Is cannabis legalisation a feminist issue?

[traceyracer]

I know there are mixed views on the good/bad effects of cannabis but my understanding is it relaxes those who use it and violent acts from stoned people are virtually nil (compare that to drunks).

Do you think women would be safer in a nation where cannabis is legal and socially acceptable?

I think making it a feminist issue is a stretch.

I think making it a feminist issue is a stretch

Possibly...but as its misuse is mostly by men, in terms of it causing violent behaviour, and many women use it medicinally... maybe a connection? I see your point though

Also nonsense. Countries and US states that have legalised cannabis haven't had any need for more psychiatrists.

California has a need for more psychiatrists and they legalised last year. Of course, they had a need for more psychiatrists before they legalised too. Psychiatry is a shortage profession and our understanding of mental health needs and treatment is increasing. It's hard to tease out the relative impact of different factors (one of the reasons the research into the impact of cannabis on mental health is contentious).

Also, legalisation often comes after years of increasing general use of cannabis. Legalisation isn't a sudden bump leading to suddenly higher rates of use than places where it remains illegal. London has some of the highest cannabis use of any city in Europe, but it's not legal there. Legalisation seems to lead to gradually increasing use although some studies have shown a decrease in youth use in US states that have legalised (drug use generally is going down, though). In Europe the cities where high potency cannabis use is highest (London, Amsterdam and Paris) also have the highest rates of new psychosis diagnosis. But, again, this is just a correlation, not proof.

I agree with legalization. But I think the argument for legalizing cannabis is more that the costs of it being illegal - the criminalization of otherwise upstanding citizens (both through their involvement in buying from criminal gangs and the simple prosecution in the absence of other crime); the way the market in cannabis by-passes regulation and tax; the use of the market to support criminal enterprises; the difficulty criminalization has caused for medical use; the imposition on people who want to enjoy it - is way more damaging than the downsides of it being legal. But I don't think ignoring the growing concern in the medical research community about the possible harmful effects of, especially high potency, cannabis or trying to manufacture some oddball theory of it having good unintended consequences for which there is no evidence is very responsible.

This op made me chuckle. I can’t comment on the medical aspects, but my own experience is that heavy smoking (cannabis, gear, whatever you call it) made my former partner highly aggressive, and violent. He’d spend the evening (and a fair part of the day) smoking heavily and then hit me, bash my head on the floor, shout at me and the kids, etc.

There was a very clear correlation: cutting back led to a significant diminution of aggression, in fact he was good company, sensitive and sensible, and we had a relaxed domestic life whenever he gave up, then his getting started on the gear again invariably left me with a black eye, hiding in the spare room from his shouting and beating on the door, trying to protect the children from his outbursts, etc.

It seemed to unleash a torrential bitterness and hatred in his psyche, and feed it.

But then he had a family history of severe cannabis psychosis, so maybe he was just unlucky genetically.

So overall, no, I don’t think the path to feminist utopia will be smoothed by any mind altering substances. Unfortunately!

There may be good reasons for legalisation, on balance I’m probably in favour, but the suggestion made in the op as far as I’m concerned isn’t one of them.

I've tried it in the past and from my own experience the effects were relaxation, some giggles and it seems to make music sound better. I experienced no paranoia or anything negative but I guess it's different for everyone

The concerns re behaviour and potential mental health issues mainly seem to be over daily use and the more potent strains that are available nowadays. And that's true with alcohol often too - for the most part, it's not the people having the odd beer/glass of wine every now and then that are problematic it's the binge drinkers and the people who drink all the time.

experienced no paranoia or anything negative

That's the same for many people's experiences of alcohol, too, but there is a difference between occasional use and heavy dependence. Many people have no problems with alcohol, but that doesn't stop it being a dangerous drug, especially if there's excessive, dependent use. It seems likely that cannabis (or any other illegal drug) if only used occasionally and not in excessive quantities will probably not cause long term harm as it will for an alcoholic or drug addict - or someone who goes on a complete bender and overdoses.

Also nonsense. Countries and US states that have legalised cannabis haven't had any need for more psychiatrists. And where it is legal buyers are able to choose the potency of their purchase

And you CLEARLY did not read the (Lancet published, peer reviewed) study.I linked to.

I thinks it's worse than alcohol tbh

It’s really not.

I sincerely hope not. Yes I have tried it and it leaves me numb! I appreciate that under present rules both tobacco and alcohol would be illegal however in the real world I think it’s much easier for self control on alcohol use age over weed. Not scientific but my genuine feelings.

I think alcohol is worse than weed for many reasons

for starters alcohol is a poison/toxic. Cannabis has very low toxicity which means that-

• overdosing on alcohol can kill you (unlike weed)
• withdrawal from alcohol can kill you (unlike weed)
• alcohol can make you feel terrible the next day ie hangover (unlike weed)
• alcohol's toxicity can mean for heavy users over time all sorts of physical problems can arise

people who are dependent or abuse either alcohol or weed can act aggressive whilst they run out and wait to get more, but looking at how people behave while under the influence-

-drunk people act very impulsively which means they may do or say something they later regret. this can range from saying something embarrassing (eg telling someone you fancy that you love them) to committing an act of violence the user wouldn't have done if sober (eg think of drunken brawls). Whilst stoners are stoned, they tend to be sitting peacefully on a comfy sofa. Think about all the A+E admissions at the weekend and all the troublemakers who spend their friday night in a police cell, then think about how many of them were drunk (ie all of them) and how many were stoned (ie virtually none).

Or to put it another way- alcohol makes you act without thinking, while cannabis makes you think without doing (my quote).

and consider potential medical benefits-

alcohol- none?

cannabis- can help epilepsy, is a painkiller (and less harmful/addictive than opiod painkillers like oxycodone etc), induces relaxtion to help with stress, and it can improve appetite (which could help say people who for whatever reason have low appetite and lack the motivation to eat) and more

just my two cents. I'm not saying "weed is ok, let's all get stoned" but as I said earlier it's certainly something that warrants research for how it can help people. and I think it carries a lot of unfair stigma which prevents a lot of people even willing to talk about it eg a lot of people will just say "well cannabis is illegal so it must be illegal for a reason therefore keep it illegal" which IMO just isn't critical thinking

under present rules if alcohol were to be discovered today the UK would without a doubt declare it an addictive dangerous drug and make it a controlled class A substance

the legality of alcohol/drugs has a lot to do with history