To think that marijuana shouldn't be legalised?

[adoggymama]

Just that really, I'm a 19 year old & honestly given all the experiences people I know have had using it, it seems like a horribly unhealthy and dangerous thing to legalise?

I've never smoked it or taken any drugs myself so I guess I don't know everything, but it has been proven to make people depressed, lazy & unproductive! (Insert mental image of 30yr old living in parents basement)

What's everyone's opinions? If you believe it should be, can you explain why? And vice versa :) thanks!

Agree

As an aside from my pro-legalisation stance upthread, if I had my way, I’d probably spend all the revenue earned in legalisation on preventing it getting to under 18s, policing that.

With the op that is yanbu

Making it illegal has done nothing to curb its use, provides an income stream for organised crime and criminalises otherwise law abiding citizens. I have no desire to use it myself but would legalise it tomorrow if it was down to me.

There's already massive levels of poor mental health in this country, and not enough money to meet existing service users' needs. How can it be sensible to legalise cannabis which has been shown to increase mh problems and, in some cases, even induce them? Skunk just isn't the same chemical make up as weed from the 60s- and many people buying from dealers are buying skunk. Low THC oil for medical use- fill your boots. But skunk cannabis? if we think we've got social problems right now in this country, they'd be a whole new level of hell with the freedom to smoke skunk at will

Problem is utterlyDesparate that super skunk is all you can get these days. Far larger profit and easier to produce than less harmful strains.

Legalising would alter this balance, and higher strength strains could be controlled and taxed accordingly.

There's already massive levels of poor mental health in this country
Which is why we need to regulate it not stick our heads in the sand.

Regulate it UD
Ringfence any income generated for research and NHS.

We know absinthe fucks you up, we don't sell it. Most importantly if you go to Asda for a bottle of pimms they don't give you absinthe when they've sold out.
The research shows that skunk in the teenage years can be catastrophic to some, so let us get rid of skunk.
Peer reviewed independent research is badly needed here.

@adoggymama - why do you think the state has the right to tell adults what substances they can or can't consume ?

alternative therapies involving cannabis oil

Where’s the eye roll emoji when I need it?

What we need is proper medical, controlled, regulated cannabinoids for medical use. Alternative therapies throwing whatever strain at whatever illness you have is a nonsense. It’s not a magic potion - some conditions are relieved with specific doses of THC and CBD.

I’ve been on high doses of morphine for getting on for 15 years, seems crazy that this is fine but medical marijuana isn’t.

A few other things:

• alcohol is a massively destructive and dangerous drug, as are cigarettes. Why are they legal when marijuana isn’t?

• a large proportion of people are going to smoke it, and they’re going to have to access drug dealers to get it. I’d rather young people didn’t have contact with people who can offer them much stronger and more dangerous drugs

• Regulation of these things makes them safer, and generates income for the treasury

I’m not a marijuana user myself but I think it should be decriminalised

YANBU op, I am far more worried about my children getting into trouble or harming themselves while drinking than I am them smoking weed. I just wish that skunk wasn’t available, and sensible legalisation would solve that.

Agree that alcohol and tobacco are far more harmful. How can they be legalised and not weed?

I currently use CBD oil that you can buy in health food shops and i find it helps with my pain.

I have to take tramadol, paracetamol, ibuprofen and pregablin on a daily basis to help manage my pain.

Since I've started taking CBD oil, I've managed to cut down on my tramadol use.

I would love to use the CBD oil that people are trying to get legalised. The THC that's in it is supposed to be the stuff that really helps.

It would be interesting to see what effect it would have on me and my painkiller use

I agree. I have never seen any positive effects from smoking it. Most people I know either go on to use harder drugs or become completely addicted to cannabis to the extent they smoke it all day every day which isn’t healthy. I’ve seen the mental health repercussions time and time again. It also stinks.

@FuckingTwattery Yeah! I honestly thought they were thinking of legalising the smoked stuff I hear loads of people anyway talking about how it should be legalised so I just assumed they were legalising all types.

@Wellfuckmeinbothears I have epilepsy too. Grand Mal seizures. I read about the oil helping that boy and potentially saving his life recently. I think the oil with THC for medicinal purposes is fine.

@Ansumpasty I see your point, I do drink by the way, only small amounts though. I've never been a serial binge drinker or in a bad state from alcohol.

@Stirner I'm in the UK, so that would be government to me
I don't think they have a right completely to rule what we do in our spare time as consenting adults but I do respect the laws enforced.

I do think that cannabis should be legalised in all forms.

Those that don’t, won’t. Those who do will continue.

I’m not a weed smoker however know enough people, from all walks of life, professions and ages, to know that there is a real subculture of weed smoking. It’s massive. As a teenager I thought it was something only teenagers did, at very close to 30, I know differently.

With legalisation comes control. And tax revenue.

If you are happy to have your baby's bedroom constantly filled with someone else's weed smoke and not be able to do anything about it, then sure have it completely legalised.

We cannot compare how we might use it legally to the Dutch as we are two completely different cultures. I just cannot see us using it in a responsible way.

I don't have an issue for it to be used for medical reasons.

If you are happy to have your baby's bedroom constantly filled with someone else's weed smoke and not be able to do anything about it, then sure have it completely legalised

How is that any different from tobacco smoke? And how would regulating it change smoke coming in your window? Obviously not regulating it doesn't stop it coming in your window.

YANBU.

It has negative health implications as a recreational drug, so we shouldn't sell and encourage its use for fun just like we shouldn't do the same with eg: valium (or alcohol/tobacco if we discovered them today).

What the medical profession needs to do its work is another matter, though - there should be ready and legal access as a prescribed medicine.

If a baby's bedroom is constantly filled with smoke, you have another kind of problem. A serious ventilation one.

It has negative health implications as a recreational drug
That is why we should regulate it, instead of the current state where you have no idea of the strength you are buying.