Legalize it?

[Neurocancer]

I don't think it should be legalised. It should just stay how it is.
I don't really find it fun watching my brother, or any of my family smoke, especially cannabis.

[me me me]

If people want to smoke it they should be allowed. People want to kill themselves with drink/fags and they can, because money goes to the government in taxes. If they tax green then it would be legal.

[CobaltBlue]

Bonjour

Everyone I know who uses cannabis funds the activity by working. Most of my friends have/do smoke it and they don't sit on their backsides all day scrounging off the dole, and they certainly don't end up in situation reminiscent of Trainspotting. The fact is that if we continue to stereotype people who use it as lazy, paranoid morons who sit around dribbling on the sofa there's absolutely no chance of young people being provided with the right information about the effects of the drug.

I don't think it should be glamorised, but I think demonising it makes it more likely for young people to go "I'm cool if I try it because it's rebellious". I am aware that there are a number of people out there who for one reason or another spend a larger proportion of their lives in a green haze, but I don't think for one moment that is the norm for people who use it.

Cannabis does have negative effects on people, everyone understands that. However, if it was legalised in the correct way (and you can see it has worked before) and the public were educated about it then fewer people would go to extremes with it.

(I did say I've never met, the people I know who have multiple spliffs a day DO laze around at home, one is a brickie, but is currently being sued because he was high whilst working and laid a whole wall totally wonky.)

Yeah, I think the education is the biggest bit, but that's not gonna be able to come full circle for a whole generation, if we start teaching in schools about it now, there are still gonna be the parents who pull their kids out of those classes, for it to be done and done well, we would have to wait until the current secondary school generation are having children, so they can pass on their knowledge onto their children and they will not f**k around with it.

I needs to be like in France, they have practically no teenage binge drinking, because the children have been brought up around it, having wine with meals since they were (often) 5 or 6. That is the sort of attitude that needs to be adopted to legalise weed. It needs to be engrained from a young age that it is okay to do in *small* quantities. But if it was legalised tomorrow, I can see every 14, 15, 16, 17 (with a fake ID), 18, 19 and 20 year old I know rushing out on the day and buying some, if it is that sort of attitude, it will not work.

Plus, if it is legalised, what would we do about all the people who have already been imprisoned because of cannabis charges. I don't think they will just say thank you and leave prison, they will want some form of compensation, meaning lengthy legal battles.

[wiggles]

no.

i know some people who smoke it just for fun and they are fine, but i have seen it really mess up some people after regular use.

[DodgySheep]

pretty much the same in holland. Although its legal there not a lot of people there compared to ehre actually smoke it.
For someone who said earlier , there is no record of anyone actually dying from consuming cannabis. i'm at school so i dont have the info at hand, but its somethiong to do with the THC levels in cannabis, no matter how much you smoke you cant actually comsume enough to kill you.
I think maybe it should be legalized for medical purposes, but obvioisly these people would have to be 'watched' closly to make sure they are ok etc.
As it can cause mental problems, and physical (but only if you take a lot over a long period of time) i would say not to legalise it. But i am still a bit undecided.

Holland is the Netherlands! But know what you mean about the over-dose thing: There were statistics worked out about the dose of a drug it takes to have an effect compared to the dose of a drug that can cause harm. With alcohol it can be as low as 1:5 (ie. If one drink of something can have an effect five can cause harm), as opposed to cannabis where it's about 1:10000. You can get hideously stoned and all it's going to do is knock you out, without really doing much harm.

[Foostar]

Maybe, but we're in a bit of a catch 22 there - if a doctor refuses to prescribe medications and leaves you in pain they also get slammed. The best they can do is try and deal with someone on an individual basis.

But the fact is, conventional pain relief doesn't work. This is why people with long term/permanent pain turn to cannabis, because it does. If doctors were more willing to look at why muscular pain is the way it is, and if they would prescribe something which worked. Fact is, with long term chronic pain, you can't hold down a job, sleep, have relationships, do very normal things like shopping... luckily mine comes and goes, so maybe 30% of the time I have a normal life. Cannabis works, and it's the only thing out of what must be hundreds of painkillers I've had shoved at me which has made any difference.

I'm certainly not saying that doctors should had out a spliff - but if they could supply a controlled amount, I think it'd do wonders for people with painful disabilities. They can give out morphine, and I don't honestly see the difference.
I know alcohol isn't a logical argument to use when it comes to weed, as they're entirely different. I just know my dad never hit anyone, or became violent before he drank.

[.Only.Streetlights.]

Plus, if it is legalised, what would we do about all the people who have already been imprisoned because of cannabis charges. I don't think they will just say thank you and leave prison, they will want some form of compensation, meaning lengthy legal battles.

That's not necessarily true at all. Laws change all the time, and although I don't doubt that there would be some cases with came to court regarding prison sentences, it wouldnt be the majority of those convicted by any means. Laws are changed all the time, and those who have previously served sentences are released, but not compensated for a change in society's attitude.

[me me me]

That's not necessarily true at all. Laws change all the time, and although I don't doubt that there would be some cases with came to court regarding prison sentences, it wouldnt be the majority of those convicted by any means. Laws are changed all the time, and those who have previously served sentences are released, but not compensated for a change in society's attitude.

Yes, because when they were put in prison, they knew they were breaking the law.

[forkandknife]

Im not entirely bothered if its legalised or not. The people who want to smoke weed will, regardless of the law. My housemates all smoke weed but i choose not to. Not because Im against it, because I don't like smoking.

[Bosch]

Definately not. It'd be as bad as cigarette smoking if I had to walk down the street and people were legally able to blow smoke from that crap in my face. I'd probably lay them on the floor if they did.

that enforced the anti-cannabis arguement...
sort it out with violence...