To ask your opinions on cannabis and legalisation

[orangeleopard]

I’m just curious about people’s opinion on cannabis. I’m aware it’s illegal, but I believe it should be treated the same way alcohol is and be legalised. As one example why, I believe it can do wonders for people with chronic illnesses and pain. I think if it was legal I would likely consume it as a way to get me off taking the strong opioids I’m prescribed daily. It would be safer and have less side effects. I’ve seen stories of it helping peoples anxiety as well as helped people with neurological disorders etc.

On the other hand I think it can be very bad as most people I know who consume it have become very lazy, and angry when they don’t ‘smoke’ aka withdrawals and it likely caused their depression. But I’ve also known a person who has adhd and smoking has helped them remain focused and on track in day to day life. I suppose it does depend on the person.

I think my overall opinion is that it should be treated like alcohol - in all honesty it’s likely safer as no one has died from an overdose from cannabis. But I do believe it should be legalised and people should be able to safely access it like they do in the Netherlands for example. I honestly believe it would decrease crime a bit.

So what are all your opinions?

YABU- it shouldn’t be legal
YANBU - it should be legal

@ggoneanonymous

I have a vape that is a dry herb vape and it stops the smell..
Hand on heart it does not smell...
I would have ended my life long ago if l didn't take it for pain...I'm allergic to opiates.. I'm even allergic to Asprin and Ibuprofen..
Only pain meds l can have is paracetamol.. which doesn't touch the pain.
( Horrific traumatic accident ).. Well not a accident l was shoved under a bus.

I agree cannabis has health benefits and think it should be legalised and regulated, BUT I don't agree with increasing the public's options for smoking, nor do I want to smell it everywhere and be exposed to the smoke.

So I think CBD oil, edibles etc are the way to go. Vapes if they don't smell - I don't know enough about them.

I'm a fan, love the herb 🌿. However, I dont smoke anymore so would like to be able to purchase legally a gummy or oil drops where you can control the strength.
I see a low dose as healthier on the liver than a glass of wine, it's relaxing but you sober up quicker.
If it was legal, I'd barely drink.

It has been shown over and over again to cause serious MH problems inculding paranoia and schizophrenia, and it also reduces cognitive ability PERMENANTLY if used before the age of 25

They should decriminalise all drugs starting with the hardest and work down, weed is pretty unimportant in that equation because everyone who wants it has it anyway, there's no effective law enforcement around it and it keeping the status quo does nothing but benefit criminals.

All drugs and drug use should be dealt with medically rather than criminally and efforts should be made to understand the driving behaviour behind it, which in persistent or heavy users is frequently a form of self harm.

This govt has been one of the most regressive govts on this issue in recent history, big shifting of blame back to users to excuse the fact the government make no serious efforts to tackle it, understand it, or reduce it's harm to society

The issue is (for me) most people don't treat it like alcohol- they don't usually (only in my opinion) accept they are under the influence of something that impairs their judgment and reaction the same way as alcohol does, and again (only in my experience) the people I know who support legalisation are actually addicted to it, and also seem to be unaware of that and unaccepting of it. Spending your whole evening half cut, same as spending it pissed. Both are an issue.

@Deathbyathousandcats umm.. yes I do. Alcohol is a poison and has no health benefits whatsoever, yet is celebrated and encouraged and heavily promoted.
Cannabis can have health benefits for many people. Yes it can also be harmful for others but I think it should be regulated and taxed and grown adults should be free to take risks as they choose them. I think it should be taken out of the hands of gangs and criminals.

No it doesn’t lead to heroin and cocaine.

This ^ 💯

Alcohol is a poison and has no health benefits whatsoever, yet is celebrated and encouraged and heavily promoted.
Cannabis can have health benefits for many people. Yes it can also be harmful for others but I think it should be regulated and taxed and grown adults should be free to take risks as they choose them. I think it should be taken out of the hands of gangs and criminals.

This!!!!!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Legalise it 100%. “Boo hoo stinky” isn’t a good argument for not legalising it, sorry, the world doesn’t revolve around what smells are or aren’t palatable to you. Also, there is no smell if it’s eaten or vaped… just saying.
I started smoking in my late 20s and feel I’ve protected myself somewhat from the effects it can have upon a still developing brain. I don’t think it’s good for teenagers, it can zap motivation amongst other things. I do worry about losing brain cells to it etc but I’ve recently learnt alcohol use can equally cause early onset dementia, and I know which one I’d rather be partaking in. Plus alcohol just makes people act like idiots, or worse violent and abusive. With weed you just want to watch films and eat snacks, then you wake up the next day without a stinking hangover feeling fresh as a daisy. Works wonders for chronic pain etc. there are downsides but it’s like with anything, you have to control your use. Can exacerbate mental health issues though so wouldn’t recommend to anyone suffering such.

I’d love for it to be regulated like it is in Canada, with dispensaries providing a wide range of strains that you can pick and choose based on what works for you. I resent the fact that because I live in a certain part of the world I have to resort to using stuff that doesn’t suit me or worse, sprayed with chemicals. Just regulate the whole thing already please, the only thing that’s holding us back now is public opinion is still outdated on this topic.

I would prefer to see it licensed, taxed and controlled, with more stringent regulation on what is available and to whom, with a ban on advertising (as with nicotine) and a ban on smoking in circumstances that exposes others. This in part because people should be able to do lots of things they like even if they are bad for them, providing the impact on others isn’t significant, and in part because I’d like to see it taken out of the world of organized crime.

I am concerned that as many Western countries have lowered their social and legal barriers around cannabis, the strength has gone up and links to mental health issues have become more troubling. So would like to see significant research into that and into how it can be used (presumably significantly more moderately) to promote wellbeing.

I would legalise it tomorrow. I'd allow cultivation too, say 3 or 4 plants per household max. All those people reliant on dangerous opiates when there's a safer, natural solution. Those with epilepsy on last resort pills like barbiturates and valproate who could take the opportunity to try cannabis. Plenty of people could benefit.

As for mental health (or lack of), did you know there's something far more detrimental available in any supermarket? One of the most addictive substances known and one of the hardest to quit. Yet perfectly acceptable and often encouraged.

This, this and again this.

Er no

I work in a prison. Everyone off their heads and paranoid. No thanks

Will be bad enough once disposable vapes go!

Well my Dutch friends hate the effects of living in a country where it is legal, especially as all the rich, privileged people who made it legal can afford to live a long was away from where it is being sold... it has had a terrible effect on the lives of those who have to live in the vicinity of the dealers. More crime, more hard drugs, more serious mental illness, and yes, more deaths

@sharptoothlemonshark this is nonsense. There aren’t dealers if it’s legal. You literally buy it in shops. And in countries where drugs are legal (inc Portugal too) there has been shown to be a marked decrease in hard drug usage and crime.

And literally, no-one. No-one ever has died from cannabis comsumption. That is a fact

I said "dealers" meaning they were dealing in cannabis, not that they were illegal, and my cousin died from using cannabis, and THAT is a fact.

I'm I'm favor of it. I live in Canada, where i can buy it legally. I go to my local dispensary, talk to the bud tenders about what I'm looking for. I'll choose a sativa for when I've got lots of housework to do or I'm going for a night out and a nice mellow indica when I want to chill. It doesn't have to stink. I don't really smoke doobies these days. I much prefer a gummy or a drink. I've just picked up a peach ice tea on my way home to enjoy later on the couch. I never consume before driving, never use at work, and I've never been tempted to try any other drug.

It’s a hallucinogen. It causes paranoia. It takes far longer to be flushed from your blood than alcohol. It damages developing brains in the under 25s. It causes apathy and poor memory.

It’s bad for society. Halving said that, I don’t see any problem with it being a controlled medicine for pain relief, Parkinson’s and so on. It shouldn’t be legal for recreational use though.

I said "dealers" meaning they were dealing in cannabis, not that they were illegal, and my cousin died from using cannabis, and THAT is a fact.

wow, he’s a medical miracle. Evidence please?

@sharptoothlemonshark two cases in the world that could possibly be attributed to cannabis solely - and they’re caveated with the fact that they probably had severe health issues beforehand. But sure, your cousin died (which you didn’t mention in first post but then did when challenged)

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327126#has-pot-killed-anyone

I live in an area where loads of people seem to smoke it. I absolutely hate the smell of it despite being a smoker and think it tastes vile.

i have fibromyalgia and am on a cocktail of medications and also ADHD, OCD and anxiety ( all diagnosed) and am a terrible sleeper so I believe it could be quite beneficial to me and reduce the amount of meds I take but I just couldn’t smoke it.

the few people who I know well are riddled with MH probs, paranoia and anger issues.
one young woman I know has recently had a baby and smoked cannabis every single day throughout her pregnancy, another one spends all day in bed once the kids are at school. It may not be class A but it still deeply affects lives.

After a recent visit to the USA, I’m now completely opposed to legalisation. Apart from the fact it stinks, makes your clothes reek and you have no control over inhaling it yourself, people using it were stumbling around like zombies. Out of it and out of control. They were equally pitiful and scary. I don’t know if the people I encountered had other addiction or MH issues or which came first, those issues or using heavy duty cannabis. I came home feeling desperately sad at the ghettoisation & decline of places that I had really fond memories of as vibrant and welcoming cities. I’d hate to see the same levels of chaos descend on the UK.

people using it were stumbling around like zombies. Out of it and out of control. They were equally pitiful and scary. I don’t know if the people I encountered had other addiction or MH issues

it’s like the bloody day today ‘cake’ episode on here

@BBlondeAmbition21 - That sounds like they were on meth or some other opiates. Different kettle of fish entirely