to think that most on here have tried class B or A drugs at some point in their lives?

[apologies]

I'm increasingly struggling with the wisdom of prohibiting drugs and this is increased by a suspicion that far more people have taken or take drugs than are ever willing to admit it. I am thus curious as to MNetters experiences.

My (limited) drugs experience:

First tried weed around age 17. Usual scenario, was at college, friends were doing it etc.

Found it great at first, giggly, relaxed, happy times.

Fast forward a few months of smoking it casually on and off, it kind of turned on me.

Paranoia, hallucinations, panic attacks, 'whiteys', you name it.

I never smoked it regularly or in large quantities but I feel it unleashed some mental health problems that I think were probably always there beneath the surface.

Found it very easy to quit luckily.

In my mid twenties I tried cocaine after being surrounded by it for years, mostly in clubs, at parties. I'd say I did it once or twice a month. I never once suffered any side effects from it, except good ones

I stopped using it after a few years though. Got sensible.

Again, I found it very easy to stop but boy did I love it while I was doing it.

So for me, weed equalled a fucked up big time, awful, mind altering experience yet cocaine I found to be totally enjoyable with zero negative effects.

Cannabis is not harmful to lungs, smoking with tobacco

But regular weed smokers are some of the most boring self absorbed self rightous fucks you've ever met.

In fact I have never met anyone who has become a nicer/better person after smoking weed At best apathetic couch potatoes and at worst paranoid knobheads.

I agree with you mostly Viva but I watched some programme a while back that was actually pro-cannabis but very anti-skunk. I can't remember its name but will try and find linkage. The THC itself does not cause psychosis, but skunk had a level of another chemical that significantly increased 'psychotic' side affects in studies, the hybrid of the plant made it out of balance... I am probably muddled amount the amounts and details but the conclusion was that THC is not a cause of psychosis... maybe skunk produces more of the other chemical. Can't remember.

I do think cannabis can act as a catalyst for existing predispositions to MH issues. But then so can every other drug... legal or not. All have side effects that affect some people negatively. Even paracetamol, the possible side affects for that make scary reading yet I think most would agree its a relatively harmless drug in general with many uses.

Too much LSD can fuck you up major league, but unless you're unlucky you'd have to have a LOT. I didn't like it.

Didn't like coke, I talk enough shit without it, and most people on coke act like complete wankers (same with alcohol). The ruin of countries is a good enough reason to steer clear of that.

Cannabis can be grown quite happily, without need for bloody hot lamps, in the UK, if it was legal to do so it would negate any of the negative social issues elsewhere as we wouldn't need to import it.

Composhat they'd probably be over users then, I've never met someone who's an alcoholic that's thoroughly pleasant, yet I know many people who drink and smoke weed responsibily who are absolutely 'normal'

Cannabis doesn't get you into fights in the high street after a night now, can't be arsed.

Nope. Never.

Yep, everything except heroin and drugs that were invented post-Ecstasy. I stopped using most drugs in my twenties, then totally lost interest at around 40. Dopeheads of my age look like losers to me now (I don't look much like a winner, either, mind you!)

I agree with your OP, though the interlinked mega-crime is terrifying. Can't help wondering if we'd be better off putting that money into controlling supply rather than trying to stop it. I think the same about the sex industry, tbh. I suspect, too, that investing more seriously in mental health would reduce demand for both.

Will read this thread properly tomorrow!

never tried any, never wanted to.

Had tramadol and diazepam in hosp but prescribed!

Oooh, hospital Valium injections :) :) And the morphine!

Nope, my DDad chain smoked and deeply regretted it. He was evangelical about all types of drugs. He also lost a friend to sniffing ether and he's never said much, but I think he was more upset than he admitted. Just said it was a stupid waste.

Consequently, I've never been even slightly tempted and have never been offered the opportunity.

Flat mates had friends at university that smoked dope and I found out someone had some at my 19th birthday. Just as well I didn't find out because I would have kicked them out.

As far as I know DH never has, but he's been offered drugs in dome pretty weird places because he looked like a long haired hippy.

Skunk / cannabis same thing, seriously.
ComposHat. asshat more like, Same could be said about alcohol, or even something like a pair of sunglasses. Your argument is ridiculous.

Also I know two adorable DCs being brought up by their grandma while mum sleeps off her last fix.

One of the other discussed active endo cannabinoids in cannabis is CBD, this also has therapeutic qualities.

Links between mh issues and cannabis exist solely due to self medication. People with mental health Issues use cannabis as it actually helps (shock horror).

The mildly calming effect does help With anxiety, Having an eating disorder is helped by getting the munchies, Insomnia is sorted too.

Have your prozac, valium and amitryptiline, I'll have something natural thanks.

Cannabis and speed.

I work in mh and have never met anyone who smoking cannabis has helped , alot self medicate with it but it has just made their mh worse. Duel diagnosis of drug addiction and mh problems is extremly high in the forensic wards I've worked in, especially with young men

The whole issue re legalisation of drugs is such a complex one with very good arguments for and against. Much as I do think it is entirely hypocritical for alcohol to be a legal 'drug' and cannabis not, there is no doubt that world-wide a lot of harm is being done by drugs/drug trade.

Re MH: it's a 'chicken and egg' situtation innit - what was there first, the MH issue that somebody is self-medicating with drugs, or did the drugs cause the MH issue?? Sometimes it is hard to know, but there is no doubt that in vulnerable people drugs do exacerbate, possbily pre-existing problems with their MH. Also, those who self-medicate with Cannabis do help their anxiety etc, can still suffer some of the downside of regular Cannabis use ie lethargy.

I don't buy the 'natural' argument, sorry - do you also boil your own willow bark for Aspirin? Natural does not equal safer. The whole reason that herbal medicine works is because plants contain powerful chemicals that do stuff in the human body/brain.
Having said that, medicinal cannabis is a Good Think IMO, I just fear that every drug-used in our practice area would come looking for it .

Viva you seem to be on a one person campaign to promote cannabis. I realise you use it for medical reasons, but you are incredibly evangelical about it.

I am on the fence about other people using cannabis, but wouldn't use it myself even if it were legal.

How on earth is having an eating disorder 'helped' by getting the munchies?

Anorexics and bulimics don't have anorexia or bulimia because they don't get hungry for goodness sake!

To say cannabis doesn't have risk is as ignorant as saying its evil.

It has loads of benefits, apart from just plain and simply making many people feel lovely.

It also carries certain risks, like any other drug on the planet.

Paranoia is a very common side affect, and a real one. I can't imagine it being prescribed to someone with existing MH issues (depending on what they are).

Its a wonder drug in the managment of MS.

And its nice, very nice. It shoudl be legal, but licenced.

I am actually suffering from an eating disorder, it is anorexia and it helps me.

You can't tell me about something I live with every day. It does help.

And fwiw I do get hungry, I just have an ability to ignore it for days on end.
Anorexics do eat, Just not a lot, iyswim but you probably don't

DH hasn't ever touched any drug. He's never even smoked a fag!

I have tried most drugs and most of the people I grew up with in inner London had tried various drugs.

I don't see who benefits from drugs being illegal, other than drug dealers. Drugs are freely available where I live and anyone who wants them can buy them.

Pharmaceutical companies are the ultimate benefactors of prohibition,
You can have these chemicals that aren't tested on humans, we know little about the long term health risks but fuck it, You'll get more ill hopefully and come back for more.

When the alternative is have a jay or whatever and not fill your body with shit that most people don't need.

Damn right I'm evangelical, It's a wonder plant and I risk a criminal record just from "using" in my own home. I hurting neither myself or others. Prohibition is a crime to humanity.

Only ever know one person in my life who ever tried drugs. As for me, and anyone else I know nope never. I haven't tried cigarettes either.

I was offered some once by this crazy (doped) woman at a bus stop who was smoking it.

Not sure if I inhaled or not , but definitely didn't get stoned.

Other than that, I think someone at former next door's neighbour used to. How do I know this? Because I inhaled the smell.

I think your evangelical leanings are misplaced somewhat, pharma companies have cured a lot, helped a lot, of people. At massive profit yes, and they are Jesus.

BUT I agree with you that pro-hibition causes more social problems than if things like cannabis were legal.

Cannabis can be grown and smoked with little intervention, I see it as the 'homebrew' of the recreational drug world, and should be legal.

There are other drugs that require much more alchemy, these would be the spirits that require licence to make of the alcohol world... these should be licenced and legal.

Then you have the serious fuck up drugs that should never be legal other in medical treatment, closely monitored and with hefty consequences for mis-use and dealing.

To lump all but alcohol into the 'illegal' category probably is the main reason why cannabis is seen as a 'gateway' drug. Its not. Its simply that most people who deal in cannabis deal is something else too, and want to maixmise their profit. I've been lucky to know mostly people who don't touch anything else...