Reiss
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
Found this article from last year, it's a great read about prohibition and cannabis - http://clear-uk.org/does-cannabis-make-you-mad/
Conclusion form the article:
Conclusion: Cannabis And Mental Health, The Case For Reform
Concerns of a link between cannabis and mental illness areperhaps the strongest argument for cannabis law reform.
Prohibition claim 1: Cannabis strength has increased massively in recent years
It may have done, but we dont know for sure because prohibition makes proper monitoring of the trade impossible. If it has increased, the change was brought about by the workings of prohibition. Certainly a market shift did occur and went unnoticed for nearly 10 years because of the lack of proper control. If the fears that high THC levels impact on mental health are true, prohibition has made things worse. Under prohibition, cannabis is not a controlled drug.
Prohibition claim 2: The increased strength has lead to more cases of serious mental illness
There has been no increase in the rates of mental illness. But if increased potency (not strength) has taken place, it might make existing illness worse and be bad for those at risk. The need for a better understanding of the issues of potency and strength is obvious and proper regulation of the trade would address this.
Prohibition claim 3: The age people use cannabis has dropped and now its common for children to be heavy users
This is true, but its hardly an issue to support the workings of prohibition. That children have become ensnared in the unregulated and uncontrolled cannabis trade is entirely caused by prohibition.
Prohibition claim 4: The younger users start, the bigger the risk of developing serious mental illness
We might as well assume this is true, whether true or not. Children deserve the protection of the law which only a regulated trade could provide, prohibition treats them as criminals and drives all use including problematic use underground.
Prohibition claim 5: Lax attitudes to cannabis use have increased the number of users, therefore increasing the rates of the illness
As rates of serious mental illness have not increased in line with the increase in cannabis use, there is no evidence to support this, but the lax attitudes have come about through the failure of prohibition. Proper legal control and regulation would mean an end to lax attitudes and the introduction of proper, workable laws.
Prohibition claim 6: Prohibition is the best way to protect people from the dangers of cannabis use.
Prohibition means we dont know what is sold as cannabis, how strong it is or how potent it is. We dont know if its contaminated either after harvest or in the growing process through overuse of pesticides for example. We dont know who sells it, where from or in what amounts. The only qualification to be a dealer is unaccountability. Cannabis users have no recourse to the law when things go wrong and sometimes violence is used. When this happens it will be those least able to defend themselves such as ill people who suffer most.
Prohibition is a con, it is not drug control. The only way to achieve drug control is to control the commercial supply industry, which means proper legalisation, licensing of dealers and premises, age restrictions and strength/potency information.
Treating those you claim to want to help as criminals is, well, simply mad.
Found this article from last year, it's a great read about prohibition and cannabis - http://clear-uk.org/does-cannabis-make-you-mad/
Conclusion form the article:
Conclusion: Cannabis And Mental Health, The Case For Reform
Concerns of a link between cannabis and mental illness areperhaps the strongest argument for cannabis law reform.
Prohibition claim 1: Cannabis strength has increased massively in recent years
It may have done, but we dont know for sure because prohibition makes proper monitoring of the trade impossible. If it has increased, the change was brought about by the workings of prohibition. Certainly a market shift did occur and went unnoticed for nearly 10 years because of the lack of proper control. If the fears that high THC levels impact on mental health are true, prohibition has made things worse. Under prohibition, cannabis is not a controlled drug.
Prohibition claim 2: The increased strength has lead to more cases of serious mental illness
There has been no increase in the rates of mental illness. But if increased potency (not strength) has taken place, it might make existing illness worse and be bad for those at risk. The need for a better understanding of the issues of potency and strength is obvious and proper regulation of the trade would address this.
Prohibition claim 3: The age people use cannabis has dropped and now its common for children to be heavy users
This is true, but its hardly an issue to support the workings of prohibition. That children have become ensnared in the unregulated and uncontrolled cannabis trade is entirely caused by prohibition.
Prohibition claim 4: The younger users start, the bigger the risk of developing serious mental illness
We might as well assume this is true, whether true or not. Children deserve the protection of the law which only a regulated trade could provide, prohibition treats them as criminals and drives all use including problematic use underground.
Prohibition claim 5: Lax attitudes to cannabis use have increased the number of users, therefore increasing the rates of the illness
As rates of serious mental illness have not increased in line with the increase in cannabis use, there is no evidence to support this, but the lax attitudes have come about through the failure of prohibition. Proper legal control and regulation would mean an end to lax attitudes and the introduction of proper, workable laws.
Prohibition claim 6: Prohibition is the best way to protect people from the dangers of cannabis use.
Prohibition means we dont know what is sold as cannabis, how strong it is or how potent it is. We dont know if its contaminated either after harvest or in the growing process through overuse of pesticides for example. We dont know who sells it, where from or in what amounts. The only qualification to be a dealer is unaccountability. Cannabis users have no recourse to the law when things go wrong and sometimes violence is used. When this happens it will be those least able to defend themselves such as ill people who suffer most.
Prohibition is a con, it is not drug control. The only way to achieve drug control is to control the commercial supply industry, which means proper legalisation, licensing of dealers and premises, age restrictions and strength/potency information.
Treating those you claim to want to help as criminals is, well, simply mad.
.... i dont really smoke when i have alot of problems or whatever, but i can vouch for cannabis can make people sometimes better.... and if i dont smoke for awhile i start sometimes getting alil cranky n aggravated...... only cause my body and mind are used to being uplifted, relaxed wayyyy comfortable, n i love it..and who doesnt get like that if things are in the way or something isnt right or whatever but maybe alittle easier.. but its only after i stop..... everybody is different though, and might not have any effects from quitting or taking looong breaks, but i do believe it doesnt make you violent and so mad you start beating people up, and think about killing the world.... lol...... u should stop smoking then lol......... or your shit is laced.... so yeah....
