that’s the kind of thinking we need in this country Stephen, you’ve got my vote ;)

i always wondered why they don’t do this?
It has to pass quality control, as some add ground up glass to the plants to add weight to the end product.
If they let people grow their own and punish those who sell, would take the money away from these organized gangs.
I am sure it would cut down a lot of money, these gangs would have less funds buying guns?

The difference is Rob if you want to drink a whole bottle of vodka, other than the social effects, for the most part it won’t directly damage my health – however, if you want to smoke weed, at a bus stop say, and I’m there waiting for a bus with a small child then we have to stand there and breath in your smoke, thus it directly damages our health!

Lets hope ur not standin at a bus stop with someone who’s just polished off a bottle of vodka ……..

@poppysmith: a bottle of vodka does not only have social effects, it effects every major organ in your body, it’s a carcenagic and if alcohol was invented/ discovered today it would never be made legal, go to any psychiatric ward in any hospital in this country, there will be people in for drug abuse (including cannabis) and then look at those in there for alcohol abuse, wet brain, fatal liver damage and a quality of life that involves being medicated/ sedated for life… Alcohol related deaths are at an all time high, how many people die from cannabis abuse, if regulated properly, it could generate enough money to stop us going cap in hand to the ecb every six months to run this country… Social and personal impact on people that smoke cannabis vs alcohol abuse is worlds apart.
Ps: poppysmith, could you let me know what bus you get as I would be reluctant to sit beside a woman after drinking a bottle of vodka if I had my kids with me!

They must have got mixed up the poor lads, nox is a different drug completely.

Pretty good as far as I know, addiction rates are falling, HIV rates are falling and crime rates are falling. The Danes are doing something similar.

@ Gordon … Couldn’t agree more!

The amount of people presenting to drug projects with issues of cannabis is multiplying. As I said on this before if weed was to be legalised a balanced look at its positives and negatives is needed. The leveling of the THC and CBD content in weed is very important.

So a question for all the pro legalise weed brigade. What are the dangers currently associated with the hybrid plants been grown?

As is the amount of people turning up to drug projects that don’t necessarily have a drug problem, they are drug USERS all right , but it’s the new fashion accessorie to have a drug related problem.

Patrick by calling it “hybrid” means already you don’t have the experience or knowledge on the subject to debate but I will indulge you.

Yes it is a concern that the illegal trade is manipulating the THC and CBD levels. They are raising the levels of THC while lowering CBD rates. High THC is a small concern but a concern all the same. CBD counteracts the effects that THC has on your brain.

Their is only one solution to this and that is taking the hands out of the drug dealers and regulating cannabis like alcohol and tobacco. Then we the smokers can decide what levels we want. We won’t have a problem with home growers manipulating these levels as they will be using the cannabis themselves.

Furthermore it’s an incentive for people not to return to the illegal trade as it may be damaging to their health.

Does this answer your question?

*hear

Because these people are criminals and the are part of gangs who murder people whenever they feel like it. Locked up and the profits taken away.
Some of you should take. Look at where the money you spend on this stuff goes.

But isn’t that what your describing a result of prohibition? If the goal of this policy is to put the criminals out of business and take their profits it’s not a very effective one is it? All it seems to do is scoop up a couple of lackies and a few plants, the profit margins involved in this business are so good that this will do little more than set the criminal gangs back a few weeks. Nobody at the top is ever touched – so again what’s the point?

@ross your dead right it makes perfect economical and financial sense to regulate etc, take the money for the country rather than gangs but hey you’ll prob get loads of thumbs down from all those who don’t understand common sense and those allergic to change… Clearly this country will be in the sh!tt€r for a long time to come until common sense prevails and politicians learn maths!

@Julie – people love the thumbs, can’t seem to get many to actually debate it or try to refute a decent argument which is a bit frustrating and a bit sad. While the rest of the world is seriously debating the issue of prohibition and looking for alternatives we in Ireland are as usual behind the curve. The policies pursued by this and most other Western governments have never been shown to be effective. In fact there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that policy has little effect in either increasing or reducing consumption. If you can’t effect demand how can you possibly think you can effect supply?

Tell me where it goes?
Normally they kill people who don’t pay their bills
Unlike the govt, who tax us for the bills they run up

@ Wayne – Most of the time they can’t pay their bills because someone took their stash….. Wonder who that could be?

They know the consequences of their type of tax evasion, it’s well documented, they don’t have pension in job description as most never make it to pension age( not to make little of getting into trouble by whatever circumstance or bad choice and getting yer head blown off)

That’s true most of them do know, but when you stand to make that much money some people will go to no ends to achieve it. But again that opportunity is created by government policy.

@kevin you will indulge me? You trying to yourself sound more important than me? Come off that high horse I’m just trying to have a more balanced argument. I’m actually in favour of decriminalising weed heroin crack ect. Was just wondering whether people advocating for legalisation actually had any other info other than its harmless. For me the most important people are the ones effected by drug addiction not the ones like yourself who use em socially.

welcome to the layer cake son ;)

Why?? Drugs fund gangs well known fact until laws are changed anyone buying this crap are supporting crime are you just trolling ??

Absolutely right Stephen.Who cares if it’s €1 million or €50 million if its no benefit to the country?I think at this stage we should be more prudent with Garda resources,what with the amount of burglaries and reduction in cop shops.

John if weed were to be legal you would take profits out of gangs hands and the money could be used to help all the people of ireland not just drug lords .

No, “gangs” fund import or cultivation of drugs to fund themselves-
They are feeding the nation who freely put their hands in their own pockets to buy weed, don’t fool yourself that it’s invisible junkie/addicts hiding down a back street , do you think they consume all that ? You know someone who smokes, everyone does.

Yeah but Wayne – people consumed it for thousands of years before it was illegal and big surprise they are still consuming it and will no doubt continue to use it. It’s futile to try to stop them. In fact trying to stop them has resulted in the use of cannabis increasing by a factor of 20 – 2000% in the last 40 years!! Acceptance of this fact would save an awful lot of wasted lives and in the process save us a load of money.

Shur it’s not about the cost of operation nitrogen, aren’t they saving us from ourselves, god help us

I love my brickkkkkkkkkkkk of cannabis :p

The level of people who are admitted to various institutions because of alcohol abuse is also very high. Whats your point Patrick? Just because it has a adverse reaction to a minority or some reckless people go over board doesn’t mean everyone should suffer. Lets face it its only a minority compared to the huge number of people that actually smoke it.

You are wrong on so many levels. Gate way drug because dealers might be selling other drugs. Passively high off a joint? That would probably only happen in a hotbox… The whole drug strategy needs to be looked at, decriminalize all drugs and use the money saved on policing to set up educational and rehabilitation programs. Look at Portugal for example.

Not sure if trolling…. or ???