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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think cannabis should be legal?

194 replies

RainbowsAndCrystals · 08/10/2017 12:40

Just came back from a week in Amsterdam.

I very occasionally smoke weed. It was just so nice to be able to sit outside, drink coffee and smoke with no judgment.

I saw hardly any police the entire time I wasn't there. Never felt unsafe.

OP posts:
Footle · 08/10/2017 15:53

Legalisation not legislation,oops.

WatchTheFoxes · 08/10/2017 16:12

those people are getting it anyway, except it's manipulated, stronger stuff. It it was legalised and regulated, people wouldn't rely on skunk etc and it would be a lot safer.

No because "those people" wouldn't want to pay the probably extra expensive prices getting from "official channels" so would get the cheap stuff anyway. Lose lose situation. And to pp who said it is DOES NOT cause mental illness -- sorry but that's just not true.

Doublechocolatetiffin · 08/10/2017 16:22

Personally I struggle to get on board with legalisation of it because of the message it sends to young people. It would encourage more people to try it and that can't be a good thing.

Like others have said, it's not about whether it's better or worse than alcohol or tobacco as both are already legal. Rather whether it's of benefit to society as a whole to send a measage that it's a socially acceptable and legal drug. Is the increase in usage and the health problem that will follow worth the additional revenue generated in taxation? Is is respsbile as a government to legalise something that is detrimental to someone's health. Even if it's the least damaging drug out there, it is detrimental to health.

Just out of interest to everyone who thinks legalising will stop putting money into drug dealers pockets. What do you think they'll do? Set up weed shops, start doing their accounts and run reputable businesses? Or continue selling and undercut the governments inevitble high taxation? Or move to selling other harder drugs? I don't know the answers, but equally I can't foresee it being quite as straightforward as their business will all simply transfer to legal means.

lostinpost · 08/10/2017 16:23

Yup. It is ridiculous that it is illegal and psychedelics too. I believe all drugs should be legalised, regulated and taxed. Far more deaths, NHS costs and social problems from alcohol and cigarettes but they have a big lobby, lots of money and power. Seems the Tories are hell bent on sending the country backwards when it comes to drug reform whilst all other countries (including supposedly conservative USA) are going forward.

Original poster
RainbowsAndCrystals · 08/10/2017 16:25

Why are people making the assumption that it would be more expensive?

Amsterdam prices were similar to those here.

OP posts:
EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 08/10/2017 16:42

"Cannabis DOES NOT cause paranoia or mental health problems"

Work in mental health for 15 years then come back and see if you still think the same

Absolutely agree I work in mh with offenders every single one of them has been affected by smoking cannabis and will also struggle with paranoia when they smoke again even when they are on anti psychotic drugs. Strangly other harder drugs doesn't seem to have the same impact on them

And agree with the other poster about our binge culture we won't have a cafe society like Amsterdam as we have this binge culture

i am not sure who it will benefit apart from the pharmaceutical companies

ConciseandNice · 08/10/2017 17:01

My son lost years of his life to weed. My family's life was hell for at least 4 years. It has made his brain mince and yes, it was just weed , albeit skunk which it all is these days. Before this I was all for legalisation. Not anymore. If you'd been through what my family had you'd never want it.

NewDaddie · 08/10/2017 17:07

Prohibition doesn't work. It's a hopeless failure.

RoderickRules · 08/10/2017 17:13

Everyone I know who has smoked weed long term has mental health problems.

It seems to drain motivation and ambition.

Dope smoking shows a lack of self respect imo.

RoderickRules · 08/10/2017 17:15

And has catastrophic effects on teenagers developing brains.

Original poster
RainbowsAndCrystals · 08/10/2017 17:17

Whether it's legal or not it's still in the country regardless.

Banning it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

OP posts:
Taxminion · 08/10/2017 17:19

My cousin who is Dutch smoked quite a lot at a young age and developed schizophrenia and other MH problems in his teens and 20s. Now in his 40s overcoming MH problems and moved to another country but still struggling to get his life on track. Perhaps smoking didn't cause it but perhaps it did.

Thebluedog · 08/10/2017 17:22

Now e I don't think it should be legalised. I smoked it in my early 20s and had my furst panic attack as a result, I then suffered from anxiety in my late 30d and more panic attacks. I think there needs to be far more tests and work to make it better before anything like this is let loose on the market.
Dangerous stuff

RunningOutOfCharge · 08/10/2017 17:24

Absolutely not!

Vile stuff and vile smokers when they are high on it!

RunningOutOfCharge · 08/10/2017 17:26

Our neighbours are permanently rocking the dumbed up look...niceHmm you can smell it on them,and worse, on their kids coats!

StaySexyDontGetMurdered · 08/10/2017 17:28

I'm not sure it is the best idea for this country, and I say that as someone who occasionally likes a smoke.
I would like to see stricter controls on alcohol though. It's absolutely bonkers the way we sell it when it is lethal.

CoteDAzur · 08/10/2017 17:28

brasty - re "if alcohol was illegal, I would not be arguing for it to be legalised."

But you are not campaigning for alcohol to be criminalised, are you? Hmm

Do you or don't you see that if alcohol is legal, cannabis should be too, since all the problems you can cite about excessive cannabis use can be said for alcohol, too.

ludothedog · 08/10/2017 17:33

RiseToday, my experience was very much like yours. That said, there are times when I think there is nothing I would like nothing more than a good smoke. Cannabis does not give you the physical addiction that you would get with another substance such as heroin but it certainly is psychologically addictive.

There was an interesting documentary on BBC recently by Prof Green about just this argument (sorry if this has been posted before). He began by being convinced that legalisation was the only way forward and went on a bit of a journey learning of the many unpleasant side effects of cannabis. His opinion at the end was more tempered but he was still of the opinion, like others on here, that legalisation was the way forward. Its worth a watch.

WombOfOnesOwn · 08/10/2017 17:33

I live in a place where it is legal (California). It doesn't seem to cause particular problems, and is good harm reduction vs. alcohol in every way.

Ellendegeneres · 08/10/2017 17:39

Funny, I was discussing this with a friend the other day. He saw how much pain I was in and recommended his dealer and offered to get me some weed to see if it helped with the pain.
I smoked it occasionally as a teen, but never more than that and gave up the cigs when pregnant with dc1, so can't imagine going back to it.
On the other hand, he made it sound so tempting (might have been in part due to being high on prescription pain meds) that I was wondering if I ought to give it a try.

I'm so conflicted. I think alcohol is far more dangerous and it's ridiculous that it's not illegal given what damage it does (alcoholic in family) than many drugs, I have to say, but I have splinters I'm so on the fence. I can't imagine a day where it'd be made legal anyway.

Pawpainting · 08/10/2017 17:39

It is legal where I live and available in forms that don't involve smoking. I went in to buy some for the first time last week and was surprised to see several elderly people also buying some. It does have proven beneficial effects for certain medical conditions and the chance of it causing harm is low compared to other legal drugs. It is far less destructive than alcohol. I don't see why it isn't legal everywhere although it probably will be in most places in the future.

BalthazarImpresario · 08/10/2017 17:41

I agree, they could tax it and spend that money on education.
Yes it can cause a decline in people but if alcohol was introduced today it would be a class A drug if you look at the criteria, I've seen more damage by alcohol/legal highs.

Interesting podcasts by LEAP UK (law enforcement against prohibition) available about this subject.

gillybeanz · 08/10/2017 17:43

I've smoked it for years but have had times when I haven't.
The tobacco is the hard thing to stop, not the weed.
My mental state is great but strangely enough the years I was off were the times my mh struggled.
For me it's everything in moderation, I only smoke at night and it doesn't stop me from doing anything I need or want to do.

user128057 · 08/10/2017 17:44

I also disagree that it should be made legal. Like another poster I've seen first hand the damage it can do. It's horrible.

SwishswishBiTCH · 08/10/2017 17:46

it causes depression and paranoia

No, not in everyone, and no way should one presume that weed does that to everyone. My husband has smoked it nearly 12 years, he is the happiest, funniest bloke I've ever met. I've smoked it nearly 3 years and again, I'm no way depressed or paranoid. We both work full time jobs, have 2 kids and live life to the fullest. No way are we paranoid or depressed, and it definitley has not sucked my husband in. He is still the thriving man he was 12 years ago.