Legalise the herb

**Midnight 82** · 31st January 2005, 17:00

I to are an x user. But you cant blame dope or what ever on someone doing bad things. If someone does that type of thing there is an illness or what ever you wont to call it. The drugs do inhance it but they dont cause it. Personaly I feel people blame drugs for to much.

**inlinefour** · 1st February 2005, 15:11

Originally Posted by Midnight 82

I to are an x user. But you cant blame dope or what ever on someone doing bad things. If someone does that type of thing there is an illness or what ever you wont to call it. The drugs do inhance it but they dont cause it. Personaly I feel people blame drugs for to much.

But at the end of the day the cannabis is a contributing factor that has resulted in whatever issue/crisis that an individual is experiencing. I get to see it far too often in my job. I think of it this way. Would the individual have been better off without the contributing factor of cannabis? The answer is generally yes, they would have better off without the cannabis. Financial/social/legal/work and health problems are often identified as a result. Now I know alot of people like using it and some are even lucky enough for it to not be a problem in their life. But others do have problems and it is these individuals that I'd like to think are being protected by the laws governing cannabis (the fact that they might not be is completely another issue) :disapint:

**Yokai** · 1st February 2005, 15:37

Originally Posted by Biff Baff

3. Cannabis does not push you on to harder drugs, unless you count tobacco. Socialising and coming into contact with the more unsavoury members of society that sell cannabis might.

Ah - one of the cannabis + tobacco crowd - trust me - the waccy is nicer without the baccy.

**Biff** · 1st February 2005, 15:55

Originally Posted by Yokai

Ah - one of the cannabis + tobacco crowd - trust me - the waccy is nicer without the baccy.

No - why should I trust you. Prove it. Roll me a fat juicy one and Courier Post it to me. I'll pay the freight. Please

**toads** · 1st February 2005, 17:25

I see in the news today some guy got sentenced for having a cake with weed in it that landed a couple of youngish kids in hospital, after they ate some of it,15 and 11 if I remember correctly.They apparently suffered hallucinations etc. He could get as much as 8 years imprisonment as a result.
I think the weed today is far stronger than it used to be, when I was a teenager, it's often doctored with other substances too.
The same thing is true of tobacco,which if used in its un-adulterated form has far fewer side effects. I have a friend who grew her own tobacco and she had to smoke 3 times as much in order to be sated.
The problem isn't with the drugs themselves but rather with our culture.
A lot of people feel the need to use drugs of all sorts in order to cope with issues in their lives, I don't see too much problem with legalising marijuana, and it would certainly stop some of the low life profiteering, but they would find another illegal substance to sell in its stead. The youth of the day would continue to abuse substances and so forth, and no matter what the laws of the land are, there will never be a law against stupidity, and sadly the large majority of us have all been stupid at least once in our lives. I know plenty of otherwise upstanding citizens that smoke weed regularly and it works for them, so they would stand to benefit from decriminalising it. But personally I think the main benefit for decriminalising it would be the freeing up of police time and resources for other matters, such a methamphetymine labs etc

**Midnight 82** · 1st February 2005, 17:33

Originally Posted by Honda

But at the end of the day the cannabis is a contributing factor that has resulted in whatever issue/crisis that an individual is experiencing. I get to see it far too often in my job. I think of it this way. Would the individual have been better off without the contributing factor of cannabis? The answer is generally yes, they would have better off without the cannabis. Financial/social/legal/work and health problems are often identified as a result. Now I know alot of people like using it and some are even lucky enough for it to not be a problem in their life. But others do have problems and it is these individuals that I'd like to think are being protected by the laws governing cannabis (the fact that they might not be is completely another issue) :disapint:

:unsure: I think you need to look at the % of people that have trouble with the drugs with out casting a bad rap for the ones that dont have trouble.
I hear what you are saying but you can not blame weed or other things for making someone do bad things. The drugs the doctor and hospitals give to some people dont help if combined with weed or what ever so its an on going problem that will never be fixed with blame.

**Mongoose** · 1st February 2005, 18:06

Originally Posted by Midnight 82

:unsure: I think you need to look at the % of people that have trouble with the drugs with out casting a bad rap for the ones that dont have trouble.
I hear what you are saying but you can not blame weed or other things for making someone do bad things. The drugs the doctor and hospitals give to some people dont help if combined with weed or what ever so its an on going problem that will never be fixed with blame.

Trouble is in the self medication, some is good LOTS MUST be better. That applies equaly to all drugs that are self medicated.

**inlinefour** · 1st February 2005, 18:16

Originally Posted by Midnight 82

:unsure: I think you need to look at the % of people that have trouble with the drugs with out casting a bad rap for the ones that dont have trouble.
I hear what you are saying but you can not blame weed or other things for making someone do bad things. The drugs the doctor and hospitals give to some people dont help if combined with weed or what ever so its an on going problem that will never be fixed with blame.

Its the combination of mental illness plus cannabis that causes the relapse of their condition resulting in any unusual behaviour.

**onearmedbandit** · 1st February 2005, 19:17

Off track, but I have to laugh when I read/hear of reports from the media talking about a rapist/murderer/armed robber who had smoked marijuana in the 12hr period before the crime was committed. Got to get me some of that 'Longer Lasting(tm)' weed.

(Disclaimer - - I know they're just reporting the facts, and maybe it was 10 minutes before the crime was committed and may have contributed, just reads funny. I'm like, "whats up with that?? My guy's holding the good stuff out on me!")

**El Dopa** · 1st February 2005, 19:26

Originally Posted by spudchucka

The voice of experience always speaks the wisest words. Its funny how our experiences shape our attitudes.

Yeah but....

There's a lot of good reasons not to smoke weed, the same as there are a lot of good reasons not to drink.

But one is legal and the other isn't.

As a cop, can you honestly say that what the police are doing in terms of enforcement is making any difference at all. A few suppliers get jailed for a few years (which generally 'pauses', but doesn't stop, their activity).

And a lot of small users get ground up in the wheels of justice, whether rightly or wrongly.

Wouldn't it be a bit more logical for the government to make a bit (a lot) of money from it, instead of spending a lot of our money doing fuck all.

All I'm saying is, prohibition ain't working, same as it didn't work in te '20's in the US. And it's ahving the negative efect of hurting quite a few otherwise innocent people.

Isn't it time for a rethink?

**spudchucka** · 2nd February 2005, 08:52

Originally Posted by El Dopa

As a cop, can you honestly say that what the police are doing in terms of enforcement is making any difference at all. A few suppliers get jailed for a few years (which generally 'pauses', but doesn't stop, their activity).

Succesful racovery operations can really put a dent in the local market. Prosecuting small timers, (users & growers) is predominantly futile in terms of stopping the trade but is still a deterant to anyone that actually might care about having a criminal record.

The black market for drugs and stolen property are very tightly linked so keeping pressure on drug dealers does help reduce property crime. The point being that from a policing point of view there are more reasons to target cannabis than just preventing Joe Stoner from getting high simply because it is illegal.

Originally Posted by El Dopa

And a lot of small users get ground up in the wheels of justice, whether rightly or wrongly.

I'm afraid my attitude to that is the same as the whole traffic debate. People know the risks when they start smoking pot so they just have to accept all the consequences of getting caught.

Originally Posted by El Dopa

Wouldn't it be a bit more logical for the government to make a bit (a lot) of money from it, instead of spending a lot of our money doing fuck all.

The costs of all the social and health problems that would ensue would far outweigh the revenue collected. Look at cigarette smoking and heart disease, despite the huge tax haul from fag smoking we'd still be better off if we didn't have tobacco at all.

Originally Posted by El Dopa

All I'm saying is, prohibition ain't working, same as it didn't work in te '20's in the US. And it's ahving the negative efect of hurting quite a few otherwise innocent people.

Isn't it time for a rethink?

While I can see some sense in your arguements I simply can't agree with legalisation. I guess I've seen too many of the negative consequences of smoking pot.

**Midnight 82** · 2nd February 2005, 18:48

Originally Posted by Honda

Its the combination of mental illness plus cannabis that causes the relapse of their condition resulting in any unusual behaviour.

Hey HONDA have you ever tried weed. I do agree but its a very few that have that trouble. My wife is a nurse and I get the storys.
OOps did I say that. Anyway weed used once and a while for socail is not a problem for most people. But yes all the time is not good it is very disruptive to routine. Makes and effects alot af people in many different ways.

**Mongoose** · 2nd February 2005, 18:57

Originally Posted by Midnight 82

Hey HONDA have you ever tried weed. I do agree but its a very few that have that trouble. My wife is a nurse and I get the storys.
OOps did I say that. Anyway weed used once and a while for socail is not a problem for most people. But yes all the time is not good it is very disruptive to routine. Makes and effects alot af people in many different ways.

Agree to a certain extent, but the younger a person starts, and starts to abuse dope the worse the results are, not just as far as mental illness goes but genral lack of enthusiasm for life.

**El Dopa** · 2nd February 2005, 19:24

Originally Posted by spudchucka

Succesful racovery operations can really put a dent in the local market. Prosecuting small timers, (users & growers) is predominantly futile in terms of stopping the trade but is still a deterant to anyone that actually might care about having a criminal record.

The black market for drugs and stolen property are very tightly linked so keeping pressure on drug dealers does help reduce property crime. The point being that from a policing point of view there are more reasons to target cannabis than just preventing Joe Stoner from getting high simply because it is illegal.

I'm afraid my attitude to that is the same as the whole traffic debate. People know the risks when they start smoking pot so they just have to accept all the consequences of getting caught.

The costs of all the social and health problems that would ensue would far outweigh the revenue collected. Look at cigarette smoking and heart disease, despite the huge tax haul from fag smoking we'd still be better off if we didn't have tobacco at all.

While I can see some sense in your arguements I simply can't agree with legalisation. I guess I've seen too many of the negative consequences of smoking pot.

Good arguments.

Let me go away and think for a while.

**inlinefour** · 2nd February 2005, 19:49

Originally Posted by Midnight 82

Hey HONDA have you ever tried weed. I do agree but its a very few that have that trouble. My wife is a nurse and I get the storys.
OOps did I say that. Anyway weed used once and a while for socail is not a problem for most people. But yes all the time is not good it is very disruptive to routine. Makes and effects alot af people in many different ways.

I can neither confirm nor deny this. But ask anyone who knew me over 10 years ago and they'll know that answer :sly: