Legalise the Green?

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CrazyCatLady

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During her reign, Queen Victoria was reported to have used it for pain relief and for eons, it’s been a favourite of poets, musicians and writers as a siren for the muses. It can naturally grow almost anywhere and the plant itself has multiple uses from paper and clothing material to a natural medication. Yet despite its various uses, in 1928, it was outlawed in Britain, with smoking going underground, particularly in Jazz clubs in London, with the first cannabis drugs bust being in 1952 at the Number 11 Club in Soho. In the hedonism of the ‘60’s and 70’s, Mary Jane became a popular girl, being endorsed by pop stars and grabbing her place in the alternative culture of decades. The Stones, The Beatles, The Doors- following your idols, experimenting with cannabis and recreational drugs became the rebellious comportment of the age. In the 70’s, with the boom of reggae culture and Bob Marley, Mary got another promotion. Throughout the 80’s, she was a backdrop in the Ska culture and still hung around the alternative music scenes; university students using her as a friend to study with. By the ‘90’s, Mary was filtering through nearly every university and council estate and now, one of her components- CBD- is perfectly legal to buy.

But is that enough? Nearly 100 years since it was outlawed, is it time to rethink and reclassify? What would need to be considered, if cannabis was legalised?

There are currently medical trials underway in various parts of the U.K to test vaping cannabis oil and to measure the effects of THC (as opposed to just having CBD content) in a quest to see if it should be legalised as a medical treatment. The test subjects all have diagnosed conditions relating to chronic pain and/or mental health issues, as well as other medical ailments (e.g.: M.S).

If it was legalised and controlled, surely that would take the supply and demand away from illegal drug dealers and the further criminal links to drug dealing (e.g.: people trafficking, county lines & child drug mules). Moreover, if there were outlets- as they had in Amsterdam and have in the U.S- the strains could be controlled.
An issue with street cannabis is that the user doesn’t know what they’re getting- it could be one with higher CBD content (meaning a relaxed, chilled high) or they could get a THC high strain (meaning anxiety could be induced, more thinking and analysing; paranoia to those susceptible).

However, on the flip side, if it was legalised, would there be more demand? More substance addiction? More mental health issues? Would there still be an underground demand due to fear of use being monitored by the authorities?

Your thoughts!
 

funandflirty

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During her reign, Queen Victoria was reported to have used it for pain relief and for eons, it’s been a favourite of poets, musicians and writers as a siren for the muses. It can naturally grow almost anywhere and the plant itself has multiple uses from paper and clothing material to a natural medication. Yet despite its various uses, in 1928, it was outlawed in Britain, with smoking going underground, particularly in Jazz clubs in London, with the first cannabis drugs bust being in 1952 at the Number 11 Club in Soho. In the hedonism of the ‘60’s and 70’s, Mary Jane became a popular girl, being endorsed by pop stars and grabbing her place in the alternative culture of decades. The Stones, The Beatles, The Doors- following your idols, experimenting with cannabis and recreational drugs became the rebellious comportment of the age. In the 70’s, with the boom of reggae culture and Bob Marley, Mary got another promotion. Throughout the 80’s, she was a backdrop in the Ska culture and still hung around the alternative music scenes; university students using her as a friend to study with. By the ‘90’s, Mary was filtering through nearly every university and council estate and now, one of her components- CBD- is perfectly legal to buy.

But is that enough? Nearly 100 years since it was outlawed, is it time to rethink and reclassify? What would need to be considered, if cannabis was legalised?

There are currently medical trials underway in various parts of the U.K to test vaping cannabis oil and to measure the effects of THC (as opposed to just having CBD content) in a quest to see if it should be legalised as a medical treatment. The test subjects all have diagnosed conditions relating to chronic pain and/or mental health issues, as well as other medical ailments (e.g.: M.S).

If it was legalised and controlled, surely that would take the supply and demand away from illegal drug dealers and the further criminal links to drug dealing (e.g.: people trafficking, county lines & child drug mules). Moreover, if there were outlets- as they had in Amsterdam and have in the U.S- the strains could be controlled.
An issue with street cannabis is that the user doesn’t know what they’re getting- it could be one with higher CBD content (meaning a relaxed, chilled high) or they could get a THC high strain (meaning anxiety could be induced, more thinking and analysing; paranoia to those susceptible).

However, on the flip side, if it was legalised, would there be more demand? More substance addiction? More mental health issues? Would there still be an underground demand due to fear of use being monitored by the authorities?

Your thoughts!

It is legal in the uk for medical use, although trying to get a prescription is very difficult! My oncologist and I had a frank conversation whereby she agreed it would be the best way to relieve my radiotherapy side effects but they could not prescribe it (however they will dish out opioids like they are sweets!!!!!!)

I think it should be easier to access through legitimate means, so there can be some control over strains and there would be a reduction in crime. I feel the benefits of legalisation outweigh the risks. Re mental health - I think there would be a reduction in MH conditions (when you think about MH conditions associated with chronic pain, they would to a degree be relieved).
 
C

CrazyCatLady

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It is legal in the uk for medical use, although trying to get a prescription is very difficult! My oncologist and I had a frank conversation whereby she agreed it would be the best way to relieve my radiotherapy side effects but they could not prescribe it (however they will dish out opioids like they are sweets!!!!!!)

I think it should be easier to access through legitimate means, so there can be some control over strains and there would be a reduction in crime. I feel the benefits of legalisation outweigh the risks. Re mental health - I think there would be a reduction in MH conditions (when you think about MH conditions associated with chronic pain, they would to a degree be relieved).
I absolutely 100% agree.
The list for those 'qualifying' for it medicinally is still quite small, I hear, and the THC content is quite low (?). A close friend of the family (well, closer actually, she's my son's godmother), diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, has been using it for around 5 years now and well-exceeded her 18months- 2 years original diagnosis. She began the oils in her food during her first lot of chemo and has attributed it to her well-being. Nevertheless, she has to get it illegally, through a friend that makes it from scratch for her.

I believe it should be legalised and controlled. The present 'war on drugs' is not working and needs to be revised. My only concerns are the possible link between excessive cannabis use and schizophrenia; how legalisation would affect children in cannabis using households and how they can ensure that the mental health issue prescribed cannabis as a treatment won't be exasperated by it, such as in co-morbid personality disorders where some symptoms would benefit and some wouldn't. I also think the relationship between anxiety and cannabis use needs to be investigated more thoroughly before it's deemed a treatment for it. Those that use for anxiety will claim that it relieves panic attacks and symptoms of anxiety, but long term use has shown a regression in anxieties behaviours.
 
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Saphire

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I tried CBD oil, it was expensive and totally ineffective.
Dr's may be able to prescribe cannabis now, but by all accounts they seldom do.
In my opinion, it should be legalised and sold responsibly, overall, I think society would benifit.
 
C

CrazyCatLady

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It's weird how you don't mention how cannabis can affect lung health (and possibly other organs, too), as does cigarette smoke.
Or wasn't that part of your agenda?
The post was about cannabis use- not specifically cannabis smoking.
And cannabis doesn't affect the lungs unless it's smoked with tobacco and as the post is clearly about cannabis USE......

And what f*cking agenda? Here we go! :rolleyes:
P!ss off, dicksplash- I've dealt with your idiotic attempt at arguing with me on another thread.
 
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Saphire

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I merely quoted a piece of your initial post and replied to it.
Change your pusher, the drugs aren't working.
Why do you jump from thread to thread looking for trouble?
Seems you dont have much to say here....so leave the thread for people who want to debate, not just nit pick.
 

funandflirty

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I absolutely 100% agree.
The list for those 'qualifying' for it medicinally is still quite small, I hear, and the THC content is quite low (?). A close friend of the family (well, closer actually, she's my son's godmother), diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, has been using it for around 5 years now and well-exceeded her 18months- 2 years original diagnosis. She began the oils in her food during her first lot of chemo and has attributed it to her well-being. Nevertheless, she has to get it illegally, through a friend that makes it from scratch for her.

I believe it should be legalised and controlled. The present 'war on drugs' is not working and needs to be revised. My only concerns are the possible link between excessive cannabis use and schizophrenia; how legalisation would affect children in cannabis using households and how they can ensure that the mental health issue prescribed cannabis as a treatment won't be exasperated by it, such as in co-morbid personality disorders where some symptoms would benefit and some wouldn't. I also think the relationship between anxiety and cannabis use needs to be investigated more thoroughly before it's deemed a treatment for it. Those that use for anxiety will claim that it relieves panic attacks and symptoms of anxiety, but long term use has shown a regression in anxieties behaviours.

i think drug abuse will always be there, as there is with prescription medication.

I agree, that MH conditions needs to be considered and there needs to be tight controls around use, but if we look at the system as it is there are far worse drugs prescribed than cannabis.
 

funandflirty

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I tried CBD oil, it was expensive and totally ineffective.
Dr's may be able to prescribe cannabis now, but by all accounts they seldom do.
In my opinion, it should be legalised and sold responsibly, overall, I think society would benifit.

Was it oil bought from a shop, if yes I think they are all faddy with little benefit.

So many countries now have legalised it, we are behind and could certainly look and learn. For Jamaica (as an example) it is a huge source of revenue for the government; other islands are also following suit.
 

Wojcik

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It's weird how you don't mention how cannabis can affect lung health (and possibly other organs, too), as does cigarette smoke.
Or wasn't that part of your agenda?
But if cigarette smoke is just as harmful but legal to buy and use, as you've just pointed out here, then why can't cannabis be treated the same? It's about individual personal choice. So i do think we're behind the times when it concerns cannabis or other substances.
When it concerns illegal drug usage, especially the more dangerous drugs like crack or cocaine, i don't think the user who has become addicted should be punished, and rather helped, instead of just sending them to prison. The drug dealers? Absolutely.
 
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AGirlHasNoName

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I do think it should be more widely used in medicine, there are a lot of studies where people's health has improved drastically with cannabis therapies, when you think about it opioides are much much worse than cannabis in the grand scheme of things and people seem to get prescribed these left right and centre and become massively addicted, having once taken prescribed codeine phosphate for a neck injury (not co codamol) I can see how people become so addicted to these they make you feel so good - i stopped taking them straight away because I was scared of becoming addicted to them. Basically I don't see the difference? surely cannabis would also be a massively cheaper drug for the NHS? I've never taken cannabis so I'm not sure how it makes you feel.
 
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Saphire

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Was it oil bought from a shop, if yes I think they are all faddy with little benefit.

So many countries now have legalised it, we are behind and could certainly look and learn. For Jamaica (as an example) it is a huge source of revenue for the government; other islands are also following suit.
Yes, it was from Holland and Barratt...the strongest available, and had zero effect.
I tried it because I have osteoarthritis, had one knee replacement and am waiting for another knee and hip replacement.
Prescribed painkillers have almost no effect other than side effects I can do without.
 

LadyOnArooftop

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There's an argument for making not just 'the green stuff', but all drugs legal. How long have they been fighting the war on drugs, 100 years? There comes a point when you have to admit that it's not winnable and to try something else. Instead of criminalising drug users, treat them as victims/patients. These people are only harming themselves. Just think of the crime this will eliminate. Don't ask me how this decriminalisation would work. Perhaps make the drugs available on prescription, provide centres where they could take them safely under supervision. I'm not advocating legalising drugs, I'm just saying a time will come when all the politicians are going to have to get together and try something different.
 

funandflirty

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Yes, it was from Holland and Barratt...the strongest available, and had zero effect.
I tried it because I have osteoarthritis, had one knee replacement and am waiting for another knee and hip replacement.
Prescribed painkillers have almost no effect other than side effects I can do without.

Proper cannabis oil, or cannabis tea would benefit you; but you’d need to break the law to get it. Discuss it with your dr, most will say the studies show it could help but we are unable to support its use.
 

funandflirty

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There's an argument for making not just 'the green stuff', but all drugs legal. How long have they been fighting the war on drugs, 100 years? There comes a point when you have to admit that it's not winnable and to try something else. Instead of criminalising drug users, treat them as victims/patients. These people are only harming themselves. Just think of the crime this will eliminate. Don't ask me how this decriminalisation would work. Perhaps make the drugs available on prescription, provide centres where they could take them safely under supervision. I'm not advocating legalising drugs, I'm just saying a time will come when all the politicians are going to have to get together and try something different.

I completely agree there should be a different approach to tackling the war on drugs, and I think it should include substance abuse and the actors involved in funding/supporting substance abuse (perhaps a different thread on that).

The harsh reality is that as much as the war on drugs costs money - it makes far more than it costs.
 

Moriarty

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In various studies, cannabis use is high in as many as 1 in 5 suicides.
It can also bring on violence in some, paranoia in others.

Just like alcohol, the effects of addiction and fatal withdrawal are usually within the lower socioeconomic bracket.

Women, single women especially, are prone to suicide pre and post partum, drugs of any sort have been shown to exacerbate that trend.

It's a difficult question to answer, should it be legalised for recreational use, I would say no, not without a lot more study into it's effects in those places where it is legal.
 
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