Shoot the Messenger

[ColinW]

The government have sacked their chief drugs adviser, Professor David Nutt, because he has criticised their policy on cannabis.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8334774.stm

It seems he agrees with what everyone who has used, or knows people who have used, this drug have been saying all along, that it is no more dangerous than alcohol and a lot less addictive than tobacco.

 

Prof Nutt said he was not prepared to "mislead" the public about the effects of drugs in order to convey a moral "message" on the government's behalf.

 

This is quite a shocking development, almost out of the Saddam Hussein book of politics. It makes you wonder if there are no depths to which they won't sink when a government is happy to criminalize the public for doing something which their own members have done in the past, having scientific advice that their draconian attitude is just not justified.

I've never taken it myself (only because I don't smoke) but lots of my old university friends used it regularly and they would now probably be regarded as model citizens, doctors, dentists, engineers, businessmen etc.

[Guest Rabbit]

The government have sacked their chief drugs adviser, Professor David Nutt, because he has criticised their policy on cannabis.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8334774.stm

It seems he agrees with what everyone who has used, or knows people who have used, this drug have been saying all along, that it is no more dangerous than alcohol and a lot less addictive than tobacco.

 

 

 

This is quite a shocking development, almost out of the Saddam Hussein book of politics. It makes you wonder if there are no depths to which they won't sink when a government is happy to criminalize the public for doing something which their own members have done in the past, having scientific advice that their draconian attitude is just not justified.

I've never taken it myself (only because I don't smoke) but lots of my old university friends used it regularly and they would now probably be regarded as model citizens, doctors, dentists, engineers, businessmen etc.

Dont agree, cannabis is dangerous, but so is booze and fags, but to set this sort of example as It's all right to smoke cannabis to kids is just plain reckless, but glad your pot smoking uni friends have flourished and are now model citizens, nothing like a good role model for kids to aspire to

[chesters1]

the last advisor that dared to challenge the government ended up dead in a wood ,he should be careful

[billy50000]

whats good for blair eh:)

[kleinboet]

The reason that cannabis was "downgraded" was in order to allow a new medicine to come on to the market. Sativex is a cannebeloid based drug which reduces spasms in MS users. Asit is, the only way they could put it on the maket was as a "named" patient (Brenda is one of the lucky ones to be on it). The have now upgraded it again.

 

If the government is using every means it can to stop people smoking, it would be a bit silly to keep Cannabis as an alternative!

[ColinW]

Dont agree, cannabis is dangerous, but so is booze and fags, but to set this sort of example as It's all right to smoke cannabis to kids is just plain reckless, but glad your pot smoking uni friends have flourished and are now model citizens, nothing like a good role model for kids to aspire to

 

Silly comment. Young people do lots of things they probably shouldn't. I don't know anyone killed by smoking pot. I know one killed falling off a rock face, two killed riding motorbikes and three drowned when their fishing boat went down. So on that basis kids would be better sat at home smoking than out in the big bad real world doing the "dangerous stuff" young people enjoy doing. Just what is the point of being young and behaving like an old man?

 

P.S. If you think fifty year old doctors, dentists, engineers and businessmen are role models that kids aspire to you live in a different world to me!

[Worms]

If the government is using every means it can to stop people smoking, it would be a bit silly to keep Cannabis as an alternative!

Every means it can except banning it...........b@gger people's health, too much tax revenue involved!

 

On the 'flip' side, I seem to recall that reefers were used in the USA as a means of reducing/clearing tar build up in heavy smokers' lungs!

 

I also recall seeing many a bottle of Tincture of Cannabis in elderly peoples kitchens and larders when making housecalls!

[Sportsman]

Dangers of tobacco

From cancer research UK

 

Smoking is the single greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer; in the UK, it is the cause of more than a quarter (29%) of all deaths from cancer and has killed an estimated 6 million people over the last 50 years.

 

Worldwide, tobacco consumption caused an estimated 100 million deaths in the last century and if current trends continue it will kill 1,000 million in the 21st century. Around half of all regular smokers will die from the habit, half of these in middle age 1.

 

 

Dangers of Alcohol

Government statistics

 

Figures on alcohol-related deaths in 2007 indicate a levelling-off of the trend, following rapid increases since the early 1990s. There were 8,724 alcohol-related deaths in 2007, lower than 2006, but more than double the 4,144 recorded in 1991. The alcohol-related death rate was 13.3 per 100,000 population in 2007, compared with 6.9 per 100,000 population in

1991.

 

Dangers of Ectasy

 

Between 1988 and 1997, some 50-100 deaths have been connected to Ecstasy use in the UK. The current rate is 7 deaths per million users per year.

 

On the other hand, US figures are much lower, with only one death per million users. This is largely due to the enduring preference for warehouse or outdoor parties rather than hot packed-out nightclubs. Most Ecstasy-related deaths are related to alcohol-consumption and overheating, and there is less of a booze culture among American kids.

 

Dangers of Cannabis

 

While the toxicity of cannabis is very low, and that no one has ever died as a direct and immediate consequence of recreational or medical use of cannabis, it is still wrong to say it is an entirely harmless substance. Excessive smoking may cause bronchitis or even lung cancer

 

As a society we spend millions each year in a vain attempt to control the use of cannabis and Ectasy.

We spend billions each year dealing with the effect of uncontrolled use of Alcohol and Tobacco.

 

Go figure

Edited October 31, 2009 by Sportsman

[Emma two]

Sativex is a cannebeloid based drug which reduces spasms in MS users. Asit is, the only way they could put it on the maket was as a "named" patient (Brenda is one of the lucky ones to be on it).

 

 

Have you been trying her mediction? because if you have perhaps that would explain your irrational ideas and memory loss.

Edited October 31, 2009 by Emma two

[Elton]

I was going to add something really well thought out and constructive to this thread, but I had to nip out to the Shell garage for a couple of Mars bars and I've forgotten now.