Legalise "Illegal" Drugs?

[Margaret Pilkington]

Well said Less.

[kestrelx]

Originally Posted by Less

So shall we add meglomania to the list of phsycological problems the long term 'social druggie' will suffer from?

I don't follow football, very often, but wonder why would someone want to ban it.

Could you please define for us what exactly you mean by a responsible person using cannabis is? Then explain to us how you would stop an irresponsible person from smoking it? Would you make it illegal for irresponsible users to use it?

I would have thought a responsible person refrains from using it because it's illegal.

No - my comment about football was sarcastic, because someone said they can't understand why someone wants to get high - I was saying I can't understand why someone follows a football team - i really can't!

Responsible is someone using it a few days a week - that said there are people in full time jobs drinking alchohol every day of the week!

I know someone who brings up two kids well and smokes cannabis regularly - he has no problems!

Paul McCartney has been smoking it for years and still does at 69 he has a full life...
Sir Paul McCartney gives up cannabis aged 69 for daughter Beatrice | Metro.co.uk

How do you stop irresponsible people driving cars, drinking alcohol, gambling and everything else?

[annesingleton]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

How do you stop irresponsible people driving cars, drinking alcohol, gambling and everything else?

You don't do it by legalising illegal drugs!

[kestrelx]

Originally Posted by annesingleton

You don't do it by legalising illegal drugs!

Keeping cannabis illegal is maintaining criminal gang control of something and thus fuelling that street gang culture and making it more glamorous to delinquents to become part of a gang and carry out criminal acts to take drugs. Causing more crime and more problems for the Police! By legalising cannabis that whole gang culture would collapse and I think in the long term less people would smoke it because it was no longer "cool" to be part of that culture.

[Boeing Guy]

Seeing if you take illegal drugs you are twice as more likely to die than from Paracetamol. I would have thought responsibility does not come into it.

I refer to my earlier post on this subject
Post 753 a few pages back

[Margaret Pilkington]

Responsible is:- seeing that using this substance can have long term health implications and deciding against using it at all. There are other, much safer ways, to get some pleasure out of life.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

Keeping cannabis illegal is maintaining criminal gang control of something and thus fuelling that street gang culture and making it more glamorous to delinquents to become part of a gang and carry out criminal acts to take drugs. Causing more crime and more problems for the Police! By legalising cannabis that whole gang culture would collapse and I think in the long term less people would smoke it because it was no longer "cool" to be part of that culture.

And legalising it would stop that, would it?

You may be of that opinion, but I am not.
Legalising it would perhaps make the government tax it, and so there would still be a black market out there for it....and you do not address the progression by some users to the harder drugs.

Anyone who sees drug taking(in whatever form)as cool needs their head testing......it isn't big, glamourous or clever.

We need to educate the youngsters who may use illegal substances, by letting them see and speak to recovering addicts....giving them a spell in a rehab unit or psychiatric facility....let them see the potential harm that even these so called 'harmless' drugs can cause.

[Less]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

Responsible is someone using it a few days a week

So, a thirteen year old child using it 3 times a week because he knows he hasn't enough pocket money for anymore would therefore be acting 'responsibly'?

Originally Posted by kestrelx

that said there are people in full time jobs drinking alchohol every day of the week!

Yes, both having a job and drinking alchohol are legal at the moment.

Originally Posted by kestrelx

How do you stop irresponsible people driving cars, drinking alcohol, gambling and everything else?

With laws.

[annesingleton]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

Keeping cannabis illegal is maintaining criminal gang control of something and thus fuelling that street gang culture and making it more glamorous to delinquents to become part of a gang and carry out criminal acts to take drugs. Causing more crime and more problems for the Police! By legalising cannabis that whole gang culture would collapse and I think in the long term less people would smoke it because it was no longer "cool" to be part of that culture.

There will always be an illegal gang control just as there is with alcohol and tobacco which is legal to buy - and even DVDs. If it were to be legalised I'm sure the government would milk the tax revenue it would bring in so I doubt there would be a significant difference in crime rates. The argument does not really hold.

[annesingleton]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

And legalising it would stop that, would it?

We need to educate the youngsters who may use illegal substances, by letting them see and speak to recovering addicts....giving them a spell in a rehab unit or psychiatric facility....let them see the potential harm that even these so called 'harmless' drugs can cause.

I know of a group of local recovering substance users who talk to young people about their experiences - their sessions are very powerful and really make the young people think about their actions. Unfortunately there are child protection and data protection issues which prevent them being able to visit rehab or psychiatric units to look around.

[Less]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Well said Less.

Thank you Margaret, although you must realise I wouldn't be able to do it if I wasn't a responsible drug user.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Naturally Less......would expect nothing less of you.(no pun intended)

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by annesingleton

oxymoron? Responsible cannabis user?

Over use of the Oxy there Sue

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

It's not an oxymoron - some people use cannabis because they find it helps them with pain control in away that prescription drugs don't! By responsible I mean not some kid running round the street in a gang smoking cannabis in the street and causing trouble.

Your not some people, you have said you used it for pure pleasure not as a pain killer or anything else

[kestrelx]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Your not some people, you have said you used it for pure pleasure not as a pain killer or anything else

I did use it like 18 years ago! and some people are in and out of prison for murder in that time - so I'm sure that society has forgiven me for it, even though I was never caught for it!

CLEAR: Cannabis Law Reform