Could dope help the economy?

abaxas

Cleaver wrote: »

For medicinal rather than recreational purposes though. Which is the clear distinction between the two scenarios.

LOL! Made my day that, such naivety.

vivatifosi

lynzpower wrote: »

this is absolutely rubbish Ive smoked grass on and off for years- and been panicking about the economy for a long time LOL and managed to get myself a great degree, a host of fantastic jobs, always worked at least full time - have a brilliant relationship, a wonderful family. :beer::jNothing wrong in this corner

Would love it to be legalised here like it is in the Netherlands, do they have a problem with low aspiration? Not as far as I can see.

Lynz, my post was meant as a lighthearted dig at the Chawners, not at smokers..

lynzpower

OMG just remembered who the Chawners are :rotfl:

Nah, they aint smokers, they are fat because ITS GENETIC :rotfl:

Cleaver

abaxas wrote: »

LOL! Made my day that, such naivety.

I said that legal, over the counter drugs have a medicinal purpose. Illegal, street drugs are for recreational purposes.

How people choice to use either type of drug, recreational or medicinal is up to them, and out in society there is a massive blur between the two areas. Depends on your lifestyle doesn't it really?

In what way was my comment naive?

MrFonzerelli

My liberal side says legalise Cannabis. However I've read there's some forms (i.e. skunk) which are particularly harmful.
Would it be possible to legalise some varieties, or is there not much distinction between types?

tomterm8

MrFonzerelli wrote: »

My liberal side says legalise Cannabis. However I've read there's some forms (i.e. skunk) which are particularly harmful.
Would it be possible to legalise some varieties, or is there not much distinction between types?

Yes, I think it would be possible. IIRC, the reason for skunk is that it is much easier to smuggle in that cannabis, since it takes up less room (because you need less of it).

Cleaver

MrFonzerelli wrote: »

My liberal side says legalise Cannabis. However I've read there's some forms (i.e. skunk) which are particularly harmful.
Would it be possible to legalise some varieties, or is there not much distinction between types?

There are certainly some stronger varieties which, according to some research, are far more harmful to your health (especially mental health).

However, I think it's your relationship with any drug that is the harmful aspect. I have a number of friends who will sit down on a Sunday night, chuck on some music and have a joint. They maybe do this once a week or so. To me, that's no different from someone opening a bottle of wine once a week and sharing it with a partner or friend. Or meeting someone at the pub for a couple of pints. Moderation is the key word and the behaviour is controlled.

I have a friend who, literally, cannot operate without cannabis. It isn't for any relaxation or pleasurable purpose, they just smoke around 6 joints a day, before, during and after work. Because they are conditioned to it. Their life revolves around obtaining and consuming the drug and, although they would state that they are not physically addicted, I'm 99% sure that they couldn't operate their life normally without the using the drug. To me this is no different from someone swigging from a whiskey bottle all day. Both situations are quite sad and both people need some help.

I think whether something is illegal or not, you'll always have people in both camps.

MrFonzerelli

Cleaver wrote: »

There are certainly some stronger varieties which, according to some research, are far more harmful to your health (especially mental health).

However, I think it's your relationship with any drug that is the harmful aspect. I have a number of friends who will sit down on a Sunday night, chuck on some music and have a joint. They maybe do this once a week or so. To me, that's no different from someone opening a bottle of wine once a week and sharing it with a partner or friend. Or meeting someone at the pub for a couple of pints. Moderation is the key word and the behaviour is controlled.

I have a friend who, literally, cannot operate without cannabis. It isn't for any relaxation or pleasurable purpose, they just smoke around 6 joints a day, before, during and after work. Because they are conditioned to it. Their life revolves around obtaining and consuming the drug and, although they would state that they are not physically addicted, I'm 99% sure that they couldn't operate their life normally without the using the drug. To me this is no different from someone swigging from a whiskey bottle all day. Both situations are quite sad and both people need some help.

If banning addictive or harmful drugs, one could also ban coffee, tea and chocolate..

My thoughts are that all but the most harmful could/should be legalised, but taxed in such a way to account for the externalities of their use. The tax revenues could then help pay for the care of those that need it, whilst depriving criminal gangs of revenue.

lynzpower

I have a friend who, literally, cannot operate without cannabis. It isn't for any relaxation or pleasurable purpose, they just smoke around 6 joints a day, before, during and after work. Because they are conditioned to it. Their life revolves around obtaining and consuming the drug and, although they would state that they are not physically addicted, I'm 99% sure that they couldn't operate their life normally without the using the drug. To me this is no different from someone swigging from a whiskey bottle all day. Both situations are quite sad and both people need some help.

I have smoked tobacco since I was 15 and Im now 31. Ohs 30 hes been smoking since he was 14.

I would have totally said I would have been physically addicted to it - wouldnt you? I mean most people would think that? Right?

We both gave up smoking 2 weeks ago, and have had absolutlely no physical demand effects at all. Yes, we have felt we should be smoking out of habit ( eg I always had cigarettes when on the phone, so on a phone call I felt really wierd not smoking, but no physical side effects at all.

Emotionally dependent yes, physically, I dont think so, honestly.

mewbie_2

Could dope help the economy?

Yes. Legalise it and stop associated crime. Remove link between cannabis and other more harmful profitable drugs for the dealers. Regulate the strength to protect vulnerable people. Tax and licence it the same as alchohol and tobacco.

There is something very wrong with the laws where someone smoking a bit of blow (as I believe the young folk might reefer to it) can be arrested and get a criminal record.

Prohibition didn't work for alchohol, why should it work for any other harmful drug? Recent UN conference was told by experts that the war on drugs was wrong and failing, so they have just signed up for ten more years of the same. Brilliant.

And so to Afghanistan, where the West's need for morphine could be catered for simply by buying the crop. Sometimes democracy is incapable of the right answer, through the need to pander to old fashioned and stupid views.