Cannabis should not be decriminalised - AIBU?

[Alwaysoneoddsock]

I hate the smell of cannabis. It’s becoming the norm to smell it. I think decriminalising this drug will make it more prolific.
It is a gateway drug.
It does not help mental health (in fact it worsens it).
People driving under the influence of cannabis is a real issue.
AIBU to say it should not be decriminalised?

All of those points apply to alcohol and tobacco.

Decriminalise it. Manage it. Tax it.

Tobacco should be banned too.
I can’t smell someone drinking alcohol moderately.

Well its prolific anyway and making it illegal doesn't seem to work as a deterrent.

The link to mental health and moving onto more 'serious' drugs does worry me.

It's not a gateway drug

Absolutely.

I hate the smell of it and I don't smoke it but I don't see any reason not to decriminalise it.

I mean it virtually has been anyway as police don't give a shiny shite if someone's smoking a joint in the park or the street.

YANBU

There seems to be a big push to decriminalise and legalise drugs.

we haven’t really coped well with alcohol and tobacco and I’ve read mixed outcomes of countries who have taken the plunge and decriminalised/legalised drugs; it’s not the holy grail which many profess it to be.

Addicts cost money so I suppose those in power are quite happy for them to feed their habit them quickly disappear.
I also wonder if they are quite happy for cannabis use as it’s a bit of a relaxant and most don’t appear to become aggressive/hyper when using it,
so pose no immediate public nuisance.

Depends on what they've been drinking and where you are when you're with them.

A few sips of wine, gin, Bacardi or beer smells very strong on the breath.

The amount consumed doesn't make it smell any stronger or weaker.

The same as if someone took one puff of a fag or finished the whole thing.

Yes it is.
I know someone who started on cannabis and moved onto heroin. Whilst under the influence they started a fire in a block of flats, fortunately the residents got out.
I think more and more crimes are committed because of drugs; wasn’t the car driver in Liverpool under the influence?

I smoked it and didn't make me want to try other drugs. Its more the influence of others

You know cannabis is legally prescribed here in the UK for a host of health reasons, right?

From my experiences at work it is a gateway drug for alot of the drug addicts.

YABU. It's legal where I live and we haven't all turned into 24/7 stoners on the verge of getting hooked on 'a class' drugs. 🙄

Its help a lot of health issues

I've genuinely lost count of how many people my age (late 50s) who say they've smoked cannabis at some point in their lives, or at least tried it and then 'grew out of it'.

So it's certainly not a gateway drug for everyone.

Helped*

Alcohol smells and people who have been drinking absolutely do smell, they reek of booze even the night after.. but fortunately a criterion for keeping it illegal will never be if several MN'etters don't like the smell.

Tax it.

I would happily give it a go, if it would help me escape my cancer pain hell. Which reminds me, I must ask about it next week.

It won’t generate a huge tax revenue as it will be grown illegally and sold by dealers.

Yes, YABU. You Not likening the smell of something is not a good reason to ban it, and in any case in places where it is legal edibles and vapes rapidly become the method of choice, and those don’t smell at all. Driving under the influence of cannabis is far less of an issue than driving under the influence of alcohol. There are fewer reported health issues than with alcohol, obesity or tobacco. There is no evidence it being a gateway drug, except possibly in that it puts people in touch with drug dealers, and legalisation would fix that. And finally, we should be using the tax for societal benefit rather than letting the profits go to drug lords while we pay thousands to lock up way too many young black people.

I’ve done marijuana and am happy to report have not done any harder drugs.

I don’t think it’s anymore of a gateway drug than alcohol, which gives the consumer an altered mental state. That’s what encourages people to try different drugs: having experienced alternate mental states and being curious about the effects of other drugs.

Proven not to be true in places that have tried it. Given a choice, most people will buy legally.

Vapes stink!

It absolutely stinks and can do terrible harm.
I had a neighbour smoking so much of it I couldn’t let my children use the garden or have my windows open.
No way should it be decriminalised.

Agree, smoked it loads in the past and I’ve never wanted to try anything else. Haven’t had a joint in several years, but I quite like the smell when I’m out walking and smell it. Reminds me of happy days.