Cannabis protest - good idea or not?

[Manc]

Watching Howard Marks Mr Nice DVD the other night made me think(once again) about how ridiculous the prohibition of cannabis really is.

I got to thinking that there never(to my memory) has really been a protest or demonstration to show the goverment that this isnt some small problem, but a part of life for millions of people.

I think a big demonstration in town centers on the anniversary of it being made illegal in september would be a good idea, instead of the usual posters and shouting you see at protests, everyone would just turn up, sit around and smoke joints.

It could be promoted via a website, i was thinking maybe TheBigSmoke.co.uk.

Well what do you think?

[ryeski]

i think you got a good idea going there chap, i'd be up for that. i dont really smoke it but you need all the help you can get, so i agree. sit around smoking phat blunts. great idea:thumbs

[MaxP]

everyone would just turn up, sit around and smoke joints.

Saturday May 4th sees the 4th annual Cannabis March & Festival in Brockwell Park, Brixton, one of 180+ cities worldwide holding an event on the same day [1]. Over 30,000 people have attended in previous years, to show their support for the relaxation of the law on Cannabis. The day will begin with a carnival style march from Kennington Park (assemble 12pm) with floats, banners, costumes and samba beats leading to an all day free festival in Brockwell Park, Brixton. Brockwell Park will feature music, the Hemp Expo, Medical Cannabis Marquee, Speakers Area, Hemp Food, and much more besides.

Ahem......
not sure if its still on this year (that copy/paste is from an old article.)

[Thrush]

I think a big demonstration in town centers on the anniversary of it being made illegal in september would be a good idea, instead of the usual posters and shouting you see at protests, everyone would just turn up, sit around and smoke joints.

What planet do you live on?

[Manc]

What planet do you live on?

earth,

Why dont you make your point instead of the smart arse answers?

[Thrush]

Wasn't an answer... It was a question... hence the use of a "?" question mark.

[Manc]

Wasn't an answer... It was a question... hence the use of a "?" question mark.

But it was a reply to the thread, answer, reply, not much difference.

So are you going to explain your point, or are you just going to leave us all to marvel at the fact that your so intelligent you dont actually have to explain yourself?

I really would like to know, all i did was make a suggestion which i wondered if people would go for? I really cant understand how what planet im from affects that.

If not, could a mod please delete the last few posts. i wouldnt like to get accused of posting spam and they dsont seem to have anything to do with the topic.

[GavDF]

maybe he means what planet was it made ilegal on in september
or was this september a long time ago?

[Manc]

maybe he means what planet was it made ilegal on in september
or was this september a long time ago?

It was made illegal in the uk in september 1928.

He didnt mean that, he was quoting the passage about the idea so he obivously thinks its a bad idea.

[Porthos]

Just because you might smoke it responsibly and without causing trouble it doesn't mean that it won't cause problems for society as a whole, when considering law changes you've got to look at the bigger picture.

I replied that it's a good idea and it is because you want to make your point. I just wanted to make mine that how YOU use cannabis and how it affects YOUR life isn't necessarily how everyone does and how it affects everybody. Making your point to the government could allow for greater discussion on the subject and maybe we could get a better idea of IF it is a good idea to legalize it.

[GavDF]

It was made illegal in the uk in september 1928.

He didnt mean that, he was quoting the passage about the idea so he obivously thinks its a bad idea.

oh right
nice one for the date,never had a clue it was mad illeagal here

[Manc]

oh right
nice one for the date,never had a clue it was mad illeagal here

You want to here the reason behind it m8, the amount of people it wassending insane in eygpt. LOL (im gonna type it up when i get chance as i only have it on a DVD).

@Porthos,

There are no convincing cases of anyone causing trouble because they were on cannabis that i have ever heard of, as far as i can see ALL the arguements suggest there is no danger of cannabis causing harm to anything(apart from your own body maybe), i personally think the situation is not just crazy but plain wrong, can you think of any good reasons it should remain illegal?

[yankee]

@Manc

Are you a fool? Smoking 4 joints a week is the equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day. The cancer situation here is bad enough so you think that legalising the drug and making it look acceptable to children is a wise choice? I don't think cannabis is particularly bad and in fact I think it's prob a better option than alcohol. If it were up to me I would impose more strict laws on alcohol despite the fact I enjoy it's use (due to the amount of damaged caused to society by it) . However alcohol use is too widespread and any change in law would cause outcry. I think the law should stay how it is.. This way we aren't turning our country into an even bigger drug haven.

[Manc]

@Manc

Are you a fool? Smoking 4 joints a week is the equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day. .

Do a bit of research m8, this is one of the bullshit rumours that get spread, cannabis contains less than one quarter of the amount of chemicals that cigarettes do, you do the maths.

The danger is that cannabis users tend to inhale it deeper and it could cause damage, but research shows most cannabis users smoke far less than enough joints to do serious damage, and the majority stop smoking it altoghether in there mid twenties,

Personlaly i smoke a couple of joints on the average day, i use very little tobbaco and ive never smoked a cigarette in my life.

Howard Marks touches on the subject of lungs in his DVD, he's been smoking weed far heavier than the average user for 40 years, as he says his lungs are ****ed, but hes in his 60's and still going, as he says " whats with the obsession with dying healthy anyway".

If it were legal, wouldnt we also get much better quality stuff, with less pollutants?

[yankee]

I will do the maths I do A-Level maths... You're telling me scientists just make up the research results for the hell of it?! Cannabis has become more potent as users and dealers have demanded it so it was selectively grown (crap bud never made it) I think you need to get this cannabis preaching out of your mind and realise that most of the time pleasure comes with pain especially when it comes to drugs.

[Manc]

To be honest mate the research can be angled any way you want it, another point on one site which was debating the different amounts of chemicals in weed/baccy pointed out that coffee has more the tobbaco, but most of the opinions i have read suggest cannabis is less dangerous.

Im not expecting to chnage your opinions BTW and im not preaching, i made a suggestion and people are posting opinions that i dont agree with, i do feel strongly about this and im presenting my side of the story.

Your reason still isnt good enough to keep it illegal IMO, you mentioned alcohol, id rather live in a stoned world than a pissed world anyday of the week.

As far as pleasure coming with pain i fully accept any pain that my drug use causes me, to be honest i dont think it really matters if its legal at all but i object to not being allowed to do something that is causing harm only to myself.

[Porthos]

Personlaly i smoke a couple of joints on the average day, i use very little tobbaco and ive never smoked a cigarette in my life.

Do a bit of research m8, this is one of the bullshit rumours that get spread, cannabis contains less than one quarter of the amount of chemicals that cigarettes do, you do the maths.

You can find research supporting either side of the argument. A '1 joint = 20 fags' stat will always be subjective so you cannot write it off as 'bullshit'.

Personlaly i smoke a couple of joints on the average day, i use very little tobbaco and ive never smoked a cigarette in my life.

That's nice for you but there are many people who do smoke cigarettes as well and use a cigarette in a joint. This brings research on the harmful effects of tobacco (which I truly hope you aren't ignorant enough to dismiss) into direct relevance.

The fact that 'Howard Marks' has been smoking for 40 years and still is does not suddenly dismiss the fact that smoking as he has done for 40 years can have harmful effects which he seems to be fortunate enough to have not suffered.

Going back to the research point, the following link shows some dangerous effects of marijuana:

'One study based on instrumental quantitative analysis of toxic components of cannabis smoke found that smoking a "joint" of marijuana caused over 10 times as much lung damage as smoking one cigarette.'

I won't pretend that that is some sort of conrete evidence, I just hope you won't either when you give me some research from a pot head stating about the exagerration of cannabis' harmful affects.

If it were legal, wouldnt we also get much better quality stuff, with less pollutants?

The link above agrees with you on that point (in fact it appears to be quite balanced, maybe we can believe it's facts?!?) and so do I, in theory. Acknowlege the facts and the broader picture and maybe this argument will reach a more accurate conclusion (As if they ever do on df!!!! )

[yankee]

I don't disagree with people doing it I just disagree with the promotion of drugs into a society that has the worst reputation for underage drinking, smoking and drug taking in Europe. As the economically largest country in Europe we have the resource to do something about it.. I drink quite regularly (1-2 times a week), used to smoke cigarettes (about 4-5 a day) and have smoked weed. But I would never recommend using any or make it look acceptable to anyone. I'm not having a go Manc I just think you should think of the consequences of others before trying to change a whole law for just a small percentage of the population.

Concerning the risks to the user, I agree with Porthos but I think that you are an idiot to say that you fully accept the pain that comes with smoking weed... If thats the case would you refrain from getting medical help?

[CzarJunkie]

Well, I know its gonna surprise a few people especially the thread starter but I agree, Cannabis has been deemed illegal for far too long and too many law abiding people have had their record tarnished with needless convictions for posessing it.

I agree that it could be as dangerous to helth as cigarettes as someone has pointed out but more dangerous, I don;t know about that, tobacco has a lot to answer for. of course the general rule is to mix the 2 or it was when I were a lad, so we got the bad shit from both.

As far as cannabis versus alcohol is concerned, theres absolutley no argument on the social damage alcohol does and cannabis of course sends a minority of users a bit ****in nutty, but they were probably heading that way anyways, a few joints prbably just accelerates it.

The labour government have at least recognised that cannabis is much less of a threat to health and society as some in The Tory party would have us believe, they'd like us to foillow the US and have a zero policy on all drugs, and thats working an absolute treat for them........its about time goivernments everywhere realised the 'war on drugs' has failed, and failed quite miserably. Billions of dollars are spent every year on trying to stop the trafficking in illegal drugs yet the consumption risies.

We need to spend that money and the money from taxing the legal sale of all drugs on education, rehabilitation and making sure kids and society in general have the all information they need to make an informed decision.

[TwoPlAnKs]

cannabis doesnt appear to cause problems but it does really

a lot of people i know get a bit on the stoned side before classes at school - surely this effects their learning?

it also consumes time smoking it and doing all the other related things - time that could be spent sitting around playing a ps2 with your m8s or studying for tests or some other wholesome activity that is likely to develop you socially or educationally (ok so that probably isnt a word...)

i admit that drug use can be benificial to your social life - but do you really need the drugs?

if a million people jump off a bridge on of them is bound to survive - and the ones that die probably wont do so until they hit the bottom - i think thats what's happeneing here

although in saying all that, i think it should be the persons choice if they want to do it or not, and it should not be illegal. if it is illegal fags and drink should be too since they are just as, if not more, harmful