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?

Terpenes. Although they were hardly hiding.

I think by far the most serious risk around cannabis is the increase in schizophrenia and psychosis among young people. It possibly doubles the risk of the former for some people. Schizophrenia is just a terrible disease.

Someone upthread mentioned it as supposedly a good treatment for anxiety. That is very much in dispute, some evidence suggests that although it initially seems to relieve symptoms, it actually makes them worse later. If anyone's doctor is recommending it for that they should take it with a huge grain of salt.

Interesting discussion. I have a problem with profit from something healthy harming and addictive. If it was legalised large corporate cannabis companies would strategize about how to reach new consumers, lock in customers, upscale their business, create loyalty, upsell, ensure it's always accessible and available 24/7 target consumers including the youth market. Is that what we really want? Of course we already have businesses profiting from addictive and healthy harming industries (alcohol, tobacco, and to some extent food) but do we REALLY need another? Yes it's potentially a billion pound industry will tax revenues but is that all that matters. REALLY????

Before everyone shouts me down, yes I'm sure people will say they've tried it and say it's not addictive, could give it up anytime etc etc. However for just as many it is addictive and ruins lives and mental health.

We're making progress in curtailing health harming products ( I wish more was done about the food industry) This is more progressive than legalising cannabis. As long as we have the NHS it doesn't make sense health-wise. Just because we can make money from it doesn't mean it is sensible. I wish we would think about things in a more long term way rather than the next 4 years/election cycle.

If it was legalised large corporate cannabis companies would strategize about how to reach new consumers, lock in customers, upscale their business, create loyalty, upsell, ensure it's always accessible and available 24/7 target consumers including the youth market. Is that what we really want?

Or grow their own ?

People are already profiting from it. Criminals.

Legalize it and you can regulate it, and tax it.

Hence the slogan "Dump the dealer". What self respecting cannabis user wants to rub shoulders with criminals ?

It's incredible how we live in a capitalist society and businesses will respond and thrive to changes in the law. But this is somehow bad because its weed? I'd rather someone was taking an edible than getting pissed. Unlike people drinking booze, people on weed are rarely violent because of weed - its usually chills people out.

People can also grow their own weed, or buy from a friend/neighbour who grows.

Decrimilising weed would remove any criminal element, encourge a growth buiness, generate employment and taxes, and make a great product (that millions are using anyway regardless of the law) widely available.

It would also remove huge numbers of the population, mostly otherwise normal law abiding people, from the "criminal class". If you met me you would have no idea that I use cannibus regularly and have done so for decades - while I was a student & getting a degree as an adult, in full time well paid professional employment for decades, being a mum & raising a family. No idea.

as for the youth, legal weed can and should be be age restricted, like tobacco and alcohol.

But I suspect that for many youth today, they aren't that interested in weed, just as they aren't that interested in alcohol.

They seem to like boba and avocados.

#BobaForever

There's a flat near me that stinks of it 24/7, would be interested to know how they afford it (the weed and the flat) given they don't appear to work or indeed do anything beyond standing outside on the phone in flip flops with a can of monster.

"As long as we have the NHS it doesn't make sense health-wise."

The NHS prescribes medical marijuana. Although sadly most of the medical marijuana grown in UK gets exported. Theresa May's husband made a fortune out of his company which grows & exports medical marijuana.

maybe the flat is a weed farm?

Something for people who don't like the idea of cannabis to ponder ...

The UK has emerged as the world's largest producer and exporter of legal cannabis for medical and scientific purposes. In 2021, it produced over 329 tonnes, accounting for approximately 36% of global medicinal cannabis production.

The hypocrisy of "we grow it, and make fat profits from it, you grow it and go to jail" is duly noted. Although it does mean that you can't recruit the worlds leading experts in genetics and cultivation.

I'm a medical patient ( prescribed oil, gummies and flower) and I find it still takes quite a while to get pain and nausea relief from the oil personally but it is a bit quicker than gummies.
The portable dry herb vaporizer I have doesn't produce big clouds of vapour, although I can't comment on other models used.
I actually hate vaping in public. I've not heard anyone comment on the smell but I'm always worried about it - even though it's legal. Not everyone knows that it is legal, sadly including some police officers.

Yes indeed. Several Conservative spouses have healthy cannabis production businesses, and the UK is a leading producer of medical cannabis

So it’s ok for the rich to get richer while the poor experience the ill effects?

Annoyingly, inhalation is the best delivery route - the feedback is almost immediate and so you can stop the moment you feel the effects.

Interestingly (and not unnoticed by the medical community who won't publicise the fact) the analgesic and anti anxiety effects are distinct - and clearly so - from the psychoactive effects. Which in laymans terms means the "high" is separate to whatever it is that relieves pain.

Many years ago, there was an excellent article in a medical journal asking why is was such a bad thing that getting high was so bad when compared to some of the serious and potentially life threatening side effects of other medicines ? Which is ironic as one use of cannabis medically (legal or illegal) is as an anti emetic for patients on chemotherapy. It concluded with the reflection that it was luck insulin didn't produce a high, or diabetics would die.

The world has never worked any other way.

See also McDonald's, KFC, pubs, off licences, UPF companies etc etc 🤷‍♂️

Not everyone wants to live in a nanny state and would rather make their own decisions.

I’m sure the criminals will just throw their hands in the air and quit dealing.

What happened after (the roaring success that was) prohibition in the US ?

Not everyone wants to live in an addiction economy

Then they should probably go off grid and live in the wild, because anyone under the age of 100 will have been born into one.

Apparently, their role might be overstated:

https://axial.acs.org/organic-chemistry/the-surprising-science-behind-cannabis-aromas

The aroma of cannabis is interesting. It's not needed for pollination. Presumably it developed for some reason - there is a metabolic cost to producing the molecules.

Mind you, the origin and role of cannabinoids is interesting. I'm certainly not swayed by the suggestion that they protect the flower from UV light. A more contentious idea is that they developed so that humans would cultivate the plant - all modern cannabis is effectively domesticated which does support the theory

I'm making my next batch of brownies right now.

I very rarely drink, but I do love a brownie in the evening & it really helps keep meno symptons at bay & I sleep really well.

What happened in USA was many moved over to becoming legit sellers. I think Snoop Dog makes more $$ from weed now its legal than music.

There are people in UK who are very prepared to switch to a legal business model when it's possible.