No don't legalise it

[Ranking Glasses]

JB, we don't actually know what's in it unless we grow it ourselves which is why it's so dangerous.

YMS that's a good question but it was just weed (mixed with whatever) in both cases as far as I know.

[Ras Berry]

I've slept on this and think I may have softened my stance a little. If Bill has smoked it all day long for fifty years I can see that there might be some benefits. Can you imagine the **** he'd be if he hadn't?

Keep it up old fella, you're doing fine

[Ranking Glasses]

Keep it up old fella, you're doing fine

Is he able to keep it up at his age? Oooh er missus.

[Chaz]

"I also do not get this:

>It’s also very cheap to produce,

because unless one is stealing electricity, it is definitely NOT cheap to power lights to grow low yield (relatively speaking, relative to under the sun) plants."

I didn't phrase that very well, but what I meant is that the profit margins are large in the sense that there are minimum distribution and middle men costs, as it's usually sold near where it's produced. Then, it's usually sold to the young in tiny bags at ten pounds a go - making the costs per gram enormous.

[johnnyB]

I know people who had similar problems with cannabis. Grown indoor or under tropical sun,light or strong,it doesn’t make a difference.What all these people had in common were serious social or personal troubles which were there before they took up smoking and unfortunately stayed there after quitting.What I know is that these kind of problems are very hard to recognise and treat,while a bad habit is always a good cause to fight against. Studies on the subject have always been partial so anyone can have a scientific truth in their pocket. The plant itself,organic or “artificial”,is as good as any. The use (or abuse) of it can turn it into a magic medicine against pain,a positive social catalyst or a dangerous psychoactive poison. Legalising ganja won’t probably solve the abuse issue,but people would have a chance to know what’s in their spliffs at least.

[Ranking Glasses]

Words of wisdom Johnny B.

There was drug testing at several music festivals: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/3 ... -and-leeds

Needless to say, many people disgarded their drugs once they knew what was in it!

[skunkride]

Before smoking herb i am a grumpy old man. After smoking weed i am a grumpy old man who likes reggae music.

Quote of the week. Keep it up JB !

[John Eden]

It's a balance between allowing freedoms and protecting people which is sometimes wrong and constantly changing. The balance in reggae is biased towards weed and I'm merely presenting the other side of the argument.

Harm reduction is definitely the way to go. But we need to include the harm done to mainly young mainly black men who are locked up in prison for selling weed as well.

Personally I would favour funding a load more scientific research into marijuana to see if particular strains are more or less harmful to human health. And then legalising the least harmful variants - it's not like keeping it illegal has stopped people smoking it eh?

[Ranking Glasses]

Like they did with alcohol in the States?

[John Eden]

Like they did with alcohol in the States?

In that prohibition didn't work, sure.

Current public health thinking on alcohol is to identify the brands that lead to anti-social behaviour (like white cider, which is incredibly strong and also incredibly cheap) and try to work on pricing, advice on help that people can get, etc.

[jb welda]

Yeah basically price liquor out of the reach of poor people. Social engineering at its finest...almost as bad as when they plied the natives with liquor to keep them passive. Meanwhile the rich people drink and pillage. Some things never change.

one love
jb

[John Eden]

Thing is, plenty of poor people manage to have a few beers or glasses of whatever without being violent. Why should they have to live in communities which are terrorised by pissed up idiots?

[jb welda]

most of the "pissed up idiots" I ran into in London were upper middle class school boys running rampant in Richmond every night. They certainly got the money to pay the increased prices and I don't see as how any of this will affect their rampaging. Maybe I just haven't been around London enough to see the situation clearly. What I do see happening is that poor people will have to commit more crime to get their shot of booze. Pretty much the opposite of the intended outcome.

i do recall some lovely social engineering going on though. How about when they took surveys of how much recycled material each household should generate and then if you didnt live up to that expectation you were labelled a scofflaw and given a crimson red garbage can. Like anyone cared. Or the ASBO tracking devices that became such the rage that shops were selling cute ankle bracelets to wear them on the outside of your pants, a badge of honor, instead of a mark of shame.

This kind of stuff never really works out how the "authorities" want it to.

one love
jb

[John Eden]

I've never lived in Richmond so can't really comment Jah Bill and will defer to your expertise regarding that area.

[edgar]

What? Cannabis psychosis? That aint happening, the lad must have deeper problems that are not being recognized. Seriously man, the weed aint it, even if it is this much vaunted "skunk"
jb

I have a friend who works as a nurse in mental hospital.. the place is full of people with people who got psychosis due to excessive cannabis use (they were not on heroin, crack, ice whatever, but just weed) Also there is one guy there who smoked like 10 years ago, got a bad trip and never got out of it. He doesn't see the face/head of a person but only a burning match/flame.. When he walks around in a city center for example all he sees is walking flames... he has that for 10 years now..