Legalize Marijuana Yes or No?

[4channel]

This is an issue that I have mixed thoughts on. At the moment there's a huge problem with Ice and it seems it will never go away. The fact that it's rife in some country towns is a very scary thing. Should we just  say To heck with it, let people puff away till their heart's content" and thus give police more time and resources to go after the pushers of the heavier stuff?

I don't smoke. I tried it in the past a few times years ago and not that impressed.  I think that it does ruin the motivation of some young people and they'll never reach their potential. Then again booze does the same thing as well.

With all that's going on in the world, is it time to have a look at this?

What are your thoughts?

[joz*garage]

Personally I have learnt to cope with.. myself.. and life without self medicating, I believe self medicating just doesn't fix any underlying mental probs, just makes it worse so does prescribed medication. This is my choice.

I just think of a wider view, now, what's goes on in the insane world we live in or built for ourselves and, what I think would be best for the community

There are more serious pressing issues at hand like Climate Change, there wouldn't be much more time left or chance to enjoy or abuse legal mind/mood altering substances anyhow.

[not_for_sale2025]

I think different life experiences rub off on us in different ways. For example, the first friend I lost was in my teens. He overdosed on LSD. Since then my profession has brought me in touch with many, many people with drug and alcohol problems. Unfortunately, too many of them were young people who killed themselves because the world was too hard for them to live in. The main underlying thing the majority suffered from was depression, and the illicit drugs made it worse. Yet few family members and friends had a clue before it was too late. This problem is more widespread than people are aware.

[chameleon54]

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@joz*garage wrote:

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@not_for_sale2025 wrote:

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@joz*garage wrote:

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@not_for_sale2025 wrote:

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I disagree, Cannabis is not only consumed by smoking it.

& In comparison.. for example, the harm caused by legal alcohol outweighs the harm caused by marijuana. (to the individual & society)

The advantages of alcohol is very little, when they say controlled drinking "may" reduce heart disease.

The medical benefts of Cannabis is well documented.

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I'm unsure what your point is! There is a huge difference between medicinal cannabis and smoking marijuana. Medicinal cannabis is legal in Australia and can be prescribed by a doctor for specific medical conditions. Clearly the OP was referring to the smoking of marijuana. While legal alcohol is dangerous in so many ways, smoking marijuana is dangerous too. So we should legalise marijuana because it is thought to be less dangerous than alcohol? Is that it?

Hey, when I was younger I used to chant 'make love not war' too, with an enlightened head. But the world is very different now and I worry about the stresses young people are trying to deal with. They need support to manage their lives, not escape it. The legalisation of marijuana would lead to an increase in usage, and while some people might see that as a good thing, I do not. If I could trade the violent drunks for stoned dopers I probably would. But I would continue to worry about the kids today and how our experiences could help them work through their futures, which look pretty grim.

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Point being; cannabis isn't just taken by smoking it, it can be an incredient for cakes cookies etc.

I knew lots of folks who were non drinkers or tabacco smokers. & prefered cannabis consumed that way.

Maybe I should've address to OP direct.

I do believe the legalization for recreational use the community would be better off. Because, It's believed it leads to harder drugs, it's mainly because (for some users) only if they can't get cannabis - a dry spell, and their risk of getting addicted to harder drugs are greater.

The legalization would make it freely available to them.

On the other hand, yeah, there should be more education so people can cope with the real world, better parenting too, so folks don't latch onto self medicating (choose your poison) to try and cope with it.

But, I still believe in freedom of choice. Alcohol for example has some positives, for folks who enjoy a quailty wine with a meal, and the use of it in cooking.

Cannabis too has it postives; users certainly aren't as angry compared to drinkers. 

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While I,m opposed to legalising cannabis for recreational purposes, there is one problem legislation would solve. Currently it is quite common for drug dealers to infuse cannabis with other drugs such as ice. I,m not sure how they do it but it gives the user a much stronger high and in some cases can lead smokers to completely go off their trolly in an ice rage. I,ve seen it happen to a young person I know and it wasn't pretty. 

The infusion of cannabis with other drugs leads to greater dependency issues and makes marijuana a greater risk as a gateway to other drug use. Legislation and controlled production and sale would at least over come this problem.

[myoclon1cjerk]

As of 2008 there were no documented fatalities attributed directly to an LSD overdose.[7] Despite this, several behavioral fatalities and suicides have occurred due to LSD.[53][54] Eight individuals who accidentally consumed very high amounts by mistaking LSD for cocaine developed comatose states, hyperthermia, vomiting, gastric bleeding, and respiratory problems—all survived, however, with supportive care.[7]

[not_for_sale2025]

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@myoclon1cjerk wrote:
As of 2008 there were no documented fatalities attributed directly to an LSD overdose.[7] Despite this, several behavioral fatalities and suicides have occurred due to LSD.[53][54] Eight individuals who accidentally consumed very high amounts by mistaking LSD for cocaine developed comatose states, hyperthermia, vomiting, gastric bleeding, and respiratory problems—all survived, however, with supportive care.[7]

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The friend I referred to died decades ago. While I didn't know at the time, he was pretty messed up and abused LSD, heroine and MJ virtually on a daily basis. On the night he died I was in another house down the road when we were told he had overdosed on LSD and was dead . Some time later I heard the family had been told he died from a heart attack following the overdose. I have no idea what was entered on the death certificate or what was documented in the records. All I can say is my 18 year old friend died this way a long time ago. Too young, too tragic.

[myoclon1cjerk]

Only one of those 3 will kill you, and that's heroin.

[not_for_sale2025]

I think it's like Covid, it depends on the underlying conditions a person may or may not have.

[4channel]

There's many good replies here and they give a lot to think about too. Nice one!

[4channel]

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@*tippy*toes* wrote:

It should be legalised for medical purposes and dispensed through a pharmacy like any other drug. The difference it can make to someone on chemo is huge. Same with uncontrolled pain and end stage cancer. Kids that have uncontrolled seizures can really benefit, as can kids with cerebral palsy. For some with severe medical conditions, it can mean the difference between being locked in their house, or being able to lead some kind of normal life, including having a job.

Most only need the CBD variety that doesn't have the THC, but for some, the THC component is what helps with their condition.

I don't agree with legalising it for recreational use. I would agree to decriminalise it, like ACT and SA for users (not dealers). That said, people will smoke it regardless. 

I have seen first hand the difference it has made to some people with long term medical issues. Sad reality for them is, they have to be basically criminals to get the relief they need for their condition, that conventional medicines can't help with.

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There's a lot of good points in your post *tippy*toes and it touches on a few things that would go well to improve the situation for a lot of people. Personally I don't like to see people smoking it but people as you say with smoke it regardless.

So possibly ecriminalisation is a valid consideration. Certainly it is for the reason you gave. Better access to it for medicinal requirements without all the bull will help a lot of people with those medical conditions that haven't been improved by other means. So it needs to be looked at as soon so people can have better quality of life.  Another reason to decriminalise is that a young person caught with a couple of joints in their pocket can have a lifetime criminal record. That can ruin future prospects. That's real sad.  Perhaps make it illegal for dealers as you say and penalise them. But, if anyone gets caught with a small amount on the street, it gets taken off them and dispposed of. And if it's a young person, their parents get informed and that's the end of it. That would free up law enforcement resources to concentrate more on harder drugs.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

I have a few questions to ponder that may help those that cannot decide whether pot should again be decriminalized

Why was cannabis use and cultivation made illegal?

What is the most widely used illicit substance in Australia?

Who (at the moment) profits in Australia from the production and sale of Cannabis? (estimated illicit maket in Australia annually is 5 billion dollars) 

How much money is spent yearly in Australia on "the war on drugs"?

Listing drugs licit and ilicit in order which drug causes the most deaths in Australia annually?