End the prohibition on Cannabis (UK)

[cosmic_surgeon]

Genuine question... If it was legal, wouldn't they just maintain the current market value of it? Or more likely increase it. Making it legal seems stupid, not as if you can't get it, and it's usually just met with a slap on the wrist if you're caught. I don't really see the benefit of it being legal?

Just look at the selection in those US dispensaries - having a ganja selection like that would be absolutely incredible. Not to mention guaranteed standards of quality, the fact you could always get bud no matter where you were, no chance of getting busted, no chance of even simply getting your stash taken by a "nice" officer. And I bet you'd get more than these 1.7's-2.0s for £20. Amsterdam's price : potency ratio is bang on imo.

Plus there'd be less of a bad public image for it. People who aren't in the know get the wrong impression of it because of its illegality.

[test_recordings]

I think getting people familiar with the diverse benefits and uses of Hemp first, will eventually help towards reshaping peoples mentality to cannabis.

we all know its a money thing anyway.

But for now , the smokers are gonna smoke either way.

Actually, people should be informed about the benefits of cannabis in general since it is actually very useful for a variety of disorders (including ANTI-psychotic properties).

Hemp is ace though, at least in the UK that can be cultivated, unlike the USA.

[HamCrescendo]

this isnt just any grass, this is organic outdoor forget to send little rosie to school grass
and this isnt just an ordinary skunk, this is fragrant cannabis with E7 lemon zest

[cosmic_surgeon]

if they thought they'd gain more votes than they'd lose with legalising then they'd do it.

nail on head

I dunno if it's that simple really. Votes aren't the only currency politicians deal in.

[Regret]

I don't smoke it my good sirs, but I signed and got my boys to sign it too.

[scspkr99]

yeah i reckon the price may go up similarly to amsterdam prices but i would rather have that system because i would rather have a choice of different strains and a choice between sativa and indica. Not only that but it'd be nice to buy some weed or hash and have a cup coffee with friends in a coffee shop. Personally I don't need much a gram of strong weed or 2 grams of really nice hash we set me straight instead, im getting mugged off for weight and quality. I don't know how it is for you but I don't have a choice of the strains I want

I don't know how much you are paying that you are paying less than Amsterdam prices. Seems that as the people involved in cultivation and supply are making a profit and they are the people likely to lose out that if the price goes higher than it is currently they can continue to do what they do.

You legalise weed to take it out of the black market having prohibitive pricing places it right back, doubt the price goes up much at all tbh.

I'm conflicted on legalisation tho

[d-T-r]

I think getting people familiar with the diverse benefits and uses of Hemp first, will eventually help towards reshaping peoples mentality to cannabis.

we all know its a money thing anyway.

But for now , the smokers are gonna smoke either way.

Actually, people should be informed about the benefits of cannabis in general since it is actually very useful for a variety of disorders (including ANTI-psychotic properties).

Hemp is ace though, at least in the UK that can be cultivated, unlike the USA.

I'm totally all for promoting the awareness of 'both' sides, i just imagine people being quicker to accept the plant as a whole, if the general public were aware of it's ecological and multi-industrial benefits as well as just the medical. Of course the existing demographic who benefit from medical use will give you a big Yes, but overall, most people are too indifferent as they don't feel that they 'need' the herb in a medical context at the moment. So raising awareness on its many other uses makes sense to encourage people to not sit on the fence as it's something that can benefit all of us (worldwide) and not just exclusively the people using it to treat medical conditions.

The only reason we're not using it as much anymore is because mass implementation of hemp/cannabis would 'cripple' many resource-wasting (but well-off) companies within countless industries.

Big change won't happen overnight anyway...yet...For now we have to carry on encouraging progress not just on higher branched out levels, but also on a grass-roots level

[MilkyPirate]

arent the government reclassifing drugs based on scientists evidence sometime this year??
might just be a rumour

[Regret]

are they government reclassifing drugs based on scientists evidence sometime this year??
might just be a rumour

I'm not sure if it's going ahead but I know someone is calling for a drug reclassification.

[jigglypuff]

I honestly don't see what could be wrong about tolerating or even legalizing cannabis.. I really think people should be allowed to make choices in life that effects them if I want to smoke cannabis in peace whats the harm? If we don't want people using mood altering substances or harmful substances for that matter it should be across the board meaning tobacco and alcohol should be illegal since they are both more addictive and cause more harm.

On top of that when was the last time you saw individuals who have smoked cannabis congregating in city centers late at night causing trouble and starting fights?
Just the widespread use of alcohol costs tax payers money for policing these drunken fools and hospitalizing them for their actions meaning people pay to take care of these retards when they drink too much!

[Today]

benefit of legality ---> forget retail prices... grow at home without risk or concern
enjoy your new hobby openly and in the comfort of not being a criminal

[MilkyPirate]

I honestly don't see what could be wrong about tolerating or even legalizing cannabis.. I really think people should be allowed to make choices in life that effects them if I want to smoke cannabis in peace whats the harm? If we don't want people using mood altering substances or harmful substances for that matter it should be across the board meaning tobacco and alcohol should be illegal since they are both more addictive and cause more harm.

On top of that when was the last time you saw individuals who have smoked cannabis congregating in city centers late at night causing trouble and starting fights?
Just the widespread use of alcohol costs tax payers money for policing these drunken fools and hospitalizing them for their actions meaning people pay to take care of these retards when they drink too much!

because its never been about the health problems or any of that, it was all to do with hemp being a super material which lost people alot of business, so they illegalised it and made up rumors that it was worse than opiates and made you go crazy
ever see those tests they did on monkeys where they made them breathe in over a lifetimes worth of smoke and suffocated them just so they could make up health warnings

[hendramarshall]

I honestly don't see what could be wrong about tolerating or even legalizing cannabis.. I really think people should be allowed to make choices in life that effects them if I want to smoke cannabis in peace whats the harm? If we don't want people using mood altering substances or harmful substances for that matter it should be across the board meaning tobacco and alcohol should be illegal since they are both more addictive and cause more harm.

On top of that when was the last time you saw individuals who have smoked cannabis congregating in city centers late at night causing trouble and starting fights?
Just the widespread use of alcohol costs tax payers money for policing these drunken fools and hospitalizing them for their actions meaning people pay to take care of these retards when they drink too much!

because its never been about the health problems or any of that, it was all to do with hemp being a super material which lost people alot of business, so they illegalised it and made up rumors that it was worse than opiates and made you go crazy
ever see those tests they did on monkeys where they made them breathe in over a lifetimes worth of smoke and suffocated them just so they could make up health warnings

link?

[MilkyPirate]

http://truthaboutcannabis.org/cannabis- ... rain-cells

[horsefeather]

start at around 8 min

[Gewze]

Just went to sign it and turns out I already have! hahaha

[Mr Hyde]

are they government reclassifing drugs based on scientists evidence sometime this year??
might just be a rumour

I'm not sure if it's going ahead but I know someone is calling for a drug reclassification.

Nah, completely the opposite. Google David Nutt.

"He was asked to go because he cannot be both a government adviser and a campaigner against government policy. [...] As for his comments about horse riding being more dangerous than ecstasy, which you quote with such reverence, it is of course a political rather than a scientific point."[21] Responding in The Times, Professor Nutt said: "I gave a lecture on the assessment of drug harms and how these relate to the legislation controlling drugs. According to Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, some contents of this lecture meant I had crossed the line from science to policy and so he sacked me. I do not know which comments were beyond the line or, indeed, where the line was [...]"[22]
In the wake of Nutt's dismissal, Dr Les King, a part-time advisor to the Department of Health, and the senior chemist on the ACMD, resigned from the body.[23] His resignation was soon followed by that of Marion Walker, Clinical Director of Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's substance misuse service, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's representative on the ACMD.[24]

[cosmic_surgeon]

Yeah the whole Nutt scandal was a fair old while ago as well.

[tyger]

if they thought they'd gain more votes than they'd lose with legalising then they'd do it.

nail on head

I dunno if it's that simple really. Votes aren't the only currency politicians deal in.

there is a joint (oops) interest is in keeping prohibition going for both traffickers and drugs squads. huge law enforcement empires (DEA, FBI, ...) have been built on prohibition. prohibition has been the excuse for numerous repressive new laws.

amusing anecdote: cannabis was banned in the USA after harry j. anslinger (of the federal bureau of narcotics) stated: "There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_J._Anslinger)

on the face of it, in the UK we do not have anti-drugs agencies with as much power as those in the US. however, international pressure to maintain prohibition, especially from the US, is very significant. even the netherlands has only decriminalized, not legalized, drugs.

money laundering is also a big earner for the city of london; by supporting prohibition, cameron is once again defending their interests.

this is a society in which there are certain beliefs one is not expected to question. prohibition is an insane policy, which tends to achieve the diametric opposite of what it aims at.

[test_recordings]

are they government reclassifing drugs based on scientists evidence sometime this year??
might just be a rumour

I'm not sure if it's going ahead but I know someone is calling for a drug reclassification.

Nah, completely the opposite. Google David Nutt.

"He was asked to go because he cannot be both a government adviser and a campaigner against government policy. [...] As for his comments about horse riding being more dangerous than ecstasy, which you quote with such reverence, it is of course a political rather than a scientific point."[21] Responding in The Times, Professor Nutt said: "I gave a lecture on the assessment of drug harms and how these relate to the legislation controlling drugs. According to Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, some contents of this lecture meant I had crossed the line from science to policy and so he sacked me. I do not know which comments were beyond the line or, indeed, where the line was [...]"[22]
In the wake of Nutt's dismissal, Dr Les King, a part-time advisor to the Department of Health, and the senior chemist on the ACMD, resigned from the body.[23] His resignation was soon followed by that of Marion Walker, Clinical Director of Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's substance misuse service, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's representative on the ACMD.[24]

It's quite ironic how the government policy makers have less of a grip on reality than the people who take the drugs that are claimed to 'rot your brain'... TV is probably worse for that sort of thing