This Legalise Cannabis campaign

[Gnasher]

Bit of Bill Hicks

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=29KVuxEwlRM

[Rico1304]

Interesting article

 

http://www.icsdp.org/cannabis_global_pr

[Champ]

Interesting article

 

http://www.icsdp.org/cannabis_global_pr

I'm surprised there's been (almost) no mention of the relationship between cannabis use and schizophrenia. While the debate continues about the direction of that association, I for one would be very concerned about my kids getting involved in it

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

I'm surprised there's been (almost) no mention of the relationship between cannabis use and schizophrenia. While the debate continues about the direction of that association, I for one would be very concerned about my kids getting involved in it

Anecdotal evidence though it may be, my auditory hallucination and subsequent panic attack alone make me wish I'd never touched the stuff. It's fun at first but it's too easy to just fall into the trap of smoking out of boredom and it doesn't add anything to your life at that stage, and takes so much.

[Bjornebye]

Just a thought. How shit would trainspotting have been if they were pot heads instead of junkies.

[setreal]

I'm surprised there's been (almost) no mention of the relationship between cannabis use and schizophrenia. While the debate continues about the direction of that association, I for one would be very concerned about my kids getting involved in it

 

Meanwhile, alcohol usage leading to psychoses is very well documented and understood.

[Champ]

Meanwhile, alcohol usage leading to psychoses is very well documented and understood.

I know many damaging effects of alcohol but wasn't aware of this

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Yea alcohol induced psychosis is a thing to. Can have terrible effects on the brain chemistry and cause all sorts of mental illnesses. I think i might genuinely stay off the drink from now on, only dipping my toe for a couple now and again. I had a sober one with my mates all blocked recently and they only got annoying at about 11pm. Even then if I was in a better frame of mind I think I could have had fun until 12-1am.

 

The way alcohol or weed affect me these days, its just not even close to 'worth it'.

[General Dryness]

Just a thought. How shit would trainspotting have been if they were pot heads instead of junkies.

It would have been more of a comedy, certainly. One that was only funny to other potheads though.

[Champ]

I know many damaging effects of alcohol but wasn't aware of this

Which is very odd, considering my role as a mental health officer. I just havent knowingly come across it before. Very very odd

[setreal]

Yea alcohol induced psychosis is a thing to. Can have terrible effects on the brain chemistry and cause all sorts of mental illnesses.

 

When I was doing my civilian service year I was in a therapy centre and there was a bloke there who had lost his short term memory because of booze. He was like the guy from Memento. Every few hours he would forget everything and wonder all over again where the hell he is and who everybody was. 

[Champ]

When I was doing my civilian service year I was in a therapy centre and there was a bloke there who had lost his short term memory because of booze. He was like the guy from Memento. Every few hours he would forget everything and wonder all over again where the hell he is and who everybody was.

Now, that I do know about. Alcohol induced dementia

[Fowlers God]

Which is very odd, considering my role as a mental health officer. I just havent knowingly come across it before. Very very odd

My mum's an occupational therapy within mental health and I lost my best friend to schizophrenia 6 years ago (suicide).

 

It all affects individuals differently. The one thing about drugs is that they are good. People wouldn't take them if they weren't. The issue with drugs is that people abuse them (Inc alcohol) and that's when problems lie.

 

Before my friend was ill and diagnosed we both took the same amount of drugs. Luckily for me I turned out OK. One thing it didn't do was stop me from taking them and I often wonder why but I can't explain it. Even though I've seen the horrors first hand and heard the horrors from my mum I still think cannabis should be legalised so that it's controlled and grades are monitored.

[Remmie]

I am pro-legalisation, though I find the typical pro-legalisation pothead arguments incredibly frustrating.

 

The first issue I have is the almost complete lack of acknowledgement that there are any harmful physical or social affects from regular Cannabis use. There are like with any drug and if these are acknowledged and put in relevant context then it strengthens the argument for the pro-lobby for me.

 

The second issue I find is the continued comparisons with Alcohol. As potheads constantly point out, they are totally different drugs, so why compare them? It's tit for tat, 2 wrongs make a right nonsense. If there must be a comparison with a legal drug - why not Tobacco? Surely the Cannabis debate is regarding the merits of this particular drug, not alcohol.

[Jairzinho]

I am pro-legalisation, though I find the typical pro-legalisation pothead arguments incredibly frustrating.

 

The first issue I have is the almost complete lack of acknowledgement that there are any harmful physical or social affects from regular Cannabis use. There are like with any drug and if these are acknowledged and put in relevant context then it strengthens the argument for the pro-lobby for me.

 

The second issue I find is the continued comparisons with Alcohol. As potheads constantly point out, they are totally different drugs, so why compare them? It's tit for tat, 2 wrongs make a right nonsense. If there must be a comparison with a legal drug - why not Tobacco? Surely the Cannabis debate is regarding the merits of this particular drug, not alcohol.

 

I don't really see the problem with pointing out the enormous hypocrisy in allowing both alcohol and tobacco to be legal, but Cannabis not. Especially as both are, by an enormous multitude, more dangerous. The comparison can also highlight more shady reasons for Cannabis being illegal. In that it has fuck all to do with safety, and everything to do with money.

[Jose Jones]

I don't really see the problem with pointing out the enormous hypocrisy in allowing both alcohol and tobacco to be legal, but Cannabis not. Especially as both are, by an enormous multitude, more dangerous. The comparison can also highlight more shady reasons for Cannabis being illegal. In that it has fuck all to do with safety, and everything to do with money.

Why money?

Surely legalised cannabis would make lots of people and the government lots of money? Like fags and booze do.

[Jairzinho]

Why money?

Surely legalised cannabis would make lots of people and the government lots of money? Like fags and booze do.

 

I don't think it's quite that simple. For example, a lot of the backlash in America (unsuccessful thankfully in some cases) is from major pharmaceutical companies and the prison industry.

 

Lots of people make money from drugs being illegal.

[Jose Jones]

I don't think it's quite that simple. For example, a lot of the backlash in America (unsuccessful thankfully in some cases) is from major pharmaceutical companies and the prison industry.

 

Lots of people make money from drugs being illegal.

Ah got you. I guess that would be a bit less pertinent in the UK but there is still a fair amount of private company involvement in prisons and the judicial system.

[Champ]

what relationship? is the a defined one? the only known link is that if you are schizophrenic it can be bad for you, but I would of that a given. Kids shouldn't be smoking/taking it regardless IMO.

There is a recognised link between cannabis use and schizophrenia; what isnt established is the relationship between the two...does the use of cannabis cause schizophrenia? does its use increase the likelihood of people vulnerable to the condition going on to developing schizophrenia? Or could people be self medicating with cannabis to ameliorate the symptoms emerging schizophrenia?

[mattyq]

There is a recognised link between cannabis use and schizophrenia; what isnt established is the relationship between the two...does the use of cannabis cause schizophrenia? does its use increase the likelihood of people vulnerable to the condition going on to developing schizophrenia? Or could people be self medicating with cannabis to ameliorate the symptoms emerging schizophrenia?

Not sure this is true at all 

The studies are contentious to say the least and they certainly haven't proved any sort of causal link between cannabis and schizophrenia

I'm in favour  of legalization but heavy use of cannabis isn't a risk free activity which it is sometimes portrayed

I'd say it is generally preferable to heavy use of booze, though

[Champ]

Not sure this is true at all 

The studies are contentious to say the least and they certainly haven't proved any sort of causal link between cannabis and schizophrenia

I'm in favour  of legalization but heavy use of cannabis isn't a risk free activity which it is sometimes portrayed

I'd say it is generally preferable to heavy use of booze, though

 

Maybe you've misunderstood me. What I was trying to say is that there was an association between the use of cannabis and people with schizophrenia but that the relationship isnt accepted. 

 

Could it be said that the use of any mood altering substance, particularly in excess, presents risks? 

However, as FG said, and the anti brigade so often miss in their argument is that many people get pleasure/benefit from such substances, otherwise no-one would go anywhere near them.

 

Being a bit of a nervous fanny I've never had any interest in unregulated drug taking for myself but for the safety of users I find it hard to argue against legalisation

[Anny Road]

Too much coffee can have detrimental effects. So can chocolate digestives if you eat enough of them. Legalised controlled and regulated cannabis is surely less harmful than being sold stuff by a gangster. I know most dealers of pot are gentile smokers themselves but somewhere up the line there is a Curtis Warren.

[Paulie Dangerously]

Just a thought. How shit would trainspotting have been if they were pot heads instead of junkies.

Choose life

Actually can't be arsed. Let's get a Chinese in and watch Mopatop's Shop

[Remmie]

How can weed be illegal but tax evasion is allowed?

[magicrat]

There is a recognised link between cannabis use and schizophrenia; what isnt established is the relationship between the two...does the use of cannabis cause schizophrenia? does its use increase the likelihood of people vulnerable to the condition going on to developing schizophrenia? Or could people be self medicating with cannabis to ameliorate the symptoms emerging schizophrenia?

I know someone who is a chronic schizophrenic who's condition was almost certainly triggered by heavy cannabis use as a teenager . Life completely ruined, decades spent in and out of hospital on a section. I would still legalise it with very severe warnings as better its regulated and taxed than money going to organised crime