suffering extreme mental health problems or anything.

They're normal working people who prefer a spliff to a glass of wine/beer. No biggy at all.

I do understand the whole legalisation issue. Contrary to my post above I do actually think there is a lot to be said to legalising all drugs - it would virtually destroy an industry and all its associated problems such as trafficking and prostitution. Possibly what I mean is that I am so against cannabis being thought of as a harmless drug and a bit of fun, when it can be hideous.

Well you're lucky then Spidermama.

Aries, all drugs can be hideous. In fact almost anything can harm you if you go to far. Even aerobics and a low fat diet can harm you if you go too far.