Should cannabis be legal

[Cyclone]

Originally posted by slimsid2000

I would say cannabis is more dangerous as it is addictive and can lead on to other drugs. I believe it has been found to be even more dangerous than tobacco.

 

Certain types of alcohol in moderation (which is very important) is believed to be beneficial to health. I think a small amount of red wine is supposed to be good for you. However, excessive alcohol consumption is definately a health risk.

 

cannabis isn't physically addictive.

[foo_fighter]

Isn't this forum a great place...

 

...somebody (who knows what they're talking about) gives a thoughtful and considered response to the question, and yet 4 pages later, they are being resoundingly ignored by the vast majority of posters.

 

Thanks anyway Ann_x, I for one thought you made a number of good points very well.

 

Here it is again for any of you that missed it the first time:

 

Originally posted by Ann_x

Both cannabis and alcohol can be dangerous, but, in the case of alcohol, it is more to do with the amount of alcohol consumed, how often, and whether alcoholism is involved. Alcohol can cause mental health and physical issues, more the latter than the former.

 

Cannabis, on the other hand, can be far more dangerous. At the moment, I'm working for a mental health service, and I have seen first-hand how people who use cannabis can become psychotic and paranoid. It's a horrible thing to witness, and is even worse when you know that some of these people have children, and that the children may be in danger.

 

I know that some are going to disagree with me, but I'm stating what I have witnessed, the last time being only a few days' ago.

[chickmonk]

Hmmm, the 'cannabis leads on to other drugs' argument.

 

Most kids drink before they take any other drug (perhaps we should ban alcohol cos it leads to other drugs then?).

 

And if cannabis was legal it would stop peeps havin to go to (possibly) dodgy dealers.

 

I'm sure lots of people who end up on 'hard' drugs have previously smoked cannabis. But the 'cause and effect' route can't (IMHO) be proved due to the high number of variables /other factors involved.

[floyd77]

Originally posted by slimsid2000

I would say cannabis is more dangerous as it is addictive and can lead on to other drugs. I believe it has been found to be even more dangerous than tobacco.

 

Certain types of alcohol in moderation (which is very important) is believed to be beneficial to health. I think a small amount of red wine is supposed to be good for you. However, excessive alcohol consumption is definately a health risk.

 

Cannabis is not addictive, the only way it can kill you is if someone drops a ten tonne block of it on you. If you dont know, please dont just spout rubbish and pass it off as fact. Its the tobacco that many smoke it with that provides the addiction.

And for all you God botherers out there, how can something that grows naturally all over the world be bad - did God make a mistake?

 

Certain types of alcohol?? Do you mean certain drinks maybe?

Moderation is a wonderful thing, trouble is the law does not tell us to drink moderately, it just suggests it. Excessive drinking in my opinion is a greater problem then excessive smoking - I wont bother listing all the resons that have already been mentioned by everyone.

[Cyclone]

Originally posted by foo_fighter

Isn't this forum a great place...

 

...somebody (who knows what they're talking about) gives a thoughtful and considered response to the question, and yet 4 pages later, they are being resoundingly ignored by the vast majority of posters.

 

Thanks anyway Ann_x, I for one thought you made a number of good points very well.

 

Here it is again for any of you that missed it the first time:

 

aren't the rest of allowed opinions? Who's to say that we ignored her and didn't take her points onboard, modifying our own views as necessary?

[floyd77]

Originally posted by foo_fighter

Isn't this forum a great place...

 

...somebody (who knows what they're talking about) gives a thoughtful and considered response to the question, and yet 4 pages later, they are being resoundingly ignored by the vast majority of posters.

 

Thanks anyway Ann_x, I for one thought you made a number of good points very well.

 

Here it is again for any of you that missed it the first time:

 

Im sure any casualty nurse or Doctor will give a pretty compelling argument to what causes greater damage. Yes some may have mental problems due to cannabis use, but it has never been proven to be directly linked. Even if it were linked, then these people who react badly should stop smoking it, it shouldnt be an argument for keeping it illegal. People suffer from nut allergys that can kill them, surprisingly nuts are still perfectly legal.

[chickmonk]

Absolutely agree floyd but I think Ann_x was replying to an earlier question about the health risks of cannabis. It is important that people do know the risks about what they take, whether legal or not.

[mjlacey21]

I think a lot of it is that while the anti brigade can quote the media all the want - (i mean you slimsid) many users are intelligent people that have researched the topic as well as having a practical knowledge because it is something that interests them.

 

It's the same as what Allen Carr says about smokers of tobacco - there's no point in non smokers lecturing them on the health risks etc - they are aware of them, smoking doesn't make people stupid. Most smokers of cannabis understand the possible health problems, the legalities, the media representation, the science behind it but also have first hand experience and therefore have a wider knowledge than those trying to lecture them.

[Cyclone]

Originally posted by mjlacey21

I think a lot of it is that while the anti brigade can quote the media all the want - (i mean you slimsid) many users are intelligent people that have researched the topic as well as having a practical knowledge because it is something that interests them.

 

It's the same as what Allen Carr says about smokers of tobacco - there's no point in non smokers lecturing them on the health risks etc - they are aware of them, smoking doesn't make people stupid. Most smokers of cannabis understand the possible health problems, the legalities, the media representation, the science behind it but also have first hand experience and therefore have a wider knowledge than those trying to lecture them.

 

smoking doesn't make people stupid, they were that way when they started

[Fareast]

I can't help but notice that more and more posters on S.F. seem a bit obsessed with their health. Whenever the subjects of alcohol ,tobacco , other drugs or , "unhealthy " food crops up , everyone starts comparing cigarettes with cannabis , red wine with cream cakes , white wine with cigars , carbohydrates with proteins..........etc.........ad nauseum..........

They ask questions like , "If I only smoke cannabis on occasions and drink 6 units of alcohol a week , will I live 4 years longer than someone who smokes 15 cigarettes a day and eats a lot of chocolate biscuits ?"

I wonder how they think they'll spend their extra years , if any ? Sitting in a government Old People's Home of Rest , being fed pills and semolina and watching re-runs of the New Year celebrations in Scotland with Andy Stewart ?

Big Deal !

It seems , these days that a lot of people have lost the zest for living and are happy analysing life to the nth. degree.

You see them in the Supermarket , peering at labels , as though their lives depended on it ----------when they could spend the time much more profitably down at the pub , swapping ideas and keeping mentally alert with their peers.

It was instructive to read the other day where a large number of kids and adults were increasingly falling victim to asthma.......etc......why ? Well , the scientists suggested that it was because they spent too much time in over-clean houses. I.E they would have been better getting out into the , "the rough and tumble " than spending a lot of time agonising over , "germs" and , "healthy living ".