to think that cannabis should be legalised?

[StuckinTheMiddlewithYou]

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

The bottom line is that NO-ONE has ever died of a cannabis overdose.

Alcohol kills plenty of people every single year.

It also makes people violent and uncaring about others.

I am concerned about the strains of superskunk which are so strong and weird but I reckon the best way to control these is to legalise and educate rather than brushing it under the carpet.

Making this herb illegal and pretending it's dangerous makes young people lose respect for authority. It's not a credible argument and young people know it.

YANBU. a great many of the harms of cannibis are caused by the illegality.

Ariesgirl I am not lucky. Your brother is unlucky.

You have me convinced for the reasons above.

But then what to do about the "younguns" who stand about in parks smoking it all day with their dole money? You'd have to change the mindset of people opposed to see that they are not the only outcome for people who use it. There are many normal people who also use the drug.

Also, the issue of it being around people, ie if legalised some one could walk down the street smoking a joint, blowing the smoke in the direction of your child? Which i know smokers of tabaco already do, but isn't it a double whammy to expose our kids to that? You wouldn't let them drink an alcoholics cider would you.
And again, irresponsible people could take to smoking it in their homes around their children (i know there are some who already do) What could be done to ensure that wouldn't be the case?

But i don't think the whole world would decide to become lazy doped up goons just because it was legalised. Infact, maybe it wouldn't be such a rebellious thing for teens if legalised.

I don't use it personally, although i did a few times during my younger years. It never did me any harm to be fair.

Yanbu, people who want to smoke weed will anyway whether its legal or not, may as well make some tax on it

YANBU. If cannabis was legalised it would also be controlled.

There are certain toxins in various types of cannabis (which can be detected) some of these toxins make you paranoid and can verge on schizophrenia (*sp)

If cannabis was controlled and these toxins taken out - it wouldn't ruin as many lives.

It's the certain toxins - not all cannabis has the same effect.

I grew up with a Drunken Uncle living with us because no one else would take him in. It was hideous. Truly awful.

I have known quite a few alcoholics. I have known - do know - quite a few cannabis smokers. I know which I'd rather were legal.

(I don't smoke myself, and only drink occasionally. My personal stance is that all of it should be legal, yes, including heroin.)

I have never tried cannabis, been offered canabis or known anyone within my social circle who has used or uses illegal substances of any kind. All the people I know socially and within my family are without issues socially, mentally or financially. It is not something my dc (12 and 16) come into contact with either tbh.

Professionally the young people I deal with on a daily basis live within environments where substance abuse is an every day occurence, as are gangs, as are weapons. The way they live is dysfunctional and generally these young people have been let down from the cradle. When I was a governor of a very tough innner city comprehensive (failing) the deputy head's perspective was "they can't be told it's wrong because their parents do it"". Misguided and ill judged in my opinion.

My home world and work world are worlds apart yet live cheek by jowl. No, I wouldn't legalise cannabis or any other drug that is presently illegal. That doesn't mean I don't think cannabis should be available on prescription for some illnesses and neither does it mean that I think it should be legal to sell 24/7.

Most people I know who smoked weed found that it killed their ambition to do anything either for the short or the long term. And it makes people paranoid so that they don't want to leave the house. This can be quite irritating.

There is nothing more dull than a stoner.

Therefore not a drug to be encouraging the use of imo.

should have said to sell alcohol 24/7.

surely legalisation is an endorsement that it is safe, which it isn't for many people. Ok it may not be worse than alcohol but that isn't reason enough to legalise.

"At least when you buy a bottle of vodka you can be pretty sure it hasn't been bulked out with turps." Well, that's not quite true story here

YANBU - I agree with Jux on this one...I think it would make for a very different (safer) society if everything were legalised. But if we're just talking cannabis then definately it should be legal. I don't smoke it - I used to, it made me depressed, so I stopped. My DH does smoke it. He has maybe one joint a day to wind down after work the way lots of people have a beer or a glass of wine. He is happy, a brilliant dad and a lovely bloke. My father on the other hand is an alcoholic and thats a drug that ruins lives.

(I'm a namechanger)

When I was in my 30s I developed a cannabis problem. It started off with the odd spliff, or two, and ended up with me smoking it all day. That went on for about a year. I lost all ambition and just bumbled through life.

Then I decided that I'd had enough of being constantly exhausted and with no motivation so I stopped. It was easier to stop smoking joints than it was to stop smoking fags a few years later.

I think the fact that cannabis is illegal whereas alcohol is legal creates a level of hypocrisy that undermines the government message about drugs. I know that cannabis can cause problems in a small number of instances but as boring as stoners can be I feel much safer in a room full of stoned people than in a pub full of drunks. How much crime and violence and abuse is linked to people being pissed out of their heads? And how little is caused by stoners?

I feel much safer in a room full of stoned people than in a pub full of drunks

hit the nail on the head - well done Moros on your kicking the habit though.

yanbu

I've also seen extreme abuse of both alcohol and cannabis and, while both can be pretty sad, alcohol abuse is much more devastating to the abuser and those around.

As a sober non smoker I'd rather be in the company of someone quite stoned than someone quite drunk too.

Isn't it true that in Amsterdam the young don't bother to smoke because it's legal and therefore less sexy?

I was reprimanded in a coffee shop in Amsterdam for lighting a ciggie!! Whilst DH was smoking cannbis...