Smoke da reefa...

[MC HP]

Why is weed illegal? In personal experience it doesn't lead to hard drugs as people reckon. All you want to do is relax and drink 5 pots of tea and kill a packet of Hobnobs. Not go out fighting and causing the government a lot of grief.

[MC HP]

I was of of course referring to alcohol with my fighting remark.

[madhat]

You post a good question MC HiphoP. Whether or not smoking weed leads to "hard" drugs is questionable. I think that whatever drug administration is in case, they look at the trend of drug use. For lack of a better answer, most people see criminals that abuse drugs beginning their drug usage on marijuana cause it's one of the most accessible drugs and hence most likely to be tried first. I believe that anit-drug laws are based on a lot of speculation and a few bad cases here and there (not anywhere near the number of cases of drunk driving or car accidents). I think what its going to take is to wait for the 'maturity rate' of the current generation in office. The generation in their 20s and early 30s are likely going to be more understanding of people simply doing the things they like doing, as long as they don't hurt anyone. Marijuana is the perfect canidate. The benefits of smoking marijuana greatly outweighs any possible detriments. Let me give props to bud!

[rekstout]

I agree with your argument but would point out that heavy cannabis use is associated with a higher instance of psychological disorder (clinically proven). For the most part, it is no worse for you chemically than fags and booze but if they had never existed until now then I am sure that they would never be legalised either. Whether we want it or not, I do not believe that it will ever be made legal as weed/resin. Eventually as a refined tablet form for pain relief etc by presription. The best we can hope for is decriminilisation so that the government can stop wasting time arresting arthritic grannies and students who buy for personal consumption.

[becks]

In your personal experience it doesn't lead to hard drugs but that is not always the case, a lot of people who end up addicted to crack or heroin often started out using weed. I agree that smoking weed doesn't cause violence or anything, most are too dopey to do that but i saw something truly horrifying the other night...whilst paying for my petrol at the night window in enfield a car pulled up with a young girl driving and mates in it, music blaring etc, i could smell the weed comig out of it and was absolutely gobsmacked to see the driver with a joint smoking before she drove off. How would that be policed if it was legal? you could look like you were smoking a cigarette until pulled over and they're not going to do that are they? I agree for the most part about it, you'll just have to move into london where it's be kind of decriminalised or something as long as you've only got personal consumption possession.

[Pinotage]

Marijuana is banned in this country because of pressure from the USA. At the time the USA was the worlds leading producer & exporter of tobacco.

[geedogg]

i don't agree with the cannibis gateway drug argument. its true that while making connections with dealers you probably find out where to get other drugs from, but it is not the case that if you take cannabis you'll probably want to take other drugs. the reason people believe this is that those who take other drugs have at some point probably smoked weed, but it doesn't necessarily mean that everyone who smokes weed goes on to other stuff. i agree that people look for trends and most drug users have probaly at some point smoked weed, but i don't agree that it is a gateway drug. and to point out to becks- it has actually be shown in scientific tests that people who smoke and drive are actually as good as sober driver and a lot better than people who have had a couple of pints. its probably to do with people actually being a little more careful (maybe a little paranoid) while driving.

[smithy]

I enjoy drinking, but I've never tried other drugs inc tobacco. However, I have some reservations, not about legalising cannabis, but where it can be taken. If I go in a pub with my mate, I neck about 10 pints and a few nips whilst he has pop, he can drive. However If I stand with him and get through some weed, he will them have a measurable amount of drug in his body. Scientific info I have seen shows that it DOES impare reaction time, therfore he may not see that kid chase his ball into the road until its too late. You can't passively drink!

[Elfin]

I reckon that alcohol should be classed as the ultimate gateway drug. In my experience, most peoples' initial exposure to those selling drugs was at the pub! I can't see a case for not legalising cannabis while alcohol remains legal. Alkyhol is by far the worst and most damaging to society. smithy, you could always consider enjoying a night out without getting out of it on some drug or other - or smoke at home in good company (and close to a well-stocked larder of course). :-)

[secretspirit]

If you legalise cannabis you're kind of encouraging smoking tobacco with the attendant health risks and possibly increasing the number of people getting cancer etc if you turn it mainstream. PS when I tried it I just felt like I weighed 20 stone, then sick and starving at the same time. No thanx!

[ajbyrne]

Cannabis has never been illegal because it gets you stoned. Cannabis prohibition has its roots way back in history, but modern prohibition of all drugs has mostly been about control of migrant populations who were flooding into the states a couple of hundred years ago. Mexican migrants were persecuted through the restriction of cannabis, whilst black males were accused of giving cocaine to white women in order to sleep with them(not true, first case of date rape drug??). We know these things are rediculous, but at the time it was a fantastic way to demonise those populations not liked by the government. There are many other reasons too, including persecution of certain religions. If you want more info on the man held mainly responsible for cannabis being illegal in recent times, look up 'Harry J Aslinger' on a good search engine.