Should Marijuana be legalised?

[cambridgeshire canary 6,718]

Lets get a debate going.. 

[nevermind, neoliberalism has had it 159]

yawn, another one of these blue kites flying overhead. best ask those two Tory MP's who would not support such a cartel busting move....https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/drugs-minister-victoria-atkins-hypocrisy-cannabis-paul-kenward-british-sugar-a8356056.html

[Nuff Said 5,141]

Has anyone been to an American state where it’s been legalised? Surprisingly they are exactly the same as they were when it was illegal, except there is less petty crime, the police spend time on offences that matter more to the public and the state is a little wealthier due to the additional tax and employment.

 

Its a no brainer, once conservatives (small c) can get over themselves.

[horsefly 4,300]

If it helps us cope with your posts Cambridge, then definitely yes.

[horsefly 4,300]

3 minutes ago, Nuff Said said:

Has anyone been to an American state where it’s been legalised? Surprisingly they are exactly the same as they were when it was illegal, except there is less petty crime, the police spend time on offences that matter more to the public and the state is a little wealthier due to the additional tax and employment.

 

Its a no brainer, once conservatives (small c) can get over themselves.

Indeed! It's always struck me as odd that having learnt the lessons of the absurd and harmful effects of Prohibition, the obvious application of those same lessons to marijuana has taken so long to happen.

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

Undoubtedly. In fact, I'd go full Portugal here and decriminalise EVERY drug. 

Mythbusters: Drugs are legal in Portugal | NZ Drug Foundation - At the heart of the matter

Drug decriminalisation in Portugal: setting the record straight. | Transform (transformdrugs.org)

Drug policy of Portugal - Wikipedia

And before anyone asks, my personal stance on drugs and such substances is highly puritanical. I don't smoke and can count on the fingers of one hand how many pints of beer I have had this year. 

Addiction to drugs is a health issue, not a criminal one. So treat it as such. The Portuguese look like they've on a far better path.

Edited August 10, 2022 by TheGunnShow

[littleyellowbirdie 2,550]

1 hour ago, TheGunnShow said:

Undoubtedly. In fact, I'd go full Portugal here and decriminalise EVERY drug. 

Mythbusters: Drugs are legal in Portugal | NZ Drug Foundation - At the heart of the matter

Drug decriminalisation in Portugal: setting the record straight. | Transform (transformdrugs.org)

Drug policy of Portugal - Wikipedia

And before anyone asks, my personal stance on drugs and such substances is highly puritanical. I don't smoke and can count on the fingers of one hand how many pints of beer I have had this year. 

Addiction to drugs is a health issue, not a criminal one. So treat it as such. The Portuguese look like they've on a far better path.

Completely agree; the war on drugs is unwinnable and is a source of so many other forms of crime.

Legalise all drugs and set all duty on the different drugs to pay for support and treatment for anyone struggling with addiction; any surplus funds can be invested into wider mental health services, while also maintaining extremely punitive measures against smuggling of narcotics.

[Nuff Said 5,141]

1 hour ago, TheGunnShow said:

Undoubtedly. In fact, I'd go full Portugal here and decriminalise EVERY drug. 

Mythbusters: Drugs are legal in Portugal | NZ Drug Foundation - At the heart of the matter

Drug decriminalisation in Portugal: setting the record straight. | Transform (transformdrugs.org)

Drug policy of Portugal - Wikipedia

And before anyone asks, my personal stance on drugs and such substances is highly puritanical. I don't smoke and can count on the fingers of one hand how many pints of beer I have had this year. 

Addiction to drugs is a health issue, not a criminal one. So treat it as such. The Portuguese look like they've on a far better path.

Interesting because I was going to post that pretty much the only argument for continuing to ban personal use of “illegal” drugs (i.e. not alcohol or tobacco) is the health impact, but the Portugal approach seems to very much acknowledge this. However, while the financial impact on the state might be lessened, they are missing the potential sources of business revenue, employment and taxation.
 

it’s also interesting that those on the right oppose any increased regulation for unhealthy food, but are in favour of continuing to legislate against freedom of choice over drug use. It’s almost like their approach is based on irrational belief rather than logic and evidence.

[benchwarmer 625]

I'd be broadly in favour of legalising pot if it disrupted the supply chain, so that people would be less likely to move on to highly addictive hard drugs.  Dealers use pot as a sprat to catch a mackerel. 

The 'free choice' argument for blanket legalisation of all drugs is lazy and meaningless, because it ignores the fact that once you're hooked on heroin or crack there is no 'free choice' to stop.

Do we really want to send a message that addiction is OK?  It isn't.  Addiction is slavery.  Slavery is illegal.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by benchwarmer

[Nuff Said 5,141]

35 minutes ago, benchwarmer said:

I'd be broadly in favour of legalising pot if it disrupted the supply chain, so that people would be less likely to move on to highly addictive hard drugs.  Dealers use pot as a sprat to catch a mackerel. 

The 'free choice' argument for blanket legalisation of all drugs is lazy and meaningless, because it ignores the fact that once you're hooked on heroin or crack there is no 'free choice' to stop.

Do we really want to send a message that addiction is OK?  It isn't.  Addiction is slavery.  Slavery is illegal.

 

 

Gambling is addictive. Should we ban it? Ditto alcohol and tobacco.

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

Suspect we've far more people nailed on tobacco and alcohol than any hard drugs. Addiction is a health issue, so no need to criminalise it. Furthermore, Portugal's addiction rates appear to be far lower than most other EU countries, so this notion that we'll slip into a depraved cycle of tons of addicts looks like a classic slippery slope fallacy.

[benchwarmer 625]

3 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Suspect we've far more people nailed on tobacco and alcohol than any hard drugs.

Exactly.  Tobacco and alcohol are legal and freely available, hard drugs are not. 

 

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

Just now, benchwarmer said:

Exactly.  Tobacco and alcohol are legal and freely available, hard drugs are not.

 

Hard drugs are very freely available, just not legally. Go into any late-night nightclub and there's a reasonable chance you'll be tapped and asked if you want some.

The War on Drugs has been a crashing failure from start to finish. A new tack is required.

Edited August 10, 2022 by TheGunnShow

[benchwarmer 625]

12 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Hard drugs are very freely available, just not legally. Go into any late-night nightclub and there's a reasonable chance you'll be tapped and asked if you want some.

The War on Drugs has been a crashing failure from start to finish. A new tack is required.

The minority who go to late-night clubs know what to expect.  It's not like going to your local convenience store.

Calling it a War on Drugs was the first big mistake because it implied that eradication was possible.  It wasn't and everyone knew it, but it sounded good.  A really effective new tack would be great, but doing anything isn't always better than doing nothing.

Alcohol and tobacco are both legal with certain restrictions, and yet there's a flourishing black market in cut-price versions of both. 

 

 

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

22 minutes ago, benchwarmer said:

The minority who go to late-night clubs know what to expect.  It's not like going to your local convenience store.

Calling it a War on Drugs was the first big mistake because it implied that eradication was possible.  It wasn't and everyone knew it, but it sounded good.  A really effective new tack would be great, but doing anything isn't always better than doing nothing.

Alcohol and tobacco are both legal with certain restrictions, and yet there's a flourishing black market in cut-price versions of both. 

 

 

And Portugal's methodology appears to be that effective new tack.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Yes.

[Herman 9,765]

I think it should be compulsory for some of the people in this country.

[Naturalcynic 631]

Legalisation and regulated sale of cannabis plus perhaps the psychedelics and some stimulants including Ecstasy.  Possession of heroin and cocaine should be decriminalised although their sale and trafficking should remain illegal.