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 fapjack
Registered: 07/26/07
Posts: 2,994
Last seen: 7 days, 17 hours
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 Split opinion on cannabis debate
#8384685 - 05/10/08 09:09 AM (3 months, 25 days ago) |
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7387695.stm
Split opinion on cannabis debate
Man smoking a joint
Opinion is split about whether cannabis should be reclassified
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has decided to reclassify cannabis as a class B drug - despite the advice of officials.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs argued that cannabis should remain class C, to which it was downgraded under Tony Blair.
Here are the views of two people from both sides of the debate.
ANITA WILSON, FROM SHEFFIELD
Anita Wilson, 51, believes her family life has been destroyed because of the effects of her ex-partner smoking cannabis.
Anita Wilson
Anita thinks that cannabis should be reclassified
As a result she would like cannabis to be reclassified as a class A drug, but if that cannot happen she supports the reclassification to a class B.
Anita's ex-partner started smoking cannabis at the age of 14. He continued to smoke it regularly, until in his late 30s he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He then continued to use cannabis to try to help block out his illness.
"He was smoking eight or nine ounces a week to the point where he had gone beyond using his cannabis to self medicate," said Anita.
"His dependency on the cannabis grew as his body became more and more resilient to it."
Anita lived with her partner and three children, but in 2006 she ended up in a women's refuge and her partner was sent to in prison.
"The paranoia was unbelievable. In the end the paranoia hits such highs that it completely wrecked the family.
"He accused me of poisoning him, we couldn't move the furniture because he was so paranoid and I wasn't even allowed to have a bath or wash my hair.
"We all suffered constant verbal abuse and my son had to be put in care because my partner was threatening him."
I think the cannabis should be a class A drug because I have seen the damage it has done
Anita Wilson
Anita said the situation culminated when her partner threatened to kill a social worker during a review meeting.
"He threatened to kill a social worker and then threatened to blow up the community mental health base.
"The bomb squad found enough chemicals in our garage to blow up the whole street."
Anita - who has now split from her partner - believes that for those who have a predisposition to mental problems cannabis speeds up the whole process and makes the effect more severe.
"His behaviour was all due to an excessive use of cannabis and the paranoia is causes," she said.
"If he hadn't smoked the cannabis things wouldn't have been so bad.
"I think the cannabis should be a class A drug because I have seen the damage it has done.
"I want reclassification because I think any deterrent is good.
"My partner had 24 cannabis plants growing at home because the drug laws had been relaxed and he wasn't worried about getting caught because he thought he would only get a caution."
MO VAILLANCOURT, FROM BROCKENHURT IN THE NEW FOREST
Mo Vaillancourt
Mo believes cannabis should not be reclassified
Mo's son Jake started smoking cannabis at the age of 13 or 14 and experienced mental problems when he was 16.
"It was peer group pressure that made him start smoking cannabis and he was smoking stronger and stronger stuff until eventually he was smoking skunk," he said.
"When he was 16 he had a psychotic episode and was sectioned into an adult ward at a secure mental hospital. It was traumatising for the whole family. "
Jake spent time in an adolescent unit and a couple of years later ended up back in the adult mental health ward, but his father said he has been on a path of recovery ever since.
Mr Vaillancourt, 56, is against anyone smoking cannabis as a result of what has happened to his son - but he does not believe reclassification of the drug will help stop people smoking it.
"If I could wind the clock back I would make sure Jake had stayed away from cannabis," he said.
"Without the cannabis it is unlikely that Jake would have had a psychotic episode. But I don't think the legal status of the drug would make any difference and it should be left as a class C drug."
"The figures show that since it has been reclassified to a C the numbers of people smoking it has gone down.
"I think the vast amount of money spent on reclassification would be better used if it was spent on education.
"This would capitalise on the feeling that I believe is out there that cannabis is dangerous and does cause mental health problems."
This just goes to show how bias the BBC really is. This really is a joke IMO.
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TypicalTripper
CannabisCuddling Canuck
Registered: 03/24/07
Posts: 239
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 5 days, 6 hours
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Re: Split opinion on cannabis debate [Re: fapjack]
#8384761 - 05/10/08 09:58 AM (3 months, 25 days ago) |
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I don't see how her husband smoking 8 ounces has anything to do with the plant being that evil. He just has no self control. They could spend the money they save on enforcement on ''re-hab'' programs for the extreme users that want to quit.
Being addicted to weed is just like being an alcoholic in my opinion , except you don't wreck the ones around you as much.
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 OrgoneConclusion
Thinker
Registered: 04/01/07
Posts: 6,751
Loc: Not gardening
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Re: Split opinion on cannabis debate [Re: fapjack]
#8384777 - 05/10/08 10:04 AM (3 months, 25 days ago) |
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Quote:
Anita's ex-partner started smoking cannabis at the age of 14. He continued to smoke it regularly, until in his late 30s he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He then continued to use cannabis to try to help block out his illness.
"He was smoking eight or nine ounces a week to the point where he had gone beyond using his cannabis to self medicate," said Anita.
1. It was ALREADY ILLEGAL when her partner self-destructed. How would making the penalties stiffer have made a difference? (Never get an answer from prohibitionists on this one.)
2. RESPONSIBLE ADULTS and average users rarely smoke an ounce a week, nevermind a half pound!
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I am not an actor, I merely play one on TV.
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Visionary Tools
Kiffah
Registered: 06/23/07
Posts: 2,933
Last seen: 24 days, 2 hours
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Re: Split opinion on cannabis debate [Re: fapjack]
#8384811 - 05/10/08 10:23 AM (3 months, 25 days ago) |
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The message I have got from cannabis being class B is that in her day, it was class B. What's good enough for Cuntyjack Smith is good enough for me. Now I can be even more rebellious with my innocuous act that harms no one. Apart from the fact some dickhead piggy can now arrest me for it, I don't see what all the fuss is about.
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In times of universal deceit, the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
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MonChe
RevolutionaryMonkey
Registered: 08/16/06
Posts: 94
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 1 month, 11 days
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cannabis use does not magically make people paranoid schizophrenic. those two people were schizophrenic before they smoked pot, you are born with paranoid schizophrenia but it doesn't usually develop and fully present itself to after puberty usually from a shocking experience. I watched it develop in my uncle as a kid. should my uncle be smoking cannabis? No. should he make cannabis illegal because it is unsafe for certain poeple? Hell no, then I'd never get to eat any fucking peanut butter.
And dependency that ruins families? Holy Fucking Alcohol is a fuck ton worse and yet its still sold by the state up here. Fuck they even advertise 'which brandy are you'. We already learned prohibition doesn't work. State sold wife abuse and yet cannabis is illegal.
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MonChe, Leading the monkeys against the tyranny of the apes in the Gorilla wars!
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itsthedank
The Dude
Registered: 01/20/08
Posts: 327
Loc: The Gray Tapes
Last seen: 10 hours, 27 minutes
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Re: Split opinion on cannabis debate [Re: MonChe]
#8385824 - 05/10/08 03:34 PM (3 months, 25 days ago) |
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Worst article ever.
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Irieforester
Head to toe inH2O
Registered: 03/10/08
Posts: 293
Loc: That state seperating fro...
Last seen: 1 day, 8 hours
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Re: Split opinion on cannabis debate [Re: itsthedank]
#8386240 - 05/10/08 05:29 PM (3 months, 25 days ago) |
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Quote:
I think the cannabis should be a class A drug because I have seen the damage it has done
Anita Wilson
If he had abused anything besides cannabis as heavily as he did, you wouldn't be alive to see the damage it caused.
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I am still and forever learning
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biggysmall
Registered: 04/27/07
Posts: 1,270
Loc: your moms bedroom
Last seen: 4 hours, 5 minutes
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Re: Split opinion on cannabis debate [Re: fapjack]
#8388892 - 05/11/08 12:31 PM (3 months, 24 days ago) |
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why don't they ever tell stories of the millions of people who use marijuana responsibly.
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