Legalise the herb

[Deano]

Each to their own, provided they have things under control and it doesn't have a negative impact on others.

What annoys me though is people who are dead against any form of 'illegal' drug taking, then go home or the pub, get tanked as a mother fucker, possibly even bash the wife, abuse the kids.......bloody hypocrits.

Prohibition didn't work with alcohol, and the war on drugs in America for example isn't working either.

[MikeL]

Isn't it interesting that some of these 'dangerous' drugs were once legal; cocaine, marijuana, morphine, etc.
Who stood to profit from the banning of these substances?
Because they sure as hell weren't a threat to society when they were banned.

A good point, Lou. However, the standard answer (which satisfies all but the cynical or possibly paranoid) is that the subsequent criminalization of these substances was the result of greater awareness of their dangers and greater social responsibility...

The role of the American pulp and paper industry, threatened by competition from hemp, in the criminalization of marijuana in the 1920s raises awkward questions that defenders of the status quo prefer to ignore...

[Hitcher]

The role of the American pulp and paper industry, threatened by competition from hemp, in the criminalization of marijuana in the 1920s raises awkward questions that defenders of the status quo prefer to ignore...

It's hard to imagine a pulp and paper industry being threatened by hemp.

Forests, particularly renewable forests, produce considerably more fibre per hectare a lot easier than can hemp crops. Hemp is an annual crop that requires harvesting, resowing and all of the agriculture associated with this. "Optimum" yields are rarely reached, because of bird damage (birds love the stuff) and assault from a range of other pests that are rather partial to hemp.

Hemp is also a comparatively coarse fibre, best used for linen-type fabrics. Pulverising it to a form that would allow it to be used for paper manufacture would require additional processing.

"Commercial" hemp production is largely a third-world venture, assisted by low labour costs and minimal controls on sustainable land use.

Also commercial hemp contains extremely low levels of THC -- the "active" ingredient in marijuana. Your average reefer-head would soon lose interest in trying to get a rush from inhaling hemp smoke.

[spudchucka]

Isn't it interesting that some of these 'dangerous' drugs were once legal; cocaine, marijuana, morphine, etc.
Who stood to profit from the banning of these substances?
Because they sure as hell weren't a threat to society when they were banned.

Are you talking in riddles or just being a butt head again?

[Midnight 82]

How did it get the name weed, is it because it is a weed or what

[wari]

How did it get the name weed, is it because it is a weed or what

WHat are you on dude ... :spudwhat:

WE'ere tryin' tohava seriouse conservation here ...

...

I See fields of GREEen ... REd roses too .... ladada daahh ... bubbubbabahh ...

THats gonna stickin someones head now initt ... :spudbooge :spudguita :spudbooge

[Midnight 82]

WHat are you on dude ... :spudwhat:

WE'ere tryin' tohava seriouse conservation here ...

...

I See fields of GREEen ... REd roses too .... ladada daahh ... bubbubbabahh ...

THats gonna stickin someones head now initt ... :spudbooge :spudguita :spudbooge

Dude cant be as good as what ur on :2thumbs HEHE its a legal here my friend

[El Dopa]

I would accept the prohibition - even though I drink a little too much at times.

They cause so much heart-ache and financial problems plus they're not the best for the average guys health either.

It would make my job a lot easier too.

Don't hold with the sorry arsed argument that "look at the problems alcohol causes, they might as well legalise cannabis", it is not a valid reason to legalise anything just because another negative item is already legal

So where would you draw the line? Somone says 'lets ban alcohol and tobacco cos they impose a cost on society'.

Someone else is going to say 'ban guns for the same reasons, cos they cause problems, too'. Are you going to allow that? It's for the greater good, after all.

Perhaps we should ban motorbikes. Lots of people die on those, and it imposes a cost on society.

and I don't hold witht the 'lets all accept the status quo' argument. Things do change slowly over time, including peoples attitudes. If they didn't we'd still be burning witches at the stake and bear-baiting. Laws and attitudes that are incompatible with majority thinking do eventually get kicked to the kerb.

[El Dopa]

I think I wrote once that you need a few idealists in society. I got a rather sneering reply, and of course I know that for many people "idealist" is just a synonym for impractical dreamer. But your comment about preventing young people from mucking up their lives shows that behind your actions is an ideal (a better society). Without ideals (which are based on moral principles) the law is just about power and control. And without ideals as a benchmark, theoretical though it may be, realism can become simple pragmatism, and the justification for policy and procedures is forgotten in the nitty-gritty of achieving a practical result. It's not a bad thing to stop from time to time and ask questions about why we do things. I asked the question about prohibition because it seems a logical consequence of your ideal. Your answer surprised me more by what you omitted than by what you stated: you didn't acknowledge the enormous practical difficulties in enforcing a total ban. I would have thought that a realist would have immediately rejected it as unworkable.

Second that.

[El Dopa]

Isn't it interesting that some of these 'dangerous' drugs were once legal; cocaine, marijuana, morphine, etc.
Who stood to profit from the banning of these substances?
Because they sure as hell weren't a threat to society when they were banned.

I read somewhere recently that cocaine was banned in the UK about the same time (and for similar reasons) that they brought in the 11.00 PM closing of pubs. That is, to stop WW1 munitions workers getting pissed. Even though the reasons have long since faded away, the prohibition still exists.

Cocaine was widely used up until this point as a pick me up. Shakelton and his men used it to give them stamina to march around on the antarctic ice.

[spudchucka]

I read somewhere recently that cocaine was banned in the UK about the same time (and for similar reasons) that they brought in the 11.00 PM closing of pubs. That is, to stop WW1 munitions workers getting pissed. Even though the reasons have long since faded away, the prohibition still exists.

Cocaine was widely used up until this point as a pick me up. Shakelton and his men used it to give them stamina to march around on the antarctic ice.

Adolf Hitler was apparently an amphetamine addict, so I guess you could blame the war in europe and the holocaust on drug abuse.

[Blakamin]

Adolf Hitler was apparently an amphetamine addict, so I guess you could blame the war in europe and the holocaust on drug abuse.

I'll tell ya now... speed fucks with ya head!!!!

[spudchucka]

I'll tell ya now... speed fucks with ya head!!!!

Seen it too many times myself.

Pulled about 100 big stinky plants today.

[onearmedbandit]

Seen it too many times myself.

Pulled about 100 big stinky plants today.

Must have got a good yield from that lot then SC? Tell me, are you 'bagging' it up or was it all for perssie? Did you use lights and go indoors or did you go outdoors? I must say, very brave being a police officer and talking about your 'activities' on the net.




















Taking the piss. (thats for those who might say 'oh oh, don't get him in trouble by making remarks about him growing pot, his superiors might stumble across this').

[Blakamin]

Must have got a good yield from that lot then SC? Tell me, are you 'bagging' it up or was it all for perssie? Did you use lights and go indoors or did you go outdoors? I must say, very brave being a police officer and talking about your 'activities' on the net.







Taking the piss. (thats for those who might say 'oh oh, don't get him in trouble by making remarks about him growing pot, his superiors might stumble across this').

hehehe... well done OAB....