@johcaschro wrote:
The laws are not fine like they are. The laws as they stand make criminals of those who commit a victimless crime.
Victimless ??? Try telling that to the families of motorists killed by people driving cars while high. Yes alcohol has a similar effect, but why legalise another substance that causes the same problems. And while you are telling the families of motorists killed by dope smokers, you might want to have a chat with the parents of young people who develop schizophrenia after heavy marijuana use. One of my friends was a heavy dope smoker, developed schizophrenia and ended up commiting suicide. I'm sure his family would love to hear how harmless you think dope is.
'A possession charge can show up in job applications and can affect approval for government housing, volunteer opportunities or scholarships, said Enenajor.'
A possession charge can show up on job applications......... Problem ? ...........It certainly is if you are the employer who has a drug affected employee driving your heavy equipment or operating power tools on a building site. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure they provide a safe place for others to work, free from drug impaired numbnuts who claim its their right to get stoned if they want to.
“The criminalization of cannabis is so drastic and disproportionate to people’s lives.”
Not when you consider the effects an individuals drug abuse can have on others
'Meanwhile, numerous studies have shown that Canada’s current statutes on drug possession are not equitably applied. “Drug laws are enforced by the police – and we know that the police are not immune from racism and discrimination,” said Akwasi Owusu-Bempah of the University of Toronto.'
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/07/canada-marijuana-cannabis-legalization-amnesty-drug-la...
and Australia's police force is no different. So we get the socially disadvantaged, both white and black, disproportionally targeted.
We finally agree on something.....no arguments from me with this point.
If you read up on the history surrounding the reasons for the criminalisation of cannabis, you will find that it wasn't criminalised out of any concern for the health of the public or to protect the weak. It was made illegal to protect the corporate profits of companies like DuPont.
You can find references on the internet to support all sorts of conspiracy theories about big business, big pharma etc. The fact is the reasons governments in Australia currently have not legalised marijuana is because of the well documented social and health problems it causes.
The neagative spiel regarding cannabis comes directly from a wish to suppress competition to sales of synthetic fibres, tobacco and alcohol.
Now, if you want to talk about drugs which really harms peoples health then look no further than those two.
Agreed, but dope causes just as many problems.........Why legalise another addictive drug when we already know the significant problems it causes.
As for scare mongering, the reason I am so opposed to dope is I have seen too many of my friends and family members lives destroyed by the stuff. I know A LOT of regular dope smokers and I,m struggling to think of any who have a job.
Well, I have seen no one destroyed by smoking pot. I know a lot of regular pot smokers who have full time jobs, who raise happy and healthy children in houses which they have bought and paid for by honest work.
You have admitted you have in the past been a regular drug user. Maybe you simply don't want to see the problems drug abuse has caused for others. There are numerous properly run scientific studies which show links between marijuana use in teenagers and significantly reduced educational outcomes and school drop out rates. Studies which show links between drug use and significantly lower household income. Studies which show links between marijuana use and increased incidence of mental health problems including depression and schizophrenia. Studies which show an increase in physical health problems associated with dope smoking including lung cancer. Studies which show a direct correlation between driving while under the influence of marijuana and road crashes, including fatal road crashes and those causing lifelong incapacitation to other road users. etc. etc. But you cant see any of this ???
There are anecdotes for every occasion, but anecdotes are not evidence; they're just stories.
There's more to be lost by treating cannabis users as criminals than there is by treating those struggling with problematic use as having a treatable health issue.
There's more to be lost by legalising marijuana and legitimizing all of the problems it causes. There are already very good government funded support systems in place for those who genuinely want to get over a marijuana addiction. Problem is most regular users are too hooked on the trash to see the problems it is causing and don't actually want to get off it.
If reason can't sway you, then I'll appeal to your neo liberal sense of avarice . . . think of the profits you personally could make by growing it and selling it in a legislated and legalised situation.
Do you really think I want to grow an insidious drug like dope that causes depression and schizophrenia in some users, causes lung cancer and destroys lives.....Please give me a little bit more credit than that.
Think of the govt taxes to be reaped by its legal sale. They're huge. Just look at some states in the USA where billions of dollars roll in to govt coffers annually. Think of the jobs created.
And just like tobacco & alcohol taxes, all of that money will still not be enough to pay for all of the negative health and social problems legalising dope will cause.
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