Legalise Cannabis: The Start...

[RESiNATE]

The past couple of days has seen me in an exceptionally wierd mood.
I can't quite understand what it is that I'm going through; depression, alienation, loneliness?
Whatever.
Anyways, I've been doing alot of thinking during this time (of which unabatable wierdness continues to haunt me), and have been trying to arrive at a solution to the age old argument of wether or not Cannabis should be legalised.

All of this preamble has a point (eventually lol).

So, whilst I continue to ponder this unfathomable infringement upon civil liberty and draconianism, I thought that I might share something that I have stumbled across during my research.
It is a letter that was sent to the editor of The Times (a well respected broadsheet newspaper of the UK).

Letter to the Editor - The Times


Reforming Drug laws
John Wadham
24 May 2002


Sir

I very much support Lord Bingham's call for the legalisation of cannabis use (Times 24th May) and the Home Affairs Select Committee's proposals to liberalise the drug laws. But I would go further: the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 should be repealed. Criminalisation has failed; civil regulation is the way forward.

Branding all drug users criminals increases alienation, particularly among young people. It undermines public support for the criminal justice system; increases the level of crimes such as robbery, prostitution and burglary to fund expensive addictions; threatens privacy; has fed the growth of violent and organised crime; and labels many honest people as criminal.

Successive governments, clinging to this failed approach, have resorted to increasingly authoritarian measures. We have seen more use of intrusive policing (e.g. surveillance, telephone interception, informers); and increasingly draconian sentencing (39% of women prisoners are serving sentences for drug offences). Now the Proceeds of Crime Bill will allow the state, via the civil courts to confiscate the 'drug-related' assets of people not even convicted of drug offences.

The use of repressive laws to punish individual consumption of harmful substances is wholly disproportionate. Society accepts that individuals can choose to take part in dangerous activities, from drinking and smoking to extreme sports; the same should be true here.

The Government should decriminalise possession, use and supply of all drugs. A system of civil regulation and control would carefully, effectively regulate access to the lawful supply of drugs. Supply to minors, for example, should remain a criminal offence - but overall, people should be allowed to make their own choices.

Civil regulation and education must offer a better approach to the prevention of drug harm in a free society than prohibition.

Yours

John Wadham
Director
Liberty 21 Tabard Street London SE1 4LA
This letter is exclusive to The Times

Mr Wadham makes some very good points, I think

Just thought I'd share that, and the culmination of my research and reasoning will follow soon...

Res...

RESiNATE Reviewed by RESiNATE on 01-09-2005. Legalise Cannabis: The Start... The past couple of days has seen me in an exceptionally wierd mood. I can't quite understand what it is that I'm going through; depression, alienation, loneliness? Whatever. Anyways, I've been doing alot of thinking during this time (of which unabatable wierdness continues to haunt me), and have been trying to arrive at a solution to the age old argument of wether or not Cannabis should be legalised. All of this preamble has a point (eventually lol). So, whilst I continue to ponder Rating: 5

[RESiNATE]

The original "Misuse of Drugs Act (1971)" can be found here:
http://www.disabilityuk.com/cannabis...annabis_l3.htm

It has since been reformed, and the lateset bill that I could find is summarised here:
http://www.drugsprevention.net/drugs/?s=C&d=C2

And, this has some useful links too:
http://www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPu...?batch_start=1

[LonerStoner]

I agree completely. I've been saying the same thing for years here in the states. decriminalize, regulate, and tax. The amount of money saved on prison costs, what with 600,000 people not getting jailed for marijuana every year, would only be matched by the amount of tax dollars the government would be able to cull from MJ taxation. It's time to stop believing 50 year old racist propaganda and look at some facts for once.

*sigh, takes another illegal hit*

[poorman3]

thanks resinate, that sounded good. keep up the good work. hope you get over what ever your going through.peace.

[Junkdogg88]

I think that if we all pertisapated in "The Legalization of Cannabis Act" then we might get somewhere. If everyone sent a letter to the goverment, magazines, local newspaper, etc. stating the facts of marijuana that would be great! This next Idea might be corny but it could help. Make flyers/signs/letter that have facts about marijuana and a link of this site and other sites that having cannabis facts that would only help. Another idea is get marijuana facts put on billboards. Anyways, if you have any ideas that I left out please jump in.

[RESiNATE]

Thanks, Poorman - I'll get thru it...I usually do

Listen, the thing is this:
In order to change someone's mind, you have to first understand their objection, right
Once you've understood their grievances, you can then go about trying to discredit their fears and prejudices.

What are the Governments (uk and US, in particular) worried about?
Money,
Exposure (to minors, in particular)
Insurances
Control and Regulation
Crime rate
Public support (they don't want to upset their voters, eh?)
Laws and governance
Duties (ie, taxes, etc)
Health care burden (is it fair that a toker should get free medical care, when they are 'self-inflictant'?)

It's stuff like this that will ALWAYS be thrown back at you...
But, for every attack, there is a counter-attack...and it goes both ways.

It's not just a simple case of liberty infringement - there are many things to consider.
Forget about the personal health issues, we could all produce reams and reams of evidence to support cannabis as 'unharmful'.

You have to think of arguments that will stump even the most staunch opposers.
Back those arguments up with FACTS - not OPINION.
And, most of all, it has to be financially viable and revenue-rich...lol
Money, after all, is the root of all evil, isn't it?


There are plenty of folk on this site who possess the intelligence and where-with-all to offer something into the pot ('scuse the pun lol).
Let's all pull together on this, and see if we can't come up with a sensible, fact-based, proposal that cannot be reasonably defiled (<--wrong word, but you know what I mean lol).

Res...

[XTC]

Making cannabis legal is a good idea, but I doubt it would happen, and if it did it might end up spitting in our face. If it got legalized it would be controlled by the goverments. Which would probably charge the shit out of it. Plus taxes. The goverment would know that average joe would willingly pay 60 dollars and eight when it was illegal, so why not jack the prices up. Who would be their competition? Growers No. I bet if the goverment grew weed and legalized it anyone average joe growing his own stash for kicks or to make profit would be hunted down and hauled off to jail and face fines up the ass. The Goverment wouldnt want any competition

[robert42]

i agree we should all sign petitons and send letters weekly to the goverment and stuff. i think its bout time the law changed and maybe if sum1 spoke up more ppl would too. i doubt it would tkae much to persuade the uk into legalisation but i dunno it wont be easy and i just cant see it as much as i fuckin badly want that shit tho man.

if we get our voices across in numbers. and in quanitity and we do it regualarly so they cant 4get about us then maybe.

I SAY ALL UK STONERS STORM 10 DOWNIGN STREET DRESSED AS A CANNABIS LEAF ON A HUNGER STRIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Encatuse]

Think about how expensive making marijuana legal all of a sudden would be for our government though. They'd have to pay people for all the things they took from them ((weed, houses, cars)) etcetera and pay people for the time they spent in jail huge sums of money or face getting sued. Etcetera....

But I am all for it. Marilize Legauana

[RESiNATE]

I SAY ALL UK STONERS STORM 10 DOWNIGN STREET DRESSED AS A CANNABIS LEAF ON A HUNGER STRIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lmaoo
I can hear the cries of: "And they say that cannabis isn't mentally harmful!!!"
lol


Petitions don't work, unless you can counter-attack all of their arguments.
Letters won't get past the post office.

Ask yourself a few simple questions:

Why should we legalise weed?
How would industry suffer as a result of cannabis-inebriation?
How could you 'police' the work-place?
How would you police 'drugged in charge of..' type laws? (ie, driving, working heavy machinery, etc, etc)
What would be considered as 'personal use', and conversely, 'drug dealing'?

Those just to get you started!
and we haven't even thought about taxation and state health burdens!

Ultimately,
How would the general population benefit from legalisation of cannabis?

Res...