Correct - but thankfully, at least for now, it's perfectly acceptable to talk about those laws which you think are wrong.

Personally, after decades of the so-called war on drugs, which has patently and clearly had no positive impact on any of the things it purports to deal with, I think it's time for a new approach; other countries have tried it, with good results, and there's now enough empirical data to cherry pick the best ideas from around the world, to create a UK solution.

There are many reasons why that won't happen for the foreseeable future of course, not least the frothing, Daily Mail attitude that all drugs are bad; and since we're in an age where some people believe that their opinions trump facts, it's very hard to get past. I hope we do though. I like this, from Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance in the USThe true challenge is learning to live with drugs so that they cause the least harm. An effective strategy needs to establish realistic objectives and criteria for evaluating success or failure, and must focus on reducing the death, disease, crime and suffering associated with both drug use and drug policies.'"

Some sense Drugs and some of the e peddled about them is ridiculous. Like any chemical substance will be abused and used inappropriately by a lot of people. I think sometimes people just think people take drugs and then the drugs ruin that person. Usually there are deep rooted problems in that person's mentality or life/lifestyle long before the drugs come into it. The drugs are the symptom and not the cause. Most addicts will tell you that.

But that's only representative of a small minority of drug users overall. Millions of people take drugs every week/weekend without ending up robbing a granny's handbag to fund their habit or living in a filthy squat with teeth missing. Yes there are problem users of social drugs in the same way there are problem users of prescription drugs and alcohol and tobacco. Most people are perfectly able to fund their drug use through legitimate means (just like most drinkers) and will never commit any other crime to obtain or use drugs, other than the socially constructed and in my opinion arbitrary laws around drug possession and supply. The vast majority of drug users are able to moderate their use they are not junkies, which is often the depiction of drug use in the media and which is the image many people associate with it.

Couldn't agree more, it riles me when people have the image of "he's on drugs so he is just like something out of trainspotting" Just think of the revenue that can be raised from taxes on such a cheap crop, the health benefits, stoping people who just want a bit of weed from having to visit a dealer, the business's popping up to produce it all paying rates. It's an absolute no brainer for me, only the big pharma companies are stopping this happening.

Not to mention that legitimising the production and supply breaks the crims stranglehold, and stops much of the well publicised harm that occurs in the supply chain.

Also it would take away the bad stuff they put in it to make it go further, which in itself is a danger

OK what would be the plan to legitimise the production of these drugs from Columbia and Afghanistan (cocaine and heroin respectively) and marijuana that is now openly grown the UK that is strengthening in its THC levels that are now allegedly causing psychotic issues.

I know the issues with alcohol they cause issues with users but its legal, the vast majority of brewers do it legally (obviously there are illegal stills knocking out spirits but nothing compared to drugs).

The point of only a few are criminals due to drug use is probably right due to the high numbers of people using hard drugs (Class A coke etc. as recreational drugs with the funds to use it and not commit crime however all those using illicit drugs and substances are financing serious and organised criminal gangs overseas and in this country.

Criminals control it because it is illegal,if alcohol were illegal the same criminals would be providing that too

home brewing of beer can be classed as illegal, I had that conversation with the C&E

Quote: bren2k "Not to mention that legitimising the production and supply breaks the crims stranglehold, and stops much of the well publicised harm that occurs in the supply chain.'" Yes, there are no 'crims' involved in the trading of legal substances. Tobacco for example. https://www.ashscotland.org.uk/media/66 ... obacco.pdf www.bat.com/theman www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk

Quote: bren2k "Not to mention that legitimising the production and supply breaks the crims stranglehold, and stops much of the well publicised harm that occurs in the supply chain.'" Yes, there are no 'crims' involved in the trading of legal substances. Tobacco for example. https://www.ashscotland.org.uk/media/66 ... obacco.pdf www.bat.com/theman www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk

and yet there were no 'crims' involved in tobacco say 15 years ago. Before the Briitish governemnt started taxing the hell out of it. People go on holiday and see how cheap cigs are and then come back home and must think wtf is going on. Sure we've always paid more in Britain because basiscally it's seen as you're paying extra to the NHS in case of Cancer and other smoking related ilnesses. But then at the same time Alcholol in supermakets seems to get cheaper and cheaper.

the more you brew the cheaper it gets so for someone like me find it hard when you have to compete with the big boys, also the abv is rated so a reducing in abv also reduces taxation so can be passed to the consumer

Indeed - look to prohibition in the US for a real life example.