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

^If cannabis use causally contributes to the increased use of other illicit drugs then we should, in principle, be able to reduce the use of other illicit drugs by delaying or preventing adolescent cannabis use (e.g. [3]). If this hypothesis was correct then programs that delayed the use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis should reduce rates of other illicit drug use. Most prevention studies have evaluated programs that aim to prevent tobacco use and to delay alcohol use, the most widely used drugs in adolescence. These studies have provided some suggestive evidence that preventing or delaying tobacco and alcohol use reduces rates of cannabis use [63].
There are several good reasons why no studies to date have demonstrated that delaying cannabis use reduces the use of other illicit drugs.^

and it goes on with further explanation of why, from link above

but I can’t see a government that is rolling out a ban on age related tobacco, legalising cannabis

It seems pretty much decriminalised as in the police don't bother much about it.
I helped a friend clear out her brothers flat when he passed and the neighbouring property was absolutely reeking of dope.
She said they had reported several times as her brother had severe asthma but it continued.

I do think if you have a propensity for mental health problems, cannabis can exacerbate them. My older brother started smoking cannabis when he was late teens. Spent most his twenties being in and out of hospital on sections. Dead by 30. I don’t think it’s a common story but it’s not uncommon either.

MN is so anti drugs, I'm surprised and pleased so many people said it should be legalised.

I occasionally have to buy some for a chronic health condition. It is literally amazing in terms of what it does for me.

I can go from crying from pain and being hunched over walking like an old lady to happy, smiling and relaxed, and almost pain free in fifteen minutes.

When it runs out, I don't care. I don't change personality. I don't mug children to get my fix. I feel exactly the same as if I was having a nice bottle of wine and it ran out. Just, oh that was nice while it lasted.

Of course, my disability benefits then go into the pocket of a drug dealer. I really don't think it's legitimate that I should have to pay well over the odds for medicine so I'm not crying in pain from some dodgy geezer because someone doesn't like the smell!

Note that strictly speaking cannabis is not legal in the Netherlands/Holland but is formally tolerated within specific limits.

On a practical basis this does mean using cannabis has a level of decriminalising

https://www.government.nl/topics/drugs/toleration-policy-regarding-soft-drugs-and-coffee-shops

On this basis local government can opt to control the business supply (in coffee shops) and personal growing (up to 5 plants)
The police can still confiscate up to 5 plants and would just take them without prosecuting. Coffee shops remain illegal but licenced
The police can therefore focus their efforts upon other drugs and ‘nuisance’ usage of cannabis

In the Netherlands, it is against the law to possess, sell or produce drugs. However, the Netherlands has a policy of toleration regarding soft drugs. This means that the sale of small quantities of soft drugs in coffee shops is a criminal offence but the Public Prosecution Service does not prosecute coffee shops for this offence.
Neither does the Public Prosecution Service prosecute members of the public for possession of small quantities of soft drugs. These quantities are defined as follows:

• no more than 5 grams of cannabis (marijuana or hash);
• no more than 5 cannabis plants.

The sale of cannabis (hash and marijuana) in coffee shops is tolerated, provided that coffee shops keep to the prescribed rules or ‘toleration criteria’. Coffee shops:

• must not cause any nuisance;
• are not permitted to sell hard drugs;
• are not permitted to sell cannabis to minors;
• are not permitted to advertise drugs;
• are not permitted to sell large quantities (over 5 grams of cannabis) in a single transaction.

Municipalities determine whether to allow coffee shops to operate within their boundaries, and if so, how many. They can also impose additional rules.

The government is terminating the ‘open door’ policy of coffee shops. The objective is to combat the nuisance and crime associated with coffee shops.
Coffee shops must become smaller and focus on the local market. This policy will make Dutch coffee shops less attractive to drug users from abroad.
^^
New rules on cannabis and coffee shopsTo combat drug-related crime and nuisance, the Dutch government introduced a new toleration rule on 1 January 2013: only 'residents of the Netherlands' are permitted to visit coffee shops and purchase cannabis there. A resident of the Netherlands is someone who lives in a Dutch municipality and is registered there. Whether this rule is actively enforced differs from municipality to municipality.
^^
Coffee shop owner responsible for checksCoffee shop owners are required to check whether all those admitted to the shop, and allowed to purchase cannabis there, are residents of the Netherlands aged 18 years or older. They should check these facts, for instance, by asking the person to produce a valid identity document or residence permit, in combination with an extract from the municipal population register. Whether this rule is actively enforced differs from municipality to municipality.
^^
Growing cannabis plants for personal consumptionIt is against the law to grow marijuana and cannabis plants. In cases where no more than 5 plants are grown for personal consumption, the police will generally only seize the plants. If more than 5 plants are found, the Public Prosecution Service will prosecute.
In combating cannabis growing, the police collaborate with organisations including housing associations, the Tax and Customs Administration, and energy companies. Tenants found to be growing cannabis may be evicted. The energy company will impose an additional retrospective assessment on those who illegally tap electricity.
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Medical use and recreational use are completely separate.

Heroin is used medically FFS! That doesn't mean it shouldn't be a class A drug.

YABU

As well as the smell, people act like utter twats when stoned. It also causes additction to worse drugs, causes health problems and I’ve also seen it break up relationships due to the money spent on it.

Ya, that's not marijuana. Lol Where were you? Doesn't sound like anywhere in the States I've ever been.

Oh I would also be concerned about the potential increase in people driving while high.

I grew up in BC on the island. We had some of the best marijuana and easy access before it was legal. Everyone of my friends grew up to be happy normal people who still smoke sometimes.

I live in Toronto now and it's legal and I have yet to come across zombie like people roaming the streets.

And this does not even include my cousin, as it is only those who had cannabis listed on their death certificates, which he did not, even though it almost certainly caused the heart attack that killed him

It would NEVER work in the UK.

Several reasons why.

We are an island, surrounded by countries who have criminalised weed, so we would never be able to import it, our entire supply would have to be "home grown", excuse the pun.

To do it commercially would require paid staff, premises, utility costs, distribution costs, advertising costs. Currently, here in the UK, cannabis farms are worked by slaves, trafficking into the country and are either killed or sold on when no longer needed. Children are exploited to distribute and sell the drug, it's grown in abandoned buildings or cheap rentals, there is very little cost to the dealers. This would not be the case if it were legal, overheads would have to be paid. So the price of a bag of weed would go through the roof. Consequently the value of the "stock" held by producers would mean that 24 hour security was necessary, as well as massive insurance costs.

It would need to be standardised, like alcohol, and licences would have to be issued to people selling it. Those standards would have to be enforced through testing and checks. And only certain strains would be legal. Like alcohol, certain drinks must be a particular proof, otherwise you could kill somebody by selling 70% ABV beer.

It's a plant that anybody can grow. So why would I pay "weedRus" £20 a bag when I could grow it myself for free at home now that it's legal. And I could grow any strain I wanted. Or even, I dunno, sell my cheap weed to my friends for less than they would pay at in the shops. I could be a DRUG DEALER!

Even in countries where it is legal, there is still a massive problem of illegal dealing.

Cannabis psychosis IS very real.

Legalised weed would just be swapping one problem for another.

I've yet to see any logical justification for why alcohol is fine, even though it causes millions of deaths worldwide every year, endless health problems, hooliganism, alcohol poisoning, psychosis, seizures, serious injuries, third party harm, an enormous cost to public services, etc. Not to mention that it has absolutely zero benefit to anyone's health. But that's ok because people believe they personally can be sensible with it.

But heaven forbid people be allowed to use cannabis for medical reasons to battle otherwise uncontrollable pain because Linda from Surrey, typing away with a glass of wine in hand, doesn't like the smell.

If anyone can make that make sense, I'm all ears. But right now, it sounds like hypocrisy of the highest order.

The UK is the largest grower and producer of medicinal cannabis in the world and has been since 2015. Its not that much of a stretch to increase it to sell for the open market. So your arguement of requireing paid staff, premises, untilities and distribution is flawed because it is already happening. The licencing to grow cannabis in this country has already been in place for over 20 years.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2023-0086/

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/business/20777272.take-look-inside-biggest-medicinal-cannabis-farm-country/

I've yet to see any logical justification for why alcohol is fine

there isn't, but why would you then legalise another drug for sale to the public without prescription which is just as bad, if not worse especially to teenage brain development.

If people can be trusted to be sensible with one thing, why would they then go on to destroy society with the other?

If people can be trusted to be sensible with one thing

they can't be, thats why we have alcoholics, drunk drivers killing etc

Then why isn't this thread about banning alcohol? Where are all the threads about banning alcohol?

If you're not actively campaigning to make alcohol illegal, it's hypocritical to expect people to stay in terrible pain because you think people are going to get stoned and play roller derby on the motorway.

The fact is that most people do not drink and drive. And most people wouldn't go on a cannabis crazed bender either. They'd mostly be Uber Eatsing chocolate digestives and finding mediocre TV hilarious.

Saying it causes psychosis when we already have freely available substances that do the same makes no sense.

My biggest question is really why the fuck anyone prefers people to be in pain and suffering when they have a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge for later. And I'm still not hearing a logical explanation.

I used to date someone who didn’t take it regularly and I’d be shocked if it didn’t affect your brain in some way BUT definitely think as a method of pain management it has uses, my fil took it when he was dying of lung cancer and it gave him relief

Was going to say something similar. Actually, I'd like ALL drugs to be legalised, quality controlled, taxed and licensed. I reckon legal weed should be the "grass" we oldies remember from our youth in the Stone Age, rather than the pumped-up strains on the market now. Strong enough to fuck you up, but very unlikely to cause hallucinations or psychosis.

The alcohol point is relevant too because you can't act holier than thou re cannabis if you have sat round a table in front of your children pouring wine, talking about 'going out for drinks'. It might be legal but it's still hugely damaging from a societal perspective if you really look at it, physically, mentally. It's literally poison. Wheras there can be benefits with cannabis, it is a drug, chemotherapy, pain reduction, eye diseases.
It is without doubt extremely damaging for adolescents to have cannabis, but when I was 13 it was MUCH easier to get hold of cannabis than alcohol purely because it was illegal. That's a key reason why I believe it should be legal.

@MaMariaLuna

At last someone talking sense.

Btw (if it's relevant) I have never been a regular cannabis smoker/ taker myself. But I do believe adults should be free to make their own choices.

How many of you being so against cannabis drink alcohol?
Which is far worse for you healthwise??
Just because it's legal doesn't make you better than people who use cannabis?
Alcohol destroys more brain cells than cannabis FACT!!!

Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder conducted a review of existing imaging data that looked at the effects of alcohol and marijuana, or cannabis, on the brain.

Their findings linked alcohol consumption with long-term changes to the structure of white matter and gray matter in the brain.

The use of marijuana, however, seemed to have no significant long-term effects on brain structure.

Medicinal cannabis is vastly different to selling it to "kyle" and his mates.

The licencing and volume is tiny in comparison to commercial scale.

Remember, the market for medicinal weed is drug companies who don't care about the cost.