I think when we're talking about skunk sending the yoof bonkers, we are also missing the elephant in the room. That's that the same people will also swallow pills with no real idea what's in them, snort go-faster powders and binge drink. All at once. Who's to say what really causes the mental health issues. My son knows of at least 6 people from his old school who no longer had bladders by the age of 19 due to taking Ketamine. These are regular kids from regular families. Apologies for vereing the subject off course, but there's an epidemic of ignorance among young people as to what they might be getting into and peer pressure makes them believe it's all harmless. So yes I do agree drugs are a big problem, but here in the UK ignorance seems to be a bigger one. Or hopelessness, who knows?
As I put before I don't really mind what people do behind there closed doors as long as it's not harming anyone. My concern, as with most substances including alcohol, is when the person who is under the influence goes onto the streets and interacts with the public. They tend to engage stupid mode, normally by driving a car, and that is when it effects others including their next of kin. I've always said that if alcohol was discovered now, it would be banned, because of the effects on the body and cost to society. Heroin is a total nightmare but for some reason some people want that legalising. Will cannabis ever become legalised? Don't know. It was lowered to a Cat C drug only to be raised back up to Cat B again a few years ago. I believe that it was due to medical advice again but could have been to the government losing the moral high ground. It just frustrates me what people do to themselves for thrills. It saddens me what their relatives have to go through when It goes wrong. It angers me when it's expected that someone will sort things out when they continue their chosen life chaotic style. To be fair, this usually relates to alcohol or heroin fuelled events. I must come across a pretty boring old fart really.
I havnt said anything on this thread , ive never done herbs believe me or not , ive seen and been amungst a few that do and have in my years, i have a good friend whom i havnt seen for quite a while , he has been using it and other stuff for years , i took him in 15 or so years ago to work with me , he wasnt stupid ,well ......... since then whilst not working with me, hes lost his job because of it , tested on site and dismissed . The trouble with any drug is whilst taking it are you really aware of what its doing to you and or whether their will be a long term effect ? I do agree its not just what it does to you(that is your business??) but its the effect it has on others around and the effect on their lives that should be given more consideration especially children who have no say . Its a fine line really i suppose.
I think "hopelessness" is the key. A lot of people turn to drugs because they have problems. Drugs don't cause their problems, but in most cases they don't help. But it's socially acceptable to have a glass of wine to wind down at the end of the day, and if we agree that that's OK, then I think there's a case for arguing that cannabis used in a similarly moderate fashion is actually a safer choice. Those "hopeless" individuals who do either to excess regularly will have problems whatever they use. And they probably don't care whether the substance is illegal or not. For me that's one of the advantages of cannabis over alcohol. It tends to make people withdraw into themselves somewhat, and if anything make them more risk averse, so they're less likely to go out and do something stupid than with a lot of other drugs, driving a car included. It's more likely to be enjoyed behind closed doors than alcohol, and that's not just because it's illegal. I agree that it's dangerous stuff, but I think that the problems it causes to society are primarily down to associated poverty and people having to steal to fund their addiction. There are, believe it or not, wealthy junkies who function just fine. Of course they're in the minority. One argument is that giving registered addicts legal and affordable access to the drug stops them from turning to crime. The other argument is that a controlled legal supply is safer because the dose is known and so there's less risk of overdose. As I understand it, heroin, although highly addictive, has a relatively negligible effect on mental or physical health. ... I want to add that I'm trying not to take sides here. I respect others' views and I don't want to fall out with any of you guys. I'm trying to follow what I see as a pragmatic line. But I do tend towards a libertarian / live and let live world view and I fear that society is heading in the opposite direction. In my ideal world, one which is freer and more enlightened than the one we have now, we wouldn't need to tell people what they can and can't do - rather we would aim to bring up happy, thoughtful and considerate individuals who are able to make sensible choices for themselves. Maybe we're not there yet but to me the legalisation debate is part of a bigger conversation about how to get there.
I accept your points of view even though I do have a different take on things. However the one thing I totally and absolutely disagree with is that 'heroin has a relatively negligible effect on physical and mental health.' Heroin totally *****s you up. Full stop.
I hear what you're saying and I know people whose lives have been ruined by the drug. But most of the problems are due to the addiction itself, secondary to that complications arising from typical (illegal) street use, i.e. risks of infection, problems caused by what it's been cut with, poor diet and lifestyle etc. Rich people who can get the good stuff and an endless supply of clean needles have fewer problems. The Wikipedia page has the following to say under "Adverse effects": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin "Like most opioids, unadulterated heroin does not cause many long-term complications other than dependence and constipation.[38] The average purity of street heroin in the UK varies between 30% and 50% and heroin that has been seized at the border has purity levels between 40% and 60%; this variation has led to people suffering from overdoses as a result of the heroin missing a stage on its journey from port to end user, as each set of hands that the drug passes through adds further adulterants, the strength of the drug reduces, with the effect that if steps are missed, the purity of the drug reaching the end user is higher than they are used to.[39] Intravenous use of heroin (and any other substance) with non-sterile needles and syringes or other related equipment may lead to: The risk of contracting blood-borne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis by the sharing of needles The risk of contracting bacterial or fungal endocarditis and possibly venous sclerosis Abscesses Poisoning from contaminants added to "cut" or dilute heroin Decreased kidney function (although it is not currently known if this is because of adulterants or infectious diseases)[40]"
