Marijuana

[DML2]

What do you think?

[Perth4life]

is good

[LanceDriver]

Look, there's alot of bad things about marijuana but in the end, I don't think any drug should be illegal. It should be well managed through government legislation so as to take criminal element out of it.

In the end, it should be an individual's choice what they consume and if they do something silly because of it then they should be punished for the crime, but not the drug.

[Extare]

You could try to attract drug tourism by making yourselves the Amsterdam of Oceania.

[DML2]

yes. A good start to the poll.

[Milan Luka]

Originally Posted by Extare

You could try to attract drug tourism by making yourselves the Amsterdam of Oceania.

What possible gain could be gathered from that? A few extra bucks? Let Canberra do that.
I think New Zealand has much the same social policy that the Dutch do anyway. Im amazed at how liberal Kiwis are. I find it a bit challenging at times!!!

I cant decide which way to go. Legalize it if it stops the organized criminal element from profiting. However that will only ensure they ratchet up on harder drugs. Medical use is fine by me if prescribed by a doctor.

Personally I'm against the drug tbh though. I used it plenty when I was a youngin, in fact I used plenty of plenty others back then too. In my career though I just see far far too many people who have used this drug to mask problems to the point where they can no longer function in everyday society. They become a burden on the state.

There is also a percentage of people who should definately not even consider taking this, still unsure of the why and how but it is able to trigger psychosis in predisposed individuals.

Im off target though, your question was just about legalization.

Im going to vote no.

[whizz_pat]

Originally Posted by LanceDriver

Look, there's alot of bad things about marijuana but in the end, I don't think any drug should be illegal. It should be well managed through government legislation so as to take criminal element out of it.

In the end, it should be an individual's choice what they consume and if they do something silly because of it then they should be punished for the crime, but not the drug.

Agreed. Also, think about all that potential for tax intake.

[Davee]

NO!

It's really bad stuff - believe me guys it really, really fucks you up physically - then there is the mind stuff.

I've just been involved with a marijuana trial for pain relief here in the UK - we have had to abandon it due to toxic effects on patients and trial personal. What I have seen is really frightening.

DON'T GO NEAR IT IN ANY FORM!

[Ironmanfood]

Legalise it.

What a waste of time, money and effort.

People will fuck themselves up regardless, IMO. Regulate it like tobacco, 16yo age limit (although it will be abused by those who are so inclined).

[Rooty]

The funniest thing about Marijuana, is that every time it's talked about on an internet forum, or real life, people simply make up shit. Of course the vast majority of the populace has smoked it, and will tell you about it...except a good many of them haven't - they just don't want to be left out. I'm always trying to figure out the numbers game, but I think it might just be the second most lied-about subject out there for young men. It's this weird thing which has taken on mythical proportions. It's so essential to have done (not in my mind, but others' who think it's some kind of rite of passage into "living life"), it's one of the things I forgive someone for lying about (I think we're obligated to be at least 96% truthful, lying only for privacy and to escape someone who wants to cannibalise our self worth for their own ego). But if someone was to lie about using it for the purposes of being anti, 'cause they just "know" it's bad; that is unethical.

Salvia provides much greater mind-fuck, and it's legal, and available at Cosmic Corner. Salvia really, actually, makes someone act like the exaggerated caricature of someone "on drugs" held in the minds of old biddies. My flatmate once had a thick ~17cm drool stream hanging down his face on it. I think I did the first time too. (For most, this thing is not fun or nice, it's just bizarre.)

[Davee]

Originally Posted by Rooty

The funniest thing about Marijuana, is that every time it's talked about on an internet forum, or real life, people simply make up shit.....

Rooty - I don't quiet get your whole post, but in particular and you saying that I'm possibly am talking mad up shit?

[Davee]

Originally Posted by Ironmanfood

Legalise it.

What a waste of time, money and effort.

People will fuck themselves up regardless, IMO. Regulate it like tobacco, 16yo age limit (although it will be abused by those who are so inclined).

What about the huge finacial drain on the health service that far out ways an revenue that you could ever collect from taxation on legalised Marijuana.

Come on people - why don't you think most other nations in the world have not taken the same steps as the Netherlands.

Smoking Marijuana is not just a harmeless fun weekend pursuit.

[whizz_pat]

Originally Posted by Davee

NO!

It's really bad stuff - believe me guys it really, really fucks you up physically - then there is the mind stuff.

I've just been involved with a marijuana trial for pain relief here in the UK - we have had to abandon it due to toxic effects on patients and trial personal. What I have seen is really frightening.

DON'T GO NEAR IT IN ANY FORM!

I don't think anyone here is promoting the use of marijuana. I think it's safe to say we all agree that it's unhealthy. The debate is whether or not making marijuana illegal is the best way to tackle the problem.

Originally Posted by Davee

What about the huge finacial drain on the health service that far out ways an revenue that you could ever collect from taxation on legalised Marijuana.

Come on people - why don't you think most other nations in the world have not taken the same steps as the Netherlands.

Smoking Marijuana is not just a harmeless fun weekend pursuit.

As far as I know, (cigarette) smokers recieve less health funding over their lifetime than non-smokers, because they die earlier. This may be extended to marijuana. Either way, one cannot say with certainty whether or not the increased or decreased health care costs will outweigh the increased tax intake, there simply hasn't been enough research.

One thing you may want to think about is the argument that legalising marijuana will have a minimal impact on consumption rates. Most people who are currently non-users, are non-users not because they are scared they may get busted with a joint, but because they value their health. This will continue to be the case, whether it is legal to smoke weed or not.

[Davee]

Just be careful guys - every action has a reaction - that's why we have laws, science and and people who are trying to do their best to make society safe for everyone when it comes to issues like this.

Please think before doing anything that will harm your health and those around you.

[Ironmanfood]

I agree - every action has a reaction. What about the reactions of making it/keeping it illegal. There are plenty of negative impacts IMO to scoiety as a whole - where as the negative impacts of making it legal would be purely on the individual, I think individual choice and responsibility can handle this.

As for the health costs. The resources no longer being diverted towards policing, courts, and prisons - combined with tax revenues I would hope would cover this.

Personally I don't think it would change the health costs. I don't think it would cause any increase in consumption rates as Whizz_Pat says. IMO most people don't smoke weed because they simply don't want to, or they've tried it and don't see what the fuss is about - not because of the law. Who knows, maybe it no longer being illegal will take away the taboo thrill of the more impressionable teenagers. Less teenagers take up smoking (tobacco) these days.

Theres no doubt that some people shouldn't use it though, but I reckon it being legal combined with public health campaigns advising of risks will/could do more to reduce consumption. You can't do advertisements, like the alcohol/smoking ones we have, if it illegal in the first place?

[DML2]

Originally Posted by Rooty

Salvia provides much greater mind-fuck, and it's legal, and available at Cosmic Corner. Salvia really, actually, makes someone act like the exaggerated caricature of someone "on drugs" held in the minds of old biddies. My flatmate once had a thick ~17cm drool stream hanging down his face on it. I think I did the first time too. (For most, this thing is not fun or nice, it's just bizarre.)

Salvia just makes me sweaty

[Rooty]

Originally Posted by DML2

Salvia just makes me sweaty

It can be tricky to get right. It worked the first and second times for me, but after that I had problems breaking through. I learned I had to load the bong with far more than I thought I'd burn - that was my problem. Some people might just be immune though.


Some things I posted on another forum:

Just like women are programmed to forget the pain of childbirth, I am with Salvia. Each time on it I swear never again; I hope I've learned my lesson this time. It's never fun or pleasant, so I don't know why I can't keep away. OTOH, I always think "We'll it's not physically painful, so how bad could it have been?" This time I was naked (literally – as I've said I'm spending quite a bit of time naked lately), and violently writhing around in agony doing the repeated blackout/wake-up-in-a-different-body-position thing half-under the covers of my bed, believing I'm on show in a coliseum and people are watching me, having just enough composure to hold the covers over my genitals. I must've looked feral. I kept looking at my bedroom door, unable to tell whether it was open or not, and if my flatmates were looking at me or not. I was whispering "Not fun", "Never doing this again", "I've learned my lesson" and similar things over and over. I don't know whether or not I was visually hallucinating – but I asked myself that question while on it, and it was irrelevant so I don't know what that means. I think I was experiencing things not properly aligning with the five senses we know, but I could definitely hear my thoughts.

...

The other most extreme trip was when I blacked out, woke up not remembering I'd taken Salvia, and tried to make sense of my world. I perceived this continuum across the middle of my bedroom, one direction leading out the door. I knew I had to pick which of the two directions were reality so I could get back to this world. I ran out the door. I perceived my house to be in outer space. I poked my head into the lounge with the intention to ask my flatmates for help, but upon looking at them, remembered I'd taken Salvia and there was nothing they could do for me. I then writhed around on the couch and floor of the hallway, sweating profusely, suffering the repeated blackout/wake-up-in-a-different-body-position thing. It was as if every 5 seconds I'd just got back from somewhere, and re-remembered where I was and what I'd taken. I eventually got back to my bedroom (again, I ran), got into bed, and waited for it to wear off. After that time, I got wiser to the point of knowing when I was on it, and not trying to get out of my bedroom.

For me it always starts with this sensation of there being a rip (like paper) from right to left (or maybe vice versa) between this world and another, and I exist on that moving point: I am being ripped. That part is torturous, but as I've said, it's not physically painful. If I'm on my bed I'll often tumble backwards through the wall behind me and then I'll be gone.

...

This could be complete bullshit, but I felt my depth perception was heightened after several uses (I'm talking permanently). I felt I was truly seeing in 3D for the first time – or maybe 4D. It was as if it had unclogged some neural pathways or something.

[DML2]

Hahaha maybe I shoulda packed it a bit more

[Howdy]

IIRC Salvinorin A is the most potent naturally occuring psychedelic known to man...have never tried it myself and responses seem very mixed.

[ross_the_man]

I voted No, but now I think about it, its legal in Canberra and I know less people who smoke it here than in NSW.