Cannabis to be legalised 😁!

Thelonious Monk

It's never going to go away as it's so easy to grow, I have a little box greenhouse I got in Aldi where autoflowers grow in a couple of months and give you some nice buds, and indoor under lights you can have a massive yield in 9 weeks or so.

I can't see it being legalised in my lifetime in Ireland however, all it would take is a few phone calls to Joe Duffy and the whole country would be outraged. That is essentially how head shops got closed down 12 years ago or so.

Look at how we treat alcohol in this country, nannying it more and more, no government is going to want to introduce freely available reefer.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989632#Comment_120989632

I never said it would be. There would be a smaller market though, as most people would grow their own or use dispensaries. The Irish are a very law abiding bunch in the main.

Regulation would free up garda resources to go after the illegal trade of cannabis, and harder drugs.

It would be unfair to say that regulation wouldn’t put a sizeable dent in the illegal trade.

cantalach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989649#Comment_120989649

Yes, I agree with all that 100%. What you said was "I don’t think that’s happened anywhere it’s been made legal." I was just responding to that statement. I'm on your side here.

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989511#Comment_120989511

That's laughable! Teens will have less access to weed if we legalise it? We know this is not true for alcohol so that just doesn't add up.

And then you state that by legalising drugs, Gardaí resources will be freed to.........go after drug dealers. 🤣 Did you think that through? You're a good advertisement for keeping cannabis away from people.

timmyntc

Must be worrying polling for German government if they have to pull out the weed card.

Its almost always floated as a proposal only when polling numbers are looking bad. If they actually bring it in, then there's no more polling gains to be gotten by promising to bring it in. Eaten bread is soon forgotten - especially if you've been smoking

Feisar

I've no skin(s) in the game however I hate the whole "it's only a plant" shtick. Yea, so is heroin.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989671#Comment_120989671

The simple fact is, we don’t know if teens have more or less access to weed after legalisation. To say otherwise either way is wrong.

https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/substance-abuse/effects-of-marijuana-legalization/

for every study that shows an increase, there’s another that shows a decrease.

One of the big fears is the strength of weed available that teens are smoking, and I agree with this 100%. The biggest push for regulation has to be the proper labelling and availability of weaker weed for users. Currently it’s not in a dealers interest to stock up on bulkier, weaker weed.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989519#Comment_120989519

That Irish Times article is a very good article.

One thing I hate though is this:

Motivated by concern that psychiatric services could be overrun by a surge in people needing treatment for mental health issues related to the drug, the college said it was the “gravest threat” to the mental health of young people in Ireland.

“When you consider how potent the drug has become in recent years, it is obvious we are facing a perfect storm which has the potential to overrun our psychiatric services.”

They are so close, but can’t see the forest for the trees. Cannabis has gotten super strong these days compared to yesteryear. It certainly wouldn’t be uncommon to come across weed that is +18%THC, versus years ago where it could be as low as 1-3%.

The reason for this IS the criminality behind it.if it’s illegal, it makes more sense to release stronger versions, so you have to carry less weight to make the same profit.

Much like bootleggers in America weren’t brewing beers and wine, they were brewing spirits.

Regulating weed would allow weaker strains to re-enter the market, which is much safer for all concerned.

SEPT 23 1989

The Federations of Drink are too powerful in this country to ever let this happen

Feisar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989756#Comment_120989756

I thought their failed attempt to stop the smoking ban sort of curbed their influence?

limnam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120988307#Comment_120988307

Yes.

Everyone should know it's actually called Bally McGash.

Gloomtastic!

But the way Europe works means Ireland will probably have no choice but to decriminalise or legalise. If convicted, I can appeal all the way to the highest court which, through simple majority once Germany is on board, will come down in my favour. Total waste of time and money for any government so that’s why they have the Citizens Assembly looking at how they are going to handle this.

Boards is the perfect platform to discuss this change. It will mean that the age profile of its current members will drop considerably but it will hopefully bring back some life to the old dog.

Quitelife

A lot of people have addiction issues with drugs already in this country with many families suffering with the consequences , our town like many in rural ireland was a far happier and safer place before traveller gangs started selling cocaine and hash 24/7 .

Doctor Jimbob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989011#Comment_120989011

Do you want to ban alcohol and cigarettes as well? If so, fair enough, that's consistent even if I don't agree with it. If not, why?

On a general note and not aimed at you specifically, this thread makes it depressingly obvious how effective propaganda can be. "Drugs" being talked about as if they're all the same, with the exception of alcohol of course - even though it's also a drug.

TagoMago

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989671#Comment_120989671

Not sure if accessibility is the question here as cannabis is so readily available anyway, more so the safety and quality of what's available.

As you mentioned alcohol is already illegal for teenagers but the vast majority partake. Would you prefer teenagers to be drinking cans of cheap lager and nagins of vodka, or bottles of poitin that some lad distilled in his shed? Think the same applies to cannabis really, if teenagers are going to acquire it illegally, better it be a tested and regulated product that then increasingly potent and potentially dangerous black market weed.

nullzero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989621#Comment_120989621

It's common knowledge that drugs, and by extension alcohol and cigarettes are bad for the human body. To indulge in them you don't have to be stupid but you have to accept that what you're doing is stupid at some point.

We each have a responsibility to ourselves, we currently have a health system creaking under the weight of people dealing with the effects of alcohol and cigarettes and now we're looking to legitimise more substances that cause harm to the body.

The one part of legalisation that I'm on board with is the removal of criminals from the supply chain. In that regard I'd happily legalise all drugs but there's consequences to that also.

On the one hand we legalise drugs and remove criminality from the equation, but then there's the potential that people will lose the run of themselves and that's fine as long as its only themselves that suffer, but eventually they end up in the health care system which has knock on effects, so it's a complex subject.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989937#Comment_120989937

What you’re talking about is your perception of stupidity in our western society.

Hang-gliding, for me is utterly stupid, yet there’s many fans of it out there. I certainly don’t want hang-gliding banned btw.

There’s no extension needed for alcohol and cigarettes. They are drugs. As is caffeine.

Given the example of what you see as stupid, it’s fair to say the cleverest thing to do is to strip away all joy, and live on a diet of water and vegetables. For what reason you would want to prolong such a life, escapes me.

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989621#Comment_120989621

People drink alcohol, they drink caffeine. You can split drugs into two different groups. Acceptable and unacceptable. You could also split them into groups based on harm. For example caffeine Vs crack cocaine. It would make sense that the acceptable drugs would be the ones that cause the least harm but they're not always in the same group.

Alcohol is socially acceptable but causes more physical damage than marijuana.

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989747#Comment_120989747

Plus if you regulate it you can make sure that the stronger strains are illegal. If the weaker strains are cheaper than the illegal stuff, no-one will buy the illegal stuff. It not like there's a huge blackmarket in stronger cigarettes and alcohol in Ireland.

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989717#Comment_120989717

And you think teenagers will go after the weak weed? None of them go near whiskey or vodka now do they?

We can't endanger the health of many based on extremely inconclusive studies.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990097#Comment_120990097

Do you prefer them have only have access to super strong (+20%THC) weed? Because that is what the market is saturated with right now.

Most teens would drink beer or cider I would say.

Right now, teens go and buy weed. What would be your answer to stopping them?

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989928#Comment_120989928

Of course but it may be far too late for that. Once the same is done for cannabis, it will be too late to turn back the clock also. Look at the damage cigarettes and alcohol have done, why do you want to add to it?

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990108#Comment_120990108

Do you want to ban sugar too? I mean it’s a huge drain on society from obesity and diabetes.

Is there anything that gives people joy that you would leave alone?

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990041#Comment_120990041

The legal weed won't be cheaper and users that are buying strong illegal weed won't switch to weaker legal stuff

I checked darkweb vs legal prices in US

Darkweb is 2/3x cheaper

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989936#Comment_120989936

Are you saying regulated weed is fine for teenagers? Because you may want to look into the research into that. We don't know 100% whether legalising weed will make it easier or harder for teens to gain access to it or if it will increase the use amongst teens but I'd say it's more likely that it would. Do you want to gamble teenagers health on it?

raspberrypi67

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989225#Comment_120989225

I work around town servicing electronic devices as part of my job and the smell of this stuff in town is something else. Most of the people smoking it seem harmless enough. I never had any run ins with them but look half stoned...Perhaps other things in conjunction ok i'll admit but BIG mistake to legalise it IMO.

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990097#Comment_120990097

You're not comparing like with like.

There will be varying strengths of weed available. It's not all going to be ultra weak. So think of it like alcohol. In ireland there's drinks from zero to about 40-50%. There isn't a thriving black market in alcohol that is 60,70 or 80%. The lower strength stuff is enough.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990124#Comment_120990124

Thats nonsense that users wouldn’t switch. It’s like alcohol. Sometimes you’re in the mood for a spirit, sometimes a light beer.

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990104#Comment_120990104

Do you think that super strong weed will magically disappear? Most teens drink stronger drinks than that.

Having easier access to weed is definitely not the answer.

Musicrules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990122#Comment_120990122

Gives people joy? Back to my original point. The campaign to legalise weed is for selfish reasons mostly from users. I could ask you why do you support increasing our mental health issues?