My answer to the lock down rules - dope.

Recipe MerylStreep?

Well when it leads to something stronger..... I have worked with young people whose life changed with this stuff. . A girl of 18 in a long term coma just looking at the ceiling. Her distraught parents filling the room with teddy's and balloons hoping their girl would come back to them. The young lad in prison who told his story of dead houses as they were called. All so completely damaged and off the heads on heroin, that when one of them had died, they would all leave the dead house, and leave the dead heroin addict behind. No dignity in death from this stuff is there.......

The jury is out, I think, on whether it does lead to stronger drugs.
www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-gateway-drug

Alright, dude.

I think those of you who are giving instances of young people being damaged are probably unaware that they were more than likely smoking skunk, as were their parents. They were probably smoking an awful lot of it. Skunk is a completely different animal.
The difference between my younger days and now is: it's relatively cheap. It's everywhere. You can have it delivered if you want.

Deals on wheels.

Chewbacca you can add it to a chocolate brownie mixture, just don't leave them around when the GCs visit!!

Whether or not it becomes a "gateway drug" depends on who is using it. Addiction comes in the person, not the substance. And how individuals will respond, is an unknown. So - it is risky.

quizqueen

Absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible advice. Cannabis is a gateway drug and I know someone who has developed schizophrenia after its use. All drugs are dangerous; it's not a jolly joke.

Spot on quizqueen??
I could hardly believe the OP had written such nonsense.

Cheers trisher ?

As any policeman will tell you, there is no quality control on what is supplied on the street (either on strength or contents), and skunk is addictive and so much stronger than herbal quality cannabis.

The gateway drug is the humble cigarette!

Cannabis 50 years ago and cannabis today are two different animals. It’s really not something to be advocating. It’s also fuelling crime - do you want to be responsible for that?

FWIW, I sympathise with the idea of legalising drugs such as cannabis. It would mean that the drug could be regulated and consumers would know what they’re using. It also takes away the gateway drug element and removes the crime associated with illegal drugs. Oh, and could be taxed.

I’ve never smoked anything, don’t think I’ll bother now!

...but I don’t think to legalise would take away the underground dealing and the crime, look at smuggled cheap cigarettes people risk coming home with literally suitcaseS full
There would be some reasons to not get it the legit way cheapness, strength, availability There would still be underground deals you can bet
I think the original post is totally irresponsible

It’s worked well in Portugal, BlueBell.

I don’t know anyone who smokes now, so don’t really know about illicit tobacco but smoking currently at its lowest rate ever, especially amongst young people who consider ‘ fags are for losers’.

Alcohol and tobacco would never be legalised these days, but that ship has sailed and moves to limit smoking are in place. I see little advantage to legalising another drug for general consumption, medical use is totally different.

Cannabis was still dangerous 40 years ago. One of my jobs was to summarise the 8000 patient records in the GP practice, and without exception all the young people with schizophrenia had a history of cannabis use for a couple of years before their symptoms started.

Funny story. Quite a few years ago, I came home to find my daughter had made a chocolate cake. Gorgeous. Sticky and damp in the middle. Mmm. I devoured a large piece and went off to watch TV with a cup of tea. An hour or so later, I felt VERY ill. Woozy and dizzy. Had to go to bed. When she returned home the next day, she enlightened me. Dope cake. I've tried smoking it and obviously, eating it. Neither agrees with me.

My bloke on the other hand, has smoked it for over 50 years. Held down a professional job for his entire life.

Yes, it can be dangerous for some. So can alcohol and fags. I've known many alcoholics unfortunately. They wreck lives, and not just their own.

Is it not grown in a different way now in those illegal cannabis "farms" under some sort of strong lighting that appears to produce a far more potent matter than what went into roll ups back in the 60s? I don't know I'm not an expert. "Skunk" seemed to be around when my children were in their teens and we as parents were warned that could induce psychotic episodes.

What I do think we should all be aware of, is that moving drugs around via County Lines is a frightening new phenomenon which enslaves and ruins the lives of many youngsters.

Yes, those illegal farms in attics and outbuildings, Terribull, which use trafficked ‘slaves’ to maintain them, sometimes children barely into their teens. The Guardian had some good articles about it.

Anyone who thinks smoking cannabis is a victimless crime needs to think again.

There are plenty of ordinary, everyday people quietly growing their own.

MissAdventure

There are plenty of ordinary, everyday people quietly growing their own.

MissAdventure And breaking the law, hope they're prepared for a criminal record. We don't get to decide which laws we think are reasonable and which we'll wilfully break. If you disagree with a law campaign for its repeal or amendment, nobody has the right to decide for themselves which ones they'll obey.

B9exchange It is always hard to know whether people who are starting with the symptoms of schizophrenia use cannabis to self medicate or whether cannabis is involved in the causation of schizophrenia.

Janipat, there are frequently laws which are wrong. Anti homosexuality laws in the UK in the past for example. Now obviously, I'm not comparing drug laws which are mostly very necessary and aim to protect the public, with outdated and overthrown legislation.

But people decide for themselves everyday which laws or rules they'll follow and which they won't. IMO cannabis is no more dangerous than alcohol.

I've had 3 close family members who were alcoholics. They destroyed marriages and committed acts of violence and assault on their own families. Can't say the same about dope smokers. NOT that I'm advocating it.

GagaJo as I said in my post upthread If you disagree with a law campaign for its repeal or amendment, nobody has the right to decide for themselves which ones they'll obey. It's anarchy to suggest that we all disobey those laws we individually have a problem with.