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?

The main problem is that a lot of marajuana stinks and the best solution is to create non-smelly hybrids.

It's only a gateway drug because it's criminal and so a lot of marajuana is grown by criminals.

Thankfully not all, and not every cannabis/marajuana user turns to harder stuff either. A lot of very uptight, stressed and critical people would probably be very well served by relaxing with a spliff now and then...unfortunately they cant right now.

That’s not really a workable analogy though. They’re already drinking the dodgy vodka made in a cellar and are quite happy with it. Why would they then pay for Grey Goose, especially when half the fuckers are too stoned to get off their arses and go to work to earn enough to pay for it?

I live in a social housing flat with DH One bedroom. We had a druggie living underneath us for a couple of years, He used to smoke it and we also suspected he sold it but couldnt prove it. The stink used to come up into our flat Into the bathroom, airing cupboard, and hallway. It was fucking rank. Also fighting with his girlfrend at 6am Sounded like they were throwing furniture at each other

Poor argument

I disagree. I think lots of people will choose the safer, regulated strains that don't involve criminals if they have the choice. Just like they do in other countries.

@Honestly85 and why is that? Not that I was providing an argument, merely a statement of fact. Based on 40+ years of..... experience.

What experience and knowledge do you bring to the table?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3540790-neighbours-smoking-cannabis

Neighbours smoking cannabis
83 replies

newname12019 · 23/03/2019 12:00
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get rid of the smell of cannabis.
I stay in a flat and my neighbours downstairs smoke cannabis everyday. My flat absolutely stinks of it and opening the window makes the smell worse.
Yesterday I was called into my dds school and they could smell the cannabis of her. I explained it was my neighbours but they have still made a referral to social services

I would if they asked my opinion.

There's no concluaive evidence of any death caused directly by cannabis use.

Reece Galbraith's death was caused by a gas explosion from equipment used to manufacture cannabis-infused sweets - exactly the type of dangerous practice that legalization would greatly reduce if not eliminate.

@JenniferBooth

Bloody awful, isn’t it? And these flats are like sweat boxes in the summer so not the nicest place to be.

@Digdongdoo I think the well off smokers with what they like to think of as a social conscience will. Guardian readers who shop in Waitrose and boycott Shein. My neighbours won’t give a flying fuck.

Reece Galbraith isnt the one who died Hes the one serving time for it

Yep Thats EXACTLY what my flat is like

Okay - point still stands - unreasonable to call it a cannabis death.

And re persistent second hand smoke from neighbors - just as with tobacco smoke, you can report them to the council and, if that doesn't resolve it, sue.

I hate the smell and think it causes mental health problems. But I'd prefer people bought it from shops like tobacco and alcohol. That it was regulated and taxed and the stuff you could buy was bred to stink less.

Most recent research is that it isn’t a gateway drug - this was on the radio earlier today and easy to Google.
I’m pretty neutral on the topic. It has costs and benefits, but other countries seem to manage it fine. But it’s a bit like the early prison releases….cant help but think it’s a way of conveniently lowering crime figures.

Sounds like a bring a similar level of opinion as you. I disagree the main issue is how 'smelly' the drug is and this can just simply be resolved by developing a new product line.

The issues are around health and mental health racism and stop and search, policing and overstretched budgets.

Resorting to telling people who have well reasoned opinions to smoke a spliff to 'relax' is surprising.

😂 Are you serious? Councils and HAs tend not to want to evict entire estates. And sue for what? 50p a week off their universal credit? That won’t even cover the scrubbing brushes I’d need to get the paint off my front door.

In Canada, more than three quarters of cannabis is now bought from legal sources. It makes a big dent.

I have a bit of cannabis oil before bed every night. After decades of insomnia, this is the most reliable and has the fewest side effects of anything ive ever used for that.
I don't see why anyone else should have a problem with me doing that.

I don’t have a problem with you doing that. I can’t smell it, you’re not bothering me, no skin off my nose whatsoever. It doesn’t change my opinion that I don’t think legalising it is going to make the problems associated with it go away.

I suppose the point is @WilfredsPies that while your neighbours smoke cannabis, this is perhaps something that is a further reflection of their antisocial behaviour and not the cause. It would neither make them better or worse it it were legal.

I’d make it medical. Routine cannabis smokers aren’t very productive so your neighbours must be making money somehow

Yes this. And far more crime is committed by pissed rather than stoned people.
How many people die due to alcohol/alcoholism compared to cannabis users a year?

I have a relative who suffers horribly with rheumatoid arthritis and is on allkinds of strong treatment that’s had a horrible effect on her and isn’t working much. Strong opiates don’t get rid of her pain, they’re addictive and have horrible side effects.
So sometimes she has edibles, they don’t get rid of her pain but they help, put her in a good state of mind when she’s suffering, she sleeps very well and no side effects. I’d sooner she does this than opiates and steroid injections they have done nothing but ruin her health.

People will always take it. I think it should be legalised and I’d say alcohol is the gateway drug, and the root to so many other evils and health problems.

I dont think so. Pre kids I smoked it and would have paid more for stuff I knew was safe and happily paid tax on it. You would know the strength you are buying and that you are not funding crime. Not all drug users have no morals.

there are lots of different strains. I’d like it legalised, taxed, and less smelly types available

It’s harder to take away something; look at the out cry over the means testing of winter fuel
allowance for pensioners. it would be foolish to ban alcohol.
Fewer people are drinking though aren’t they (too expensive and drugs are cheaper?).

interestingly the guardian published an article on Portugal’s legalisation of drugs in Jan 2024:
75% of people believe their community has a drug problem and drug consumption among general population has increased by 5%.
There is still an illegal drug trade as criminals are still going to try and make money by undercutting official sources and outlets.

Visiting Amsterdam recently (bit of a dump in my opinion) there were lots of signs around urging people
to buy their drugs from licensed vendors, go figure.

I hate the smell of it too. I hate how normalised it’s become. I fear that decriminalising it would lead to even more people smoking it in public. There’s lots of evidence to support it is a gateway drug too, whilst not everyone that smokes it will go on to use harder drugs, it’s almost unheard of to find a class A user who didn’t use cannabis prior.

No idea. There's never been an alcohol ban in the UK.