Are the Government missing a great revenue stream? (Should cannabis be legalised?)

Member Name: yackers1

Product:	Should cannabis be legalised?
Date:	28/11/08 (221 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: If legalised it can be controlled, taxed and relieve sufferers of MS

Disadvantages: The active ingredient can stay in the body for days resulting in impairment

There have been numerous research and analysis projects in to using cannabis to look at both the short term and long term effects that users are likely to experience. This has led to differences of opinion and many myths, resulting in a Chinese whispers scenario leading to many different and usually conflicting views, about the safety, usefulness and effects of this recreational drug.

Having never dabbled with this substance, I am not best placed to comment on what it does, how it affects the user, what the come down is like or any other physical or psychological effect that using cannabis has, however, from what I have been told, learnt (through college research and projects) and witnessed in people I know who use it, cannabis has a mildly sedative effect leading to decreased blood pressure, increased appetite (AKA the "Munchies"), feelings of relaxation, mild intoxication and increased sociability. These effects are delayed when eating or drinking so they last longer and could be more difficult to control. Users may feel confused, distressed and anxiety and panic and suspicion are not uncommon side effects.

If cannabis is smoked, long term use can cause lung cancer, bronchitis and all the other respiratory problems that are caused by smoking. Cannabis smoke contains 3 - 4 times more tar than that of tobacco, and since users inhale harder to get more out of it, the effects can arrive quicker than if the user was smoking tobacco alone.

Some argue that there is the 'gateway' effect when using cannabis. This means that cannabis users are likely to move on to harder drugs such as cocaine, heroine and the like in order to get the same hit as their body becomes accustomed to the THC (tetrahydrocannibinol) which is the "active" ingredient. There is no conclusive research to confirm this gateway effect.

Whether a user will go on to harder drugs depends upon the actual individual. Some will and some will not. I think that it depends upon the personality trait of each user and those with an addictive personality are more likely to move on to harder drugs, or use cannabis more frequently. I know of people who were around in the 'swinging' sixties who started using cannabis then and still do to this day and they have never used anything harder. They also only use it very occasionally, at a weekend once a fortnight or so as a way of escaping the stresses of modern day life.

On a night out I would not want to come across either drunken louts or cannabis users, however if it was a toss up between one or the other, then I would much prefer to encounter the latter. Alcohol is known to create violence and bravado amongst groups of testosterone fuelled men, whereas cannabis is most likely to make them sedate, relaxed and more sociable.

There is conclusive research that cannabis is good for chronic illnesses and can help people with MS. I know a lady with MS who has used cannabis in the past, preferring to eat it or put in coffee as opposed to smoking it, and it did relieved her symptoms somewhat. It is a shame that when she used the drug, or bought it she is tarred with the same brush as those individuals that used it for recreational purposes. The lady in question actually got caught purchasing cannabis and received a formal caution, despite obviously being ill and wheelchair bound, but I suppose the police can't discriminate against people as she was effectively a criminal after all. Since this the caution this lady has not indulged despite the relief cannabis gives her.

Obviously there are health warnings against cannabis use and that it may increase the chance of lung cancer and other smoking related illnesses. Smoking, although its popularity appears to be decreasing since the anti-smoking laws came in, is still a huge drain on NHS resources, and if cannabis were to be legalised then, on the assumption most users would smoke it, I think that there would be additional expenditure. Of course this expenditure could be recouped by the government doing what they do best and imposing extortionate taxes on the drug in order to balance the books and put some additional cash in the coffers.

The simple answer to the above would be not to smoke it. It is possible to eat it, in cakes and the like, or even drink it in coffee. Both of these are common practices in Amsterdam.

The idea of a cannabis house is, in my opinion, great. If people are going to use cannabis then as far as I am concerned, better it be in a controlled environment in one place rather than on street corners and other public areas. If cannabis were to be legalised in the UK then these establishments would be difficult to set up because of the anti-smoking laws. I guess it would be a coffee and cake shop, like the Central Perk in Friends, just that it would be a bit more chilled out.

One thing that does concern me is the drug driving implications that would arise if cannabis were legalised. I have read a piece of research suggesting that THC stays in the body for a few days, and whilst the user may feel OK they are still impaired. This means that a recreational user could have a weekend hit on a Saturday night and still be impaired when they drive to work on Monday morning.

It is quite easy to tell when a driver has been drinking, even the morning after, because you can smell it on them. If cannabis is eaten in cakes, or drunk in coffee then it would be a lot more difficult to tell as the smell could easily be masked if there was a smell present at all. I think that if users knew they could not get caught drug driving and they felt OK to drive (despite the THC still in their system resulting in impairment) then I think they would which would pose a massive threat on our roads and to pedestrians. I also think that, if cannabis was legalised, this situation would increase because the amount of users would increase.

Whilst the driving issue may not be significant in large towns and cities where there is good public transport and many people don't drive, or even need a car, this will be a large problem in rural areas where cars are a necessity and not a luxury.

****Conclusion****

On the face of it cannabis appears to be not that much more harmful than drinking alcohol or smoking, both of which are socially acceptable past times (although I appreciate this view is decreasing somewhat).

Cannabis is a naturally occurring substance and is usually pure (unlike other recreational drugs that are sometimes cut with household products) and the fact that it is a sedative appears to make it 'better' than alcohol which can make some drinkers a bit wound up and hyper.

I fully support the medicinal uses for sufferers of diseases like MS and think that it should be made readily available to these patients.

If cannabis were to be legalised then it could be taxed at higher rates, like cigarettes and alcohol, which would put more money in the coffers for government spending, although I think that there would be additional drain on NHS resources that would mitigate this.

Personally, I do not think that cannabis should be legalised. Whilst there are some benefits of doing so there are some major disadvantages, my main concern being that of drug driving. The UK is becoming more and more populated and the number of cars is increasing at an alarming rate each year. The roads are becoming crowded making them more dangerous for all road users including cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers and by increasing the chance of impaired road users I think you are increasing the chances of injuries and fatalities.

If you want to kick back, chill out and 'enjoy' cannabis then I would suggest going over to Amsterdam or somewhere like that where it is legal, readily available and there are establishments to deal with it.

Summary: A difficult one to call