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Original poster

To be a bit dubious about cannabis being legalised

185 replies

LeahJack · 19/06/2018 18:08

William Hague called for legalisation today. And there is the discussion about legalisation for medical reasons, which is obviously great for people like Billy Caldwell, but has been used in the US as a back door for recreational legalisation as certificates are given out like confetti for everything.

I worry about this as DH used to smoke it. And like most users thought it was harmless but it made him absent minded and empty headed even when he wasn’t smoking it to the point where I was frightened to leave the children with him because he wouldn’t be able to react quickly if they did things like run into the road. Plus he was grumpy, irritable and short tempered when he wasn’t smoking it.

Another friend of mine who is a bit vulnerable had a complete breakdown into psychosis smoking it and lost her marriage and wasn’t allowed her children unsupervised for a long time as a result of cannabis smoking.

I also know someone who is currently smoking it claiming it is curing his depression, but it is quite obviously making his already poor mental health worse and tipping him into paranoia.

I know some people say it should be treated like alcohol, but if alcohol was discovered now, it would probably be banned too.

I think smoking it is a selfish act, and the price for recreational users legally getting stoned will be paid by their partners and children and vulnerable people who are made ill by it.

I hate that it’s effectively been decriminalised anyway and my children have to walk through clouds of stinking smoke on our high street.

OP posts:
Thisimeagain · 20/06/2018 08:18

This reply has been withdrawn

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Grandmaswagsbag · 20/06/2018 08:27

I think it’s like any drug. Most people agree that if used in moderation alcohol is ok. I know some people who will have a spliff after work in the same way they would have a beer, they are very successful in high powered jobs. You’d never think of them as ‘stoners’. On the flip side I know lots more people for whom smoking weed seems to suck literally every ounce of motivation out of them and they have seemed to spiral quickly into doing little else but sitting about all day smoking. Not sure legalising it would make a difference to those people as they are doing it anyway I guess.

ReginaldMolehusband · 20/06/2018 08:31

Here's the link to Canada's legalising of recreational cannabis www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44543286 , expect the same "think of the children" arguments here if it comes up for discussion.

ShouldofWouldofCouldof · 20/06/2018 08:42

Like any other prescribed item if you don't want to take it then dont. If a dr suggests it say no i dont want it and dont cash the prescription. Its that simple. No one is going to force you to take it. You may not agree with it but it is nothing like the stuff people smoke on the streets. This is medical grade and doesnt have the "bad" stuff that can make you hillucinate etc. It can save or dramatically change someones life. I dont agree with a few meds that are currently on the market espesh new ones with no significant data to say they work or what the long term effects could be. This is a naturally occurring product that has been around since the dawn time. Yes it has its own side effects- but they are known about and are well documented.... truthfully I'd rather take my risk with a natural product that one that is developed from synthetic items and tested on lab rats.......

ShouldofWouldofCouldof · 20/06/2018 08:44

Oh and i doubt dr will prescribe it willy nilly..... i can't even get a strong painkiller from my dr....

IJustHadToNameChange · 20/06/2018 08:51

Medicines derived from controlled substances exist.

Medicines, proven to work, can be licenced and effectively legalised without the active constituent or raw plant becoming legal.

Diamorphine is a Class A drug and the 'active' constituent of heroin.

Diamorphine is prescribed and heroin is illegal.

Why this can't be done with cannabis is beyond me.

Lazypoolday · 20/06/2018 09:40

DH has a relative who smokes dope and drives. He insists it makes him a better driver. He makes me absolutely livid and I don't know what to do.

There actually is little evidence that driving under the influence of cannabis is dangerous

"Today, a large body of research exists exploring the impact of marijuana on psychomotor skills and actual driving performance. This research consists of driving simulator studies, on-road performance studies, crash culpability studies, and summary reviews of the existing evidence. To date, the result of this research is fairly consistent: Marijuana has a measurable yet relatively mild effect on psychomotor skills, yet it does not appear to play a significant role in vehicle crashes, particularly when compared to alcohol."

bananafish81 · 20/06/2018 10:37

The British pharma company GW is the leading producer of cannabis derived medication - with CBD in trials as Epidiolex, and CBD / THC formulated as Sativex - which are prescribed in the US, but not available in the UK

www.gwpharm.com/products-pipeline

LadysFingers · 20/06/2018 10:58

Shouldof

They could easily make it a drug, which only doctors at secondary or even tertiary centres could prescribe.

While I believe in proper clinical trials, the truth is people with severe epilepsy are usually on 2/3/4 drugs already. Clinical trials are done on adults one drug at a time, and actually nobody knows what the side effects of 2 let alone 3 or 4 drugs combined are, never mind on children - except by watching happens to patients in trial and error.

Firesuit · 20/06/2018 11:21

I don't care about this enough to have read the thread, so apologies if I duplicate what's already been said.

I don't understand what the issue is. If something is of proven medical value, and a doctor is willing to prescribe it, and it doesn't cost more than the NHS is willing to pay, or the patient is willing to pay privately, then surely it gets consumed? Does the law prevent this at the moment? If so, the law is an ass, as it allows this for lots of other potentially much more harmful drugs that recreational users would also want to get their hands on.

Whether Cannabis (with or without psychoactive component) is allowed as a prescribed medicine is a completely separate issue to whether it is allowed as a recreational drug, or as an over-the-counter remedy, or as alternative medicine. (My definition of "alternative medicine" is stuff people want to take even though there's no convincing evidence that it's generally effective.)

Firesuit · 20/06/2018 11:24

Sorry, just re-read the OP. If the issue is being discussed is general legalisation, then I've responded to the wrong issue. Even if there is a call for general legalisation, the reason for it is the case that's been in the news, which is what I thought we were discussing. As I said originally, general legalisation and licensing as a medicine are two different things, so if the call for general legalisation is because of failure to license as a medicine, it's a stupid response.

dadshere · 20/06/2018 11:34

dh used to smoke it as a teen/twentysomething. It has definitely had a big impact on his memory and cognitive processes, he is very anti-drugs now. I have never been tempted to try it, I think it smells repulsive, but if we are fine with alcohol, then it too should be legalised, taxed and controlled.

Iflyaway · 20/06/2018 12:14

Many states in America, like the Netherlands have legalised cannabis

Get your facts right please.

Unless you made a typo omission, the Netherlands is not a state of America.

The Netherlands has NOT legalised cannabis. Smoking it is tolerated and decriminalised. You are allowed a maximum of 5 plants to grow at home.
Which is as it should be.

As for a "gateway" drug, the only heroin junkies left in the country are those dying of old age.

Uyulala · 20/06/2018 12:21

I enjoy watching TV late at night with a joint. Right now it's Orphan Black.

It's certainly not for everyone. But then neither is alcohol.

RB68 · 20/06/2018 16:44

I think its a political move to muddy waters by calling for street legalisation when what is under review is medical grade. The two issues need dealing with seperately. I am not against legalisation on the street - mostly because people still smoke it and I am not convinced by legalising it numbers would rise significantly, by legalising it you take away income from dealers and drug rings who use the money raised for other more serious crime funding, you bring it into the taxation system and also the control system - much as smoking ie banned around children in cars, in public places etc etc. You can also then have treatment programmes. Many smoke it as self medicating so in actual fact you may find users stay the same as whilst there is a slight increase due to legalisation if medical grade is available those self medicating will switch for a more stable medicine. Further by legalising you can also control strength and health messages with the product

DGRossetti · 20/06/2018 16:49

Further by legalising you can also control strength and health messages with the product

Unless people grow their own ?

PretABoire · 20/06/2018 16:59

@DGRossetti

Growing your own you actually have far more control - weed may not be legal here, but seeds certainly are, and there are thousands of strains of seeds available to buy with details on THC & CBD content.

I think it's silly to try and stop adults taking drugs, they should all be legalised and regulated for over 18s. I truly believe it would enable better education around the subject and far safer substances, which can be further developed to reduce health risks. Just because something is legal (like alcohol and tobacco) doesn't mean it's endorsed by the NHS or anything.

Even if the war on drugs was entirely successful and every single dealer was locked up, all production stopped - you can't stop the magic mushrooms growing in fields up and down the UK every autumn. You can't beat drugs, so why not make them safer instead.

DGRossetti · 20/06/2018 17:00

Interesting, Tx !

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 20/06/2018 17:03

I agree OP

The use of it for medical reasons is very valid.

But I have seen the damage it does to the mental health of young adults and it has ruined lives.

These are serious and permanent effects.

BlueSapp · 20/06/2018 17:06

Despite what some people say, it is a dangerous drug, it should not be used.

DGRossetti · 20/06/2018 17:19

Despite what some people say, it is a dangerous drug, it should not be used.

Like paracetamol, then ?

bananafish81 · 20/06/2018 17:29

Despite what some people say, it is a dangerous drug, it should not be used

I am currently prescribed oxycodone (class A opioid) on the NHS, and have previously been prescribed morphine and fentanyl (also class A opioids). All controlled drugs. All prescribed for therapeutic benefit by my GP under the direction of a pain consultant

Oxycodone and fentanyl are stronger than diamorphine - aka heroin. They are dangerous if used illicitly but have a significant pharmaceutical benefit, and are on the WHO list of essential medications

Same with benzodiazepines that are also controlled drugs

Possession of these class A drugs without a prescription carries higher criminal consequences than possession of cannabis, which is categorised as a class C substance

Why should our British pharmaceutical companies be able to manufacture THC-containing cannibinoid substances for medical use to treat patients overseas, but which British patients are unable to access?

expatinscotland · 20/06/2018 17:36

'Despite what some people say, it is a dangerous drug, it should not be used.'

ALL OTC and prescribed drugs now are potentially dangerous, yet all, including cannabis, have definite medically therapeutic uses.

AgentCooper · 20/06/2018 17:45

I think legalising for medicinal use has to happen. People will get their hands on it somehow anyway, but they could be buying God knows what strain and it could do them tremendous harm. To have safe, regulated sources of medicinal cannabis would be life changing for many.