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Please use your privileged position to highlight the potential dangers of smoking cannabis today.

Posted by misbehaviour999 on Sunday, 11 February 2007 10:37:37

Addictive personalities are more likely to smoke cannabis (nowadays referred to as skunk) to excess, which can sometimes result in psychosis. This condition affects not only the person smoking the cannabis, but the entire family. Mental health facilities in this country are already sadly underfunded and support for those going through the upheaval and heartbreak of psychosis and schizophrenia in the family, is sadly lacking from the NHS. Private clinics have a higher success rate, but costs are out of the reach of the majority of sufferers and their families and GPs are reluctant to refer patients to the private sector.

David, in your influencial position as leader of the Conservative Party, and someone who has experimented with cannabis, can you publicly make it clear to young people (and their parents) today of the risks associated with smoking skunk (a far stronger form of cannabis than it was 20-30 years ago). The decision to downgrade Cannabis has sent the wrong message to young people who could quite feasibly assume it is harmless, which it clearly is not, in some cases.

Post edited by misbehaviour999 on Sunday, 11 February 2007 10:40:50

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Posted by Derek on Sunday, 11 February 2007 10:58:47

David, please use your position to highlight the dangers caused by prohibition.

You have seen from personal experience that prohibition doesn't work. You first smoked cannabis when you were 15, the very age where it's feared cannabis can have serious effects on mental health and the law did nothing to protect you.

You are not alone, cannabis use is widespread and socially accepted all over the UK - in all strata of society as you well know from personal experience. This is a symptom of a failed law, yet you support it. Why?

Cannabis is not a "controlled drug" in any meaningful sense of the word "controlled". Because of prohibition we don't know how many people use it, how pure or how strong it is, we don't know who sells it or where they sell it from. There are no age limits for sales so kids and other vulnerable people are in the firing line.

If there is any truth in the claims that cannabis is now so much stronger than it used to be - there is scant actual evidence because prohibition prevents any measurements - the question to ask is why? What economic pressure have acted to turn something from the "dreamy hippy weed" to a "psychotic killer"? How has prohibition helped to prevent this happening, or has it indeed caused it?

Please don't wheel out the simplistic claim that legalisation would increase use. It might, but you can't prove it because you don't know the extent of use we have today. But in any case, 1000 adults using cannabis moderately is far less of a problem than 10 young teenagers smoking contaminated super strong skunk down dark alleys.

Derek

Posted by MattFeisty on Sunday, 11 February 2007 11:31:43

Ok Dave, here's the deal. I am 28 years old, a homeowner, a graduate and a tax payer. I have also been taking drugs since the age of 15 although my drug use nowadays is very much occasional.

In the past, I have taken cannabis, cocaine, DMT, GHB, Poppers, ecstasy, speed, LSD, magic mushrooms and ketamine. I would not swap some of the amazing nights I have had whilst taking these substances for anything in the world.

Until you became leader, I would never have considered voting tory. However, I now see a tory party that is shedding its racist, homophobic, uncaring past and tuning in to the mood of the nation. I believe you could be a good Prime Minister. However, your party's current stance on drugs (as with all the main parties) is completely flawed and archaic. You need to have the balls to stand up to the ignorance of the Daily Mail readers, concede that prohibition doesn't work and pursue a policy of legalisation and tight regulation of all drugs.

I genuinely resent the fact that I may one day arrested and tarnished with a criminal record, simply because my choice of Friday night tipple is something other than alcohol. Just look at the comments on the BBC website regarding your weed smoking antics. Many people say that they trust you more because you are alleged to have smoked weed and at worst people say they simply don't care. The nation is ready for a new, progressive, more sensible and coherent drugs policy. Are you the man to deliver it????

Posted by ToryxGirl on Sunday, 11 February 2007 11:35:09

Unbelievable, so now it seems he is appealing to those who are regular law breakers.
Drugs kill. This is not a thing to be proud of.

Posted by MattFeisty on Sunday, 11 February 2007 11:41:19

Eating fatty food kills, not doing enough exercise kills, too much stress kills. Lots of things kill but we don't need the intervening nanny state to blanket-legislate because of it. We need smaller government and sensible regulation...something the tories normally stand for but for some reason cannot accept when it comes to this issue.

Posted by kozmicstu on Sunday, 11 February 2007 11:54:17

As I said elsewhere, DC was punished by Eton College, according to the reports. It's not uncommon for the police to allow schools to deal out an appropriate punishment without getting involved themselves when the crime occurred within the school or in a manner which affects the school itself.

It's actually pretty common... I'm not sure there really is such a big issue. Besides, are you saying that if you think you might possibly want to be a politician in later life you have to make sure every decision you make is straight down the line from the age of 12 onwards? Seems a little OTT to me...

Posted by coolcatmillie on Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:05:10

I think the best thing for David Cameron to do now is come out and say "yes I did...it was stupid and I regret it and I was not aware of the effects that it may have had on my mental health!"
I accept that he is entitled to a private past,
However if the comment "i had a normal university life" is his justification, then that is a message to the younger generation that it is perfectly normal, and go ahead...look at me, I did all right.
It no help to parents when we are warning them of the dangers.
It may not be a big deal, with regards to his private life, but it is a big deal to parents when they are trying to educate their children on the dangers of cannabis.

Posted by ToryxGirl on Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:10:24

coolcatmillie,

Exactly, whats the point of the ads on tv and teachers and parents trying to prevent their kids from taking drugs when one of the countries potential future leaders is acting like this.

Posted by kozmicstu on Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:20:57

he isn't 'acting like this'!

he 'acted like this' in the past and is now facing the consequences! THAT'S a powerful message

Posted by canvas on Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:23:39

ToryxGirl - it is completey unrealistic and unwise to think that any person in this world doesn't have a skeleton in their closet. Dc has a right to his privacy. Stop with the witch hunt. It's what he does now that counts. Relax :) It's not a big deal.

 

Comment edited by canvas on Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:46:39

Posted by SarahG on Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:30:00

I work for RESPOND- nhs/in-volve as an addictions therapist. I think your point about skunk is very important- it is a desirable expensive brand for some young people- and the effects of heavy use can be very serious- in terms of mental health but also in terms of young people losing motivation and ambition. In-volve the charity behind RESPOND has pioneered treatment of cannabis dependency- it is long term work and needs a lot more money (treatment in UK is a post code lottery). Pls see my blog http://blog.myspace.com/sarahgraham69. SarahG

Posted by Derek on Sunday, 11 February 2007 12:52:34

SarahG, there's nopoint in posting a link to a blog that you have to register to read. I don't have a "myspace" account and have no intention of getting one.

One thing's for certian though, the cannabis debate is still very uch a live one. It will remain one till the law is reformed.

Derek

Posted by StevenL on Sunday, 11 February 2007 13:25:30

'As I said elsewhere, DC was punished by Eton College'

I can't wait for the documentry in 2016 about the rise and fall of David Cameron, where they interview some retired old teacher for Eton, who explains how he gave the PM six of the best for smoking dope.

Posted by Stjimmy on Monday, 12 February 2007 10:45:19

The WHO (World Health Organisation) released a report on the dangers of Cannabis, this report was used for the facts in the Brain Warehouse Advert. In the same report the said Caffine was more dangerous to human mind and body than Cannabis.

However straight after the Brain Warehouse advert we can watch a Nescafe Advert?

It has been proven that Alcohol, Caffine etc. are worse than Cannabis.

So dont come on here and treat Cannabis user as criminals, were not you law abiding citizens with your alcohol are far worse for society, the NHS and yourselves than we ever will be.

Posted by ReverendJasonGraves on Monday, 12 February 2007 10:50:23

In the right environment with the correct teaching, Cannabis has NO dangers...

Living proof right here.


Please David, keep working toward the licensed, educated, peaceful Cannabis legality.

One-Love & Peace

Rev. J

Posted by Zambuca1 on Sunday, 18 February 2007 15:03:02

info on cannabis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBW07ITbagc

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=8410436555236949417&q;=hemp

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-6134138168753053667&q;=marijuana

Clearly, the WAR ON DRUGS FAILED MISERABLY AND WASTED EVERYONES TAXES, and still fails.
what if the government were sustaining the horrible drugs in circulation?
USA created most synthetic drugs to use for mind control, EcstaCy, Crack,LSD.

This is clear, Drugs should not be illegal for the simple reason that if your regulate adn create and manage drugs that people will use anyways, you can make controlled clean substances, and also abolish somewhat the black market that revolves around it.

Also, Freedom. Doesnt any freedom have a measurable amount of risk involed in it? of course it does

We are free to smoke ciggarrettes, the worlds worst drug on the planet, we can drink alchohol and kill people with cars and violence. Well feed our children poison food and mass manufactured junk. We support horrible meat farms, we support huge pharmaceuticals monopolies and there crap, and there not interested in saving people, there interested in making money.

But the drugs that people take in there own homes, its there body. They are free to choose what they do with there body, if they want to eat plants of there choice, knowing the risks, thats there problem so long as it doesnt hurt others

Lets take some statistics in USA

50% of all arrests are cannabis related, 30% of prisons are filled with those that were caught selling and using cannabis and some other drugs mainly cannabis.

Isnt this a complete waste of tax to make someone go into prison with insane murderers and pedophiles and what not?
To ruin a teenagers life for something that we dont even try to control and regulate and make sure at least these substances are in a safe form, a educated moderated form?
I understand the concern as a mother, but making criminals of our children for taking substances is the wrong way to go. It ruins lives, it 100% wastes taxes and ruins lives and makes it worse.

WE should deal with drugs so that create the most good and the least amount of damage.

http://www.droppingknowledge.org

 

Comment edited by Zambuca1 on Sunday, 18 February 2007 15:18:31