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AIBU?

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Original poster

Cannabis should not be decriminalised - AIBU?

383 replies

Alwaysoneoddsock · 28/05/2025 17:57

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?

OP posts:
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9
TheUser420 · 30/05/2025 17:06

RobinEllacotStrike · 30/05/2025 17:03

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.

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UK growers are among the most skilled in the world. Ironically prohibition rewards innovation.

Enigma53 · 30/05/2025 17:15

RobinEllacotStrike · 30/05/2025 17:01

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.

Please can I have one?? Meno, pain, cancer, stress; CBT and talking therapies are really not cutting it! 🙈

TempestTost · 30/05/2025 17:20

TheUser420 · 30/05/2025 14:02

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.

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No one is arguing about the appropriate use of medical cannabis. With the emphasis on "appropriate".

That doesn't tell us anything about whether legalising fr recreational use is a good idea.

bombastix · 30/05/2025 18:27

It’s like catching leaves in the wind. In a London suburb this evening and the streets have QR codes on the lampposts for cannabis delivery.

This same QR code is in the Telegraph discussing the ills of legalising, but the point is even if you do catch this dealer, another will be along in a nanosecond. And busting low level users is just pointless. You have to remove the high level supply. I imagine that’s why the current proposal is decriminalising individual low level possession.

JenniferBooth · 31/05/2025 23:33

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 29/05/2025 18:00

OK, I'll bite as I can see HAs and "enforcement" mentioned a few times..

I'm an ASB officer for a VERY large HA. We cover the whole of England.

I've worked this role for oooh, 20 years, give or take.

Cannabis smoking is our 3rd biggest report type, after verbal abuse and noise.

You know how many people I have evicted just for smoking cannabis......0.

Why?

Because HAs cannot evict their own residents, only a court can do that. That person could break every single section of their tenancy agreement, pay £0 rent and still unless a Judge agrees that person keeps their home. (There are mandatory possession grounds here, but cannabis smoking wouldn't apply)

I have secured evictions when that person is doing other ASB which is evidenced, but how do you evidence a smell? We rely on police finding the drugs, testing the drugs and convicting them in court for possession.

I did think I had a slam dunk case once. Up North in Derby, block of 6 flats. 1 prolific cannabis smoker. Perfectly polite resident but smoked like a chimney. 5 complainants, detailed diaries from each of dates/times they smoked it. Police issued CPWs (never found actual drugs but could smell it). 6 months of reports, cannabis smoker never, ever engaged with me..

So, I thought fuck it. Completed a proportionality assessment and served a NOSP. Breached NOSP so sent to court. 4 residents attended to give evidence, perp turned up, said he smokes it to "relax".

Judge turned to me and said "MrsMoose are you seriously suggesting I should make this person homeless, and unable to access ongoing housing purely because he is creating a bad smell"

"No Judge, I am asking for possession of the property because he is in breach of his tenancy, smoking an illegal substance and having a detrimental effect on his neighbours ability to enjoy their homes"

Judge responds "MrsMoose, I do not agree that a smell is enough to warrant making someone homeless. If the witnesses here don't like the smell, tell them to open their windows. Case dismissed. Costs to be paid by the Claimant"

So, we lost AND had to pay the dope heads legal fees.

Of course, very few Judges live in an area where prolific cannabis smoking is likely to be an issue..

But now, my HA will not enforce cannabis smoking unless it's linked to other ASB..

What we're seeing much more of now is young teenagers, mostly male, around 12-16yo getting involved with gangs and smoking cannabis. Their behaviour is vile, social services try to intervene but the family and teen doesn't engage properly and eventually it escalates until that teen does something serious. One particular case springs to mind where the boy stabbed a rival on a bus.

For HAs it's not just "sue" or "enforce". The legal system in this country is complex and HAs are required now under govt legislation to always be working to MAINTAIN tenancies, not applying for evictions.. it has to be some serious ASB to consider evictions and smoking cannabis is not that.

Believe me, it annoys me having to tell complainants this and directing them to the police reporting websites instead (knowing police won't do anything) but other than sending a letter saying we've had a report your smoking cannabis, please stop, there is little else a HA can do as the power lies with an outdated court system.

I hope a couple of stoners move in near to the snobby selfish over privileged cunt

FedupofArsenalgame · 01/06/2025 13:19

beesandstrawberries · 29/05/2025 16:58

I agree. I’m tired of people saying it’s ‘just’ weed. everyone I know who smokes weed it has given them mental health issues, made them have really bad anger issues and it’s impacted their family life, social life, career, they’ve become lazy, impacted their fiannces - the list goes on.

I dated someone who was a severe cannabis user. When it went to family court I listed how it affected him and our child and despite it being proven (police reports of abuse and he failed multiple drug tests) courts said it was just cannabis and it wasn’t an issue. He would become a vegetable when he smoked, completely incapable of looking after himself and when he didn’t smoke, he would have withdrawals - he would become so angry and abusive. He would smoke so he wouldn’t work, and it ended up causing financial abuse too as all my wages would be going on him and his drug habit.

People who say it’s ‘only’ weed either smoke it themselves and don’t see the issue or they have never seen it first hand from a partner or a loved one. It doesn’t just ruin the life of the individual but it affects the people surrounding them too.

I've many friends who smoke it and none of them have the above issues. One of them is nearly 70 now and been using since a teenager so if suspect if this was going to happen in would've done by now

HRTQueen · 01/06/2025 13:27

I doubt your friend of nearly 70 is smoking skunk which is what the vast majority of young people are smoking

it’s not harmless far more people who smoke cannabis will experience higher levels of anxiety and paranoia even with far less potent strains

its doesn’t mean all will but it is far from a harmless drug

go on to any mh ward and I can gaurantee you that the vast majority of young inpatients have been using cannabis. We are not seeing this in such high numbers with other drugs or alcohol it’s really worrying the impact it is having on so many young people

TheUser420 · 01/06/2025 14:32

I doubt your friend of nearly 70 is smoking skunk which is what the vast majority of young people are smoking

Not really a patch on some of the hashish that was around in the 70s and 80s, by the way.

OonaStubbs · 01/06/2025 14:54

Alcohol is far more damaging than any form of cannabis and that is legal.

MaySea · 01/06/2025 14:56

HRTQueen · 01/06/2025 13:27

I doubt your friend of nearly 70 is smoking skunk which is what the vast majority of young people are smoking

it’s not harmless far more people who smoke cannabis will experience higher levels of anxiety and paranoia even with far less potent strains

its doesn’t mean all will but it is far from a harmless drug

go on to any mh ward and I can gaurantee you that the vast majority of young inpatients have been using cannabis. We are not seeing this in such high numbers with other drugs or alcohol it’s really worrying the impact it is having on so many young people

But what came first, the mental health issue or the cannabis use? We ARE seeing this in high numbers with alcohol, I'd bet that a higher percentage of mental health inpatients have experimented with alcohol than cannabis...

TheUser420 · 01/06/2025 15:05

MaySea · 01/06/2025 14:56

But what came first, the mental health issue or the cannabis use? We ARE seeing this in high numbers with alcohol, I'd bet that a higher percentage of mental health inpatients have experimented with alcohol than cannabis...

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Correlation is not causality.

HRTQueen · 01/06/2025 15:17

MaySea · 01/06/2025 14:56

But what came first, the mental health issue or the cannabis use? We ARE seeing this in high numbers with alcohol, I'd bet that a higher percentage of mental health inpatients have experimented with alcohol than cannabis...

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Not with young people

we are seeing far higher numbers with drug (usually cannabis) related issues some may have had low level depression/anxiety before (not that unusual for teens) but many are not reporting having any serious mh issues beforehand they are it necessarily self medicating (some are) and their cannabis use has led to drug induced psychosis with for some long term consequences

TheUser420 · 01/06/2025 15:33

HRTQueen · 01/06/2025 15:17

Not with young people

we are seeing far higher numbers with drug (usually cannabis) related issues some may have had low level depression/anxiety before (not that unusual for teens) but many are not reporting having any serious mh issues beforehand they are it necessarily self medicating (some are) and their cannabis use has led to drug induced psychosis with for some long term consequences

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So potentially because the UKs mental health provision isn't very good, it actually drives people to try other avenues (e.g. alcohol and other drugs) ?

Therefore rather than bemoaning the effect cannabis use is having on mental health provision, if there were better mental health provision, cannabis use would be less prevalent ?

HRTQueen · 01/06/2025 16:31

It could certainly be better

some people do self medicate many just enjoy getting high there isn’t always a deep rooted need it’s just enjoyable

the issue is more that cannabis use is so prevalent now and the cannabis strains (high THC levels) that is being used is the cause of such negative impact on so many young people

TheUser420 · 01/06/2025 16:47

HRTQueen · 01/06/2025 16:31

It could certainly be better

some people do self medicate many just enjoy getting high there isn’t always a deep rooted need it’s just enjoyable

the issue is more that cannabis use is so prevalent now and the cannabis strains (high THC levels) that is being used is the cause of such negative impact on so many young people

Well, if you delegate your quality control to criminals, it's hard to know what else you expected.

Even if we assume "cannabis" bought on the street has any relation to cannabis at all, it's likely going to be from a strain selected for THC and bred from there.

In nature cannabis produces a combination of THC and CBD, which seem to have a complementary effect ... the CBD moderates the psychotropic properties of the THC complex. Almost as if the plant carries it's own regulation.

The ethnobotany of cannabis is interesting.

MaySea · 01/06/2025 18:05

HRTQueen · 01/06/2025 16:31

It could certainly be better

some people do self medicate many just enjoy getting high there isn’t always a deep rooted need it’s just enjoyable

the issue is more that cannabis use is so prevalent now and the cannabis strains (high THC levels) that is being used is the cause of such negative impact on so many young people

Taking regulation and control of these drugs out of the hands of criminals seems like the most sensible first step to me then!

HRTQueen · 01/06/2025 18:36

I agree that cannabis should be legalised as mentioned earlier

I don’t think it will solve the problem (certainly hasn’t in California but there the strains that can be sold are very strong) but money raised can go back into the system and there is a level of control

criminals will always be seeking the very strong strains that many prefer to use

Hazlenuts2016 · 01/06/2025 21:04

I'd say decriminalise because police resources are scant, but taxed and heavily regulated with a min age. It is a nuisance but I don't think current system is working and I wonder if making it more regulated would protect some people as there could be more testing of strength and labelling etc.

I ate a hash cake about 25 years ago and ended up in hospital hallucinating for over 5 hours. I suffered a major mental health crisis for years afterwards and it still impacts me to this day. People often laugh when I tell them, but it was truly horrible.

TheUser420 · 02/06/2025 10:37

criminals will always be seeking the very strong strains that many prefer to use

I would gently disagree. When criminals are in charge - without any oversight - things will always tend to the most profitable way of satisfying demand.

If alcohol were illegal, then you won't find criminals messing around with a vast range of craft beers for punters to peruse. They will develop the most effective way of making money. So 60% spirits bulked out with methanol. Which is the alcoholic version of a Super Skunk #1 cut with ketamine.

As with alcohol, there are a spectrum of ways people have developed to partake over the millennia. Inhaling ground smoked flowers; creating a resin from the flowers; pressing into hashish and a variety of ways of dissolving the cannabinoids in alcohol or oils for tinctures and application.

Gattopard · 02/06/2025 12:18

Hazlenuts2016 · 01/06/2025 21:04

I'd say decriminalise because police resources are scant, but taxed and heavily regulated with a min age. It is a nuisance but I don't think current system is working and I wonder if making it more regulated would protect some people as there could be more testing of strength and labelling etc.

I ate a hash cake about 25 years ago and ended up in hospital hallucinating for over 5 hours. I suffered a major mental health crisis for years afterwards and it still impacts me to this day. People often laugh when I tell them, but it was truly horrible.

You suffered a serious mental health crisis from one hash cake but you still want to decriminalise cannabis?

Hazlenuts2016 · 02/06/2025 12:24

Gattopard · 02/06/2025 12:18

You suffered a serious mental health crisis from one hash cake but you still want to decriminalise cannabis?

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@Gattopard. If I had known how strong it was, or what it was cut with i would have thought twice. You drive things unrerground and there is no regulation, no control. I think it should be legalised but properly and heavily regulated.

Honestly85 · 02/06/2025 15:15

I'd be interested to know how other countries have dealt with the obvious child protection issues legalising cannabis throws up. If cannabis is legal surely no issue then smoking around your kids or getting high in the comfort of your own home.... No worse than alcohol or smoking apparently? How about a nice post school run spliff. How do you legislate for this. Leaving gummies about the house. Let's not pretend this won't happen.

TheUser420 · 02/06/2025 16:08

I'd be interested to know how other countries have dealt with the obvious child protection issues legalising cannabis throws up. If cannabis is legal surely no issue then smoking around your kids or getting high in the comfort of your own home....

We're quite happy with the regime around alcohol.