Should ‘soft drugs’ like cannabis be legal? On 21 Febuary 2017, a majority of MPs in the Netherlands (77 to 72) arguably took a step in that direction when they backed new legislation to regulate marijuana cultivation under government control. Should other countries now follow their lead?
In theory, the weed business could bring in a decent amount of cash in tax revenue. The average coffeeshop in the Netherlands (where cannabis is decriminalised and taxed, but not technically legal) has an annual revenue of about €1.7 million from weed and hash. Nevertheless, business can be tough. The number of coffeeshops in the Netherlands has been declining over the years, from a high (aha!) of 846 in 1999, to around 582 in 2015.
Nevertheless, besides a potential tax boost, supporters argue that legalising cannabis could also bring about savings in the judicial system. If weed was legal, then less drug dealers and customers would potentially end up in the courts or jails. On the other hand, critics argue that even so-called ‘soft’ drugs can be highly addictive, and some argue that cannabis is linked to mental health issues like schizophrenia and depression.
What do our readers think? We had a comment sent in from Nuno on our ‘Suggest a Debate’ page, arguing that cannabis should be legalised, regulated and taxed. Is he right? Or would that essentially turn the government into a drug dealer?
Should cannabis be legalised across the EU? We asked Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from all sides of the political spectrum to stake out their positions on this question, and it’s up to YOU to vote for the policies you favour. See what the different MEPs have to say, then vote at the bottom of this debate for the one you most agree with! Take part in the vote below and tell us who you support in the European Parliament!
My party is in favour, I’m a little bit reluctant… But you can say: ‘Is it more dangerous than alcohol’? Probably not. So, I think it should be left to the Member States, and it is still an open discussion with important pros and cons.
Nigel Farage (EFDD), Member of the European Parliament (NOTE: We contacted EFDD MEPs for comment but they did not reply in time for publication. The below is from an interview with Nigel Farage):
I personally think that the war on drugs was lost many, many years ago and that the lives of millions of people in Britain are being made miserable by the huge criminal element that surrounds the illicit drugs trade and I do think that Portugal does show us that perhaps there is a better, more enlightened way to deal with this… I’m not pro-drugs by the way, as someone with teenage children, and I’ve seen fairly close to hand the damage that drugs can do to young people. So I hate drugs, I’ve never taken them myself, I hope I never do, but I just have a feeling that the criminalisation of all these drugs is actually not really helping British society…
IMAGE CREDIT: CC / Flickr – Alexodus
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Yes
no.
NO they shouldn’t!!!
It can for medical purpose, but only in controlled environment!
Legalized = Controlled.
Yes, without any doubt. Like abortions, it should be available and regulated, but it is not mandatory, so I still not understand the No position.
.
Because it makes you stupid and leads to stronger drug use maybe ?
http://www.mensfitness.com/life/shocker-20-year-study-says-marijuana-makes-you-stupid
Being stupid is what makes you stupid.
Ivan Burrows, you are a bit ignorant and because of that you should read some statistics about the dangers of the LEGAL alcool drug.
Some people are stupid without taking drugs though…
How would it be legalised across the EU – there is no EU mechanism or authority to do this. This question is promoting ignorance about how the EU works (or doesn’t).
Legalize
It falls to each member state to do as it sees fit.
.
Why should we make it easy for druggies ?
I agree. Imprison anyone who has ever enjoyed cannabis, nicotine, caffeine or alcohol.
Matej Zaggy Zagorc
No matter what the evidence druggies will always deny the truth, denial is part of your addiction.
http://www.mensfitness.com/life/shocker-20-year-study-says-marijuana-makes-you-stupid
Make it easy for dealers
yes… now mafia selling across EU, if we legalize it all taxes is for governments…
Ofcource.
Yes. And I don’t even smoke.
It’s a very benign recreational product. There is no reason to leave the supply (and the profits) to thugs. Christiania in Copenhagen has been struggling with this absurd reality for years, dodging both the government’s harassment on one side and the reality of having to allow organised crime deal with the supply on the other. Legalising would be so much simpler, fairer and better for the whole of society, providing tax revenues (like that of alcohol), better choice and safer product quality, and freeing police resources for more relevant endeavours. Seems like a no-brainer. Then again, I’m also Canadian, and we seem to have made our mind on this lately – funny that Europe is not leading on being progressive this time around.
Europe is being held up at gunpoint by populists and conservatorysm , the european version of trump! No progress for Europe in the near future!
Yes, but regulated. Like with alcohol
Plome Rao but then it would be less fun…
Cannabis is just the tip of the iceberg.
The real question is – what should Europe do with respect to substance abuse? Who should be decriminalized? Who should be criminalized? And what are the social goals to be achieved?
Once we can answer these questions then we can address cannabis, alcohol, tabacco, opium, crack, and all others.
The problem is not cannabis.
The problem is the social goal we are trying to achieve.
I think the best social goal we could have would be to properly make properly scientifically informed citizens and to empower them by letting the choice be free.
yes
NO they shouldn’t!!!
It can for medical purpose, but only in controlled environment!
Why not for recreation too?
Yeap
In my personal opinion, it should be legalised in the near future. First of all, it should be immediately discriminalised in all EU and not kids get arrested like criminals for having or smoking. Then, legalise for medical use, under strict governmental control, but also help farmers who want to go into this business. Finally, for recreational use, it should be under each country’s decision to legalise, but still no one gets arrested if not under medical prescription. A small fine or some mandatory seminars would better. Cannabis has been proven less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes which are legal.
George P. from Greece
Like all drugs it should be regulated by the state to eradicate, crime, corruption and mafias.
Governement is the problem not the solution !
Let it be illegal as the opiods are…. what? no?
Drugs don’t work. See Oppium War and drugs victims over the ’70s until today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYJKSVHQzLs It was “legal” for thousands of years.
Of course
Yes. It’s the only way to control it
Yes.
How can you ask a plant to be legalized since it is for free, like the grass near the street.
Yes, with a clear industrial line and distribution, a suitable working conditions and health insurance and salaries for workers, clear paid taxes , and a supervision as well as awareness !
Pan metron ariston…
Of course
I don’t get what is there to debate?
+ vehicle speed 120km /h & and texting while drive …
+ vehicle speed 120km /h & and texting while drive …
Cannabis is the ancient “grass of the devil” used by very black and destructive “wannabe” sorcerers,shall we see what happens next!!! :D
Lol dude stop using pesticides as a gateway drug
Of course, it should ALREADY be legalized.
Fuck off
yes
Yes, as the super-alcoholics!
Sadly no, it would just be used by Euroskeptics as example of central imposition.
Do the minimum well to ensure a shared prosperity, and let everything else to lower level.
HELL NO…,WHAT ALL THESE BIG PHARMACY COMPANIES ARE GONNA DO ?TURN INTO THIEVES?PLEASE STOP SPREADING THESE NONSENCE , AND DO IT FOR OUR CHILDREN AT BAYERN INC…!
hell yeahh
Of course it should be legalised, and the debate about this topic should be moved to something more appropriate to these times, like “What are the social reasons why it was stigmatised and delegalised in the first place?”
Good point 👍🏻
Yes but under a lot of regulations
OMG- what else? None of the (EU) politicians is clear and definite about it.
It may be due to their limited experience or the incentive as law makers to create additional tax revenue to fund a bloated bureaucracy, increase the general public’s risk profile, “dimming” them down & sacrifice a still somewhat sober society. Who would benefit?
Enough damage done already due to political silliness! An example of others & a recreational lust by some, should not be a reason to subject the majority.
Surely, nobody would object using it as a medicinal prescription drug which is professionally supervised & covered by medical aid. Why risk increasing a zombie culture- which is increasingly done by industrial pharmaceuticals & by some doctors over prescribing certain drugs?
If still unsure, invite all 751 EP members plus the JCJ Commission on a “cannabis smoking experiment” for a few month- (smokers & non smokers) and evaluate the outcome. On one condition: they must comprehensively take out & pay for personal insurance in their name for their car, health and all third party risk. Afterwards, let’s discuss this matter again.
Debe ser legalizada porque hay mucha gente enferma que depende de ella
If alcahol is legal !!!
Absolutely yessss!
Of course it should be legal!!
Yes
It should just be legal everywhere. People are going to do it regardless of it being legal or illegal anyway.
Yes – if we want another social burden besides alcoholism.
Yes, and give it a good tax :)
http://www.menshealth.com/guy-wisdom/congress-end-federal-marijuana-weed-ban?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=Social&utm_term=831765364&utm_campaign=Men%27s%20Health
http://www.menshealth.com/guy-wisdom/congress-end-federal-marijuana-weed-ban?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=Social&utm_term=831765364&utm_campaign=Men%27s%20Health
Of course what a question
yes
Of course!!! Who is still has doubts?! :D Less crimes, less rapes, less robbery, less diseases. More fun, more kindness, more happiness, more smiles.
you dont make any sense
absolutely yes.
No!
Why not? There’s not really much harm it can actually do.
Matthew, really? Just ONE small example:
Imagine some parents (are you a parent yet?) have some 14- 18 year old “children” (the most “difficult age” group). Some silly politicians declare & promote 16 year old’s as political “mature” enough to vote.
Those 16 year old ones want listen & respect their parents anymore (should they wish to explain, advise & forbid them do stay away from such “Russian roulette” games)- but will support the political silliness instead! They are just so cool & progressive! A breakdown in trust & discipline within a family=society could be just ONE consequence!
However, nobody (from the “authorities”) would likely stop you acting silly, should it remain illegal- caught or not- except a caring parent! Imagine a government is being sued in a class action in future for “destroying” their youth- by abandoning some of their important overall responsibilities- “to protect”?
Politician and children alike do not care about the overall well being & fabric of a healthy society anymore= protection of the collective majority. Instead, the state sets an example to embark on a self centered & egoistic suicidal mission- serving mainly their narrow agenda of gaining popular favor & votes.
Impresionante.
Certainly legalise it for medicine. The big pharmas won’t like it though…..
Maybe if it was legalised for recreational use, the over-strong rubbish known as skunk might disappear too.
Aspirin originated from a plant. Morphine comes from a plant. It’s a natural medicine.
yes i like weed
:)
From our point of view, canabis should be legalised in EU because it could be used in pharmacy. Also it is legal in the Netherlands and why not be legal in other Eu countries. Last but not least, for those who support that canabis is dangerous it will be used solely by poeple who are over 21 and besides that everyone is responsible for their actions and the consequences they have on them, so it could be used wisely and with responsibility.
As an Irish Citizen of 35 years of age I find the debate for Legalising Cannabis going on for far too long. In Ireland too many of our Government resources have been put into the “War against Drugs” with main policing of drugs focused on cannabis users due to being easy targets. We have mainly Centre/ Centre right governing since the formation of the Irish state and not one of them have had an effective drug policy or vision going forward. Cannabis Users are demonised by misinformation by successive Governments, the police and the media.
In our courts system “criminals” use cannabis usage as a defense when they are being tried for cases such as assault, public order offences etc. The court will look on the guilty persons usage of cannabis as a favorable reason why they committed the criminal act they are been tried for. This shows the Justice system is ignorant to the true nature of cannabis when it takes as truth these fairy tale” stories.Alcohol and harder drug usage are the real reasons. Alcohol is given light regulation due to the money the industry gets so a “scapegoat” has to be found to hide from the true nature of the problem.This has a knock on affect with the media coverage of such court cases and in forming government policy.
Many of my friends and I have consumed cannabis throughout our life time and some of us continue to do so today. All of us are law abiding citizens in every other avenue of our lives. We have manage to hold down employment, never suffer or have suffered illl effects when using cannabis over 15 years.Not once while under the influence of cannabis have we committed a crime of social disorder,assaults or criminal act. The same cannot be said when dealing with Alcohol in Ireland.
The EU in order to push this debate forward need to speak to cannabis users in order to get the best perspective of this topic. We are the ones who use it. It is no good talking to or debating with people who have never used or taken cannabis just once because their opinion on it is not valuable to the debate to keep legalise it.
When I was growing up I did not consume cannabis until I was at the age of 20.I was an advocate for anti drugs. If anyone told me during those years they were taking drugs Id disown them, I did not want anything to do with this type of person. This was due to the fear factor associated to all drugs which I had learned from my parents, my family, Government and the Media. This is wrong. Only after getting involved with cannabis did become aware of the truth.
The first time I took Cannabis it did not have a bad effect just different to normal life. I felt Mellow and calm.Once you remain calm during this initial period you have nothing to worry about because the effect of cannabis wears off and it does not suddenly make you want to go out and kill someone. The more use I had of cannabis the more it allowed me focus my thoughts and control my mind.The more cannabis I would consume in a sitting the more mellow and productive id be. When consuming Alcohol the more I consumed in a sitting the more angry I got with less control over my thoughts.
There will always be the pharma or recreational drug user who should not be consuming drugs due to mental issues the consumer already has before taking a drug, to blame cannabis for these problems is a total cop out. I suffered years from Migraines and the more pharmaceutical I took the more sick and useless it made me.Thankfully cannabis resolved it and I have rarely if anytime needed to visit a doctor due to sickness since. Cannabis users should not have to continue to suffer the ignorance of bad policy and decision making whether it be for medical or recreational purposes.
Legalise it now
no
Absolutely not. National governments should decide this, not the crazies in Brussels.
Nop…
I think weed is good for everybody, it should be given out for free!
I think cannabis shouldn’t be legalised because people use it in the wrong way. If it would have been only in medical purpose then it would have been more okey. People are doing it in either it’s legal or not, but then they can have consequences like a penalty. Cannabis can cause diseases of the lungs, heart and headache etc. A person who smokes cannabis becomes more accessible for diseases and other side effects can be pains in the legs and back. Cannabis affects the brain and emotional and panic disorder can happen. Other consequences can be that people who used to be happy and extrovert can instead be unconcerned and shy of people. A study shows that people who smoke cannabis also has a lower IQ because of less brain function. It also shows that it can trigger schizophrenia. If you become addicted, it may also be difficult to handle information and have a worse memory. Cannabis is not a drug that makes you smarter or something, it just destroys your brain and your body. Therefore shouldn’t it be legalised, because people don’t understand the consequences of the drug. Like a said, in medical purpose I think it would be legalised because that can help people with their pain, but otherwise, really no!
I think cannabis should be legal under certain circumstances. It has emerged that cannabis could help people with different diseases for example nervous system disease, psychoses and schizophrenia and more. It could help in several ways for diseases. It’s also scientifically proven that alcohol is more dangerous for your body than cannabis but alcohol is legal and cannabis is not. Cannabis could and is used for different things, some use it for medication, self medication and some just use it for fun.
My opinion is that cannabis should be legal for only two things. If you want to use cannabis for fun should the laws work the same way as for alcohol. No smoking in public, do not smoke and drive and so on. A good idea is to have “zones” in different places in the country where you can use cannabis, like bars where you can drink alcohol. I think it would reduce the risk that people smoke in public places because there are places where you can do it where it’s going to be legal.
I also believe that crime would have decreased a lot because people will no longer able to make money from it in the same way. Why buy cannabis from dealers when you can buy it legally in a store who have permission to sell it?
Cannabis should be legally when it comes to medical treatments under government control. Studies are now starting to show marijuana’s potential in aggressive cancerous brain tumors. Since cannabis was legalized in Colorado, many feared that it would lead to increased consumption among youth. In fact, legalization has had the exact opposite effect – due to education and regulations restricting use to adults. And keeping it illegally is expensive and on the other side with legalized cannabis creates jobs and could also eliminate the black market. Last but not least, in comparative on the risks of recreational drugs, alcohol was the top contender, while cannabis was considered the lowest risk. That makes cannabis 114 times safer to use than alcohol.
Check out the solution in Portugal and, most particularly the results.It is very simple:
Consumption is treatable. Selling is illegal.
Addicts are treated. Pushers are jailed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal
Check out the solution in Portugal and, most particularly the results.
It is very simple:
Consumption is treatable. Selling is illegal.
Addicts are treated. Pushers are jailed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal
Definitely!! And collect the taxes, legitimize the trade and eliminate dealers!
So… should we then legalize robbery, people smugglers and some other crimes, just because they could pay taxes?
Mentioned crimes are done against one person will or property, while substance use isn’t same kind of action. You cannot compare it.
Bobi Dochev don’t step on one’s liberty to roll up a joint and smoke it! Ridiculous the comparison u made here…
Now u trying to compare apples with pears. Smoking pot noone gets hurt, killed or injured. The only damage if at all you doing to urself. Dont punish consumers is what they are pushing for and taking this business away from criminals.
If alcohol would be invented now it would be a class A drug. More people die of booze. Alcohols impact on society and the costs for the health system is much higher than smoking a jolly is but is sold on every street corner. The war on booze was lost during prohibtion. The war on drugs too but still billions are spent on this war. These billions could be used for more useful things like prevention
NO. The trade is controled by the MAFIA.
so we just let the mafia carry on its business…
Apparently yes, Giulia Noia Dipresa…
That’s precisely because it is illegal that the market is in the hand of the mafia and not honest shopkeepers…
Trade is controlled by the mafia exactly because it is illegal. If it gets legalized there will be legitimate businesses that produce and trade cannabis products just like there are companies who produce alcoholic drinks and tobacco products. They will not only pay taxes, but there will also be at least some level of quality control over their product and at least some control over underage usage.
NO! NO! NO!
I have a bit of free time now. Taking it rationally, what are pros and cons for it, especially taking the history of criminalisation at Nixon times.
cons of legalization:
– drug use for fun is considered as norm like alcohol, nicotine
– higher risk of associated problems like driving under influence
Pros:
– no black market and profits for criminal organisations
– lower costs of law enforcement
– imprisonment stops which lower costs and avoid drop out from society
– opioids and probably other dangerous medical drugs can be replaced by cheaper medical weed
Yes. If alcohol and tobacco are legal, there are no real reasons for marijuana not to be legal as well.
Yes absolutely. I’d be able to give up my opioid medication and lead a normal life again
Of course.
Yes!
??
😂💞
Obviously.
Immediately! This prohibition has no sense!
Sure
Yes! Legalised fir better control and quality standards… in selected approved places.
give up the war on all drugs! just fosters organized crime and terrorism. http://chasingthescream.com/
Although I dont make use of it, absolutely YES! Especialy for medical purposes! YES YES YES!
I don’t use it but yes. Tax money.
Yes of course
What you should ask is: how come it’s not legal yet?
You do understand that all this “Should it be mandatory across Europa” is reason EU collapsing? Stay with trades and economic….
Yeahhh, colapsing… Right….
Logic..
obviously.
but you should have asked this question on April 20 ;-)
Of course!
Of course NOT!!
It could. At the same time synthetic cannabinoids should get full ban and full extent of law and police removing it from market.
I am curious why this is a debate in Europe to begin with. I would say that a phase-in would be needed. First, a decriminalization that would permit study so that all sides can have the time to study any kind of real social impact (who is more likely to consume and possibly abuse) as well as medical (who would benefit) and economical impact (how big is the black market and how much can be taxed if at all). After that I would see every country should decide by itself.
YES !!!
Definitely yes.
keşke;,YEYE,YSESS Türkiye de olsa.alkol neden serbest??Why are you in Turkey?
Obviously YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111one¡¡
It’s already so commonly available across the EU that one may be tempted to forget it is illegal. Laws need to catch up with reality.
Only the medicinal oil.
Absolutely! Yes!
Easy. NO.
Of course it should be
yes definitely,but none of those fools made an honest answer,and none of them talked about + of marijuana,so they know nothing about it.all they care is getting your vote….
Yes off course
Yes, without any doubt!
Of course yes
nice question… to be answered by people studied medicine…not by people who have Facebook…
I had an opinion on it but I forgot. I smoked too much pot.
I hope so!
My opinion: a clear YES both for consumption and limited production. Why yes?
The public wants it and it would be good for the economy. Why has the law not been changed?
Dozen TV shows promise to examine what cannabis does to the brain. Many of us had already seen the clips of test persons struggling after a massive dose of high strength marijuana (the equivalent of forcing a teetotaller to down a bottle of vodka and then asking him how he feels).
But beyond the effects of cannabis on the brain, isn’t it time for a wider discussion on the potential effects of safe, regulated cannabis consumption on society?
How much is cannabis worth these days?
According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction the annual consumption of marijuana in Europe could be in the range of 1000 to 7000 tonnes; the retail price per gram ranges between 5 to 25 Euros and the amount of people that annually uses marijuana in Europe is estimated to be around 22 million. A simple back-of-the envelop calculation would suggest that, taking only average figures, the actual retail market could amount to as much as 60 billion Euros. By comparison, the retail turnovers for alcohol and tobacco are about 90 billion Euros and 140 billion Euros respectively.
In Europe no Member State has so far fully legalized marijuana. However the Netherlands have notoriously adopted a tolerant approach. Accordingly, “coffee shops” are allowed to sell marijuana to consumers although its production remains illegal in the country, leading to reliance on black wholesale markets. Dutch statistics reveal that the retail turnover of the marijuana business is about 2 billion Euros a year, which brings more or less 400 million Euros a year in taxes to the Government.
State of Colorado in the USA, after one year of legalization of marijuana, has reported that the retail business was about 700 million dollars which generated about 63 million in taxes for the coffer of the State. Colorado is a small State of about 5 million people, the tax revenues therefore amount to a non-negligible 12 million dollars per capita.
While tax revenues depend on the excise duties applied, the cases of the Netherlands and Colorado suggest that from retail activities only, the Government can obtain between 10% and 20% in taxes. Should we apply an average of 15% to an estimated European retail business for marijuana of 35 billion Euros, this would yield about 5.2 bn Euros per year in taxes. Just as a term of reference, this amount would be roughly equal to the 7-years budget of the Connecting Europe Facility for Energy.
Saving on prisons…
The legalization of marijuana would bring about a sharp reduction of drugs-related criminal offences. Cannabis-related offences in Europe are considered to be around 50-70% of all drugs-related offences, this amounted in 2012 to 850.000 offences reported by the police. The average cost per day of keeping a person in prison in Europe is about 100 Euros. Assuming that every person arrested for cannabis spends at least one day in prison, this would mean an average cost for European governments of about 85 million Euros per year. But of course drugs-offenders may spend much more than one day in prison.
A more comprehensive estimation based on the total prison population in Europe puts the annual amount spent by EU Governments on drugs-related imprisonment at 3.7-5.9 billion Euros per year. While not all these costs would be eliminated by legalizing cannabis, since some may be related to other drugs, one could assume that a significant reduction would take place, probably in the range of 50%. Taking a conservative hypothesis the saving could amount to about 2 billion Euros a year.
…and income for farmers…
Estimating the potential income of potential cannabis producers in Europe is an ultra-heroic exercise. First of all, we would need to assume that legalization does not only allow consumption but also production. Second we would need to assume that part of the current agricultural land would be used to produce cannabis and this in turn would depend on the opportunity costs of the different cultures. Alternatively, we could expect that some land currently not utilized would be exploited for cannabis production.
The unknowns are such that no comprehensive estimation can be made but if one takes the average cost of production of cannabis (another heroic assumption) to be in the range of 0.3/0.5 Euros per gram one can expect the production business to be relatively profitable at an average retail price of about 10/15 Euros per gram.
Leaving aside such estimates however, a more qualitative argument could be made. Production of cannabis requires some 10/12 hours of sunlight per day. For this reason, southern Member States of the EU would be the best place to cultivate it. As such, it could be an additional important source of revenue and entrepreneurship for particularly depressed economies and regions.
Then, there is the job creation potential. In Colorado, which legalised marijuana at the beginning of 2014, 10,000 now work in the marijuana industry: growing and harvesting crops, working in dispensaries, and making and selling equipment. Crime has fallen: in the first three months after legalisation in Denver, the city experienced a 14.6 per cent drop in crime and specifically violent crime is down 2.4 per cent. Assaults were down by 3.7 per cent.
This reduction led to further savings and allowing stretched police forces to concentrate on more serious issues. Meanwhile, cannabis use by young people actually decreased, an uncomfortable fact for prohibitionists who argue that legalisation would simply encourage more teens to take up cannabis.
In an age when every cent of government spending is fought for, the demonstrated potential savings and revenues at very least deserve serious investigation. Revenue raised from a regulated cannabis trade could be directed towards education on safe use of cannabis.
Finally, there is a slightly more pragmatic matter that should be considered. As the USA engage in experimental legalization of marijuana and if these experiments appear to work, the American diplomacy may use its leverage to modify existing international treaties on drugs to change the treatment reserved to cannabis, promoting its legalization worldwide. The EU should therefore be careful not to end up in the rearguard of a potentially very lucrative commercial venture
Major party leaders are reluctant to grasp the nettle of drug legislation. It’s understandable, given the current association of drugs with criminality. Half of people in the EU think cannabis contributes to street crime. But this association is inevitable as long as cannabis itself is illegal. Only a dispassionate discussion on the merits of cannabis legalisation and regulation can break that link.
Cannabis in itself is not the problem: our current law is. And we’re all paying the price
When you make these economic calculations, did take in consideration the loses due to cannabis? Imagine a worker for a car company or air plane company who smoke cannabis. The cannabis affect the orientation,a nd he will not be able to perform well his task. The company will have loses, and will lose competition with countries that have clear minded workers.This will mean more unemployment.
Regarding decreased consumption within youth. We banned advertising for cigarettes to replace them with advertising for cannabis? The producers will advertise their product to increase profit, and consumption within youth will increase.
Europe have countries , is not one (as they wish) and we don’t want to be one country (with Germans leaders) , Europe have deferent cultures , why you must bring to other countries what you like in yours ?
The dream of united countries of Germans (called eu) will end soon !!!
Of course not. It should for medical issues. This is very dangerous for a Brain development . Many psiquiatric deseases develops because the adolescents smoke cannabis.
Who says it should be legal for adolesents? It will be illegal for them just like alcohol and tobacco products. And there will be some control over this. Currently the control is zero and in some cases it’s easier to get weed at the age of 13 than to order a beer.
The only drug I do is alcohol, but I would legalise, control and tax ALL drugs
Legalize Cannabis
Here is a couple of reasons why Cannabis should be legal: The first reason I want to bring up is the medical part. As the newspaper The times takes up that Cannabis with high CBD alleviate the pain from different medical issues like, epilepsy, Aids and nausea. Marijuana has also treated people with muscle spasm from multiple sclerosis. Because of this I think it is risky to keep it away from millions of people when it actually could help them with their medical issues.
If you compare Cannabis with either alcohol or tobacco it is farless as dangerous as those two substances. Cannabis is not as addictive as those two but still they are legal to use, why? And when America had a prohibition on alcohol everybody still used it and the goverment realised that it did more harm to prohib it than to make it legal, so why is it not the same thing with cannabis?
I’m up for legalization of all kinds of drugs, as history has proven, any profit from the illegal drug trade ends up in the hands of mafias, cartels, warlords, etc. As Mis Kaja Kallas said correctly, the countries that legalized drugs have lower rates of usage in compare with countries with tight restrictions. I hope EU will make a step towards sanity and legalize Cannabis, at first, as is just a plant from mature nature. Nothing man-made produced there. Just a plant that makes you stoned. Let’s pass this first milestone and we can debate for other substances.
*mother nature.
Its about time we stop pretending that nature has created a tree for the distraction of society? If there are a few million of users in the EU they have the right to do as they are pleased …after all is in our rights to have the freedom to make a choice for our self’s without harming others.STOP THE HYPOCRISY…. NOW! ….In a Democracy the people are in control of the government and not the government over the people…time to restore Democracy to its authentic state as its creators meant it to be, and that is people to have a political system to run their life’s and not the Mafia of the Oligarchs. THE END OF TYRANNY IS ON ITS WAY!
YES. It should be legal. Here are my points.
1. First of all, how can a simple plant be illegal? Does that make any sense to you?
2. I am from Portugal, and I can tell that since my country made a big move on that subject, we saw the number of drug addicts dropping. The more you forbid, the more people will do it. Fact.
3. You cannot compare Cannabis to other drugs like cocaine, heroine ,
alcohol,cigarettes, coffee (processed drugs) , Cannabis is just a plant.
4. I´ve lived in different countries, and I´ve noticed that in Holland you will find less users than in other countries like France which is the most repressive towards that plant. Fact.
5. Alcohol, Tobacco, Coffee (addictive substances) are more dangerous than cannabis, I´ve seen members of my own family dying from those substances, I never saw anyone dying from cannabis. Yet those drugs are legal.
6. My grandfather was sick, and got morphine injection while he was at the hospital. Morphine being one of the worst drug, still legal for medical purpose.The moment they started injecting him with morphine, I knew he was gone already. He could not recognize anyone, totally drugged and died a few weeks after…. How comes morphine is legal?
7. Big pharma make money selling prescribed drugs that are harmful for your health. Chemical processed products that will kill you at the end. I have worked in one of those big pharma lab sites, and I can tell you that it is unbelievable the amount of deadly products they use to process those legal drugs selled by you local pharma. Those are real drugs. I got sick while working there, and I know many people who got serious disease while working there. some of them already passed away. Yet those drugs are legal and prescribed by your doctor. Where is the logic? Big pharma companies make a lot of money out of it, that´s it, they do not care about you, about the environment or about people making those crazy pills. Cannabis would be a big rival for them, as it is proven that it cures a lot of diseases and it is easy to grow. No dependance. Less polluting. You would not need those crazy pills if cannabis was legal.
8. Your kids might do it whether it is legal or not. The difference is if they get it from the black market, there is a big chance they get a harmful altered product because there is no control over it.
9.Talk and listen to your children instead of beating and shouting at them and they might not turn to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Fight the root of family issues that cause mental illness among youngsters and they will not use any substance to fly away from their misery lives. You can´t blame drug for this or that, instead take your responsibilities and blame yourself for not being there when your child needed you the most.
10. Once it is legal, the illegal market will disappear making it safier for your kids as it will be harder for them to get cannabis. Keeping cannabis legal, controlled and cheap will eradicate street drug dealers as there will be no benefits for them. Think twice!
11. I saw a lot of drunk people doing a lot of crazy stuff but I never saw a guy who smoked a joint doing any harm to somebody else.
12. Last but not least, war on drugs cost a lot of money and does not work. We see from Uruguay, Holland, and US states that it is more profitable once it is legal. Plus, the money collected could be reversed to invest on educational, health, education. Remember that people will do it anyway, the more illegal it is the more some people are tempted to do it. If you ban cannabis, then you should ban alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, prescribed drugs, nukes, pesticides, chemical cleaning products and a lot of harmful products that are freely sold. For sure, you are using some altering, polluting product. Still it is legal. Where is the logic of cannabis prohibition then? Do your research and find why and who prohibit cannabis in the early 1900s. The real reason was money because hemp was cheap and used in many ways, clothing, material and other stuff. Some parrallel businesses saw it as a threat for their own business. Here is the real reason for the fake propaganda. Get educated people and move on. Legalize it!
IMO, no, it should not.
Only for therapeutic purposes.
Yes. Alcohol and nicotine are actually more dangerous and addictive
I cannot believe we are still asking this question!!!! YES IT SHOULD BE LEGALISED!!!! While cigarettes should be banned forever.
Still not sufficient for mental but junks
Yes it should but were we to talk about priorities, I would force the pro-vaccine law federally rather than ones liberalizing cannabis production and trade.
20/09/2017 Jennifer Reich, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado, Denver, has responded to this comment.
17/10/2017 Lothar H. Wieler, President of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, Germany, has responded to this comment.
Yes. Then we can regulate it and tax it and freeze out the organised crime. Why go to a dealer when you can just go to the local shop?
If you caluculated the costs and the damages caused previously, then your that point gets a very high credit….Do not forget that the Terrorism uses that gaps also but no evidence!!!!!!!!
For the purpose to easily treat addiction in the easiest way , yes, but not to spread it….None should be permited to cause addiction or illegaly trading with it….
Eh if you legalise you have no purpose to trade illegally. Also not addictive on its own
Well, everything forbidden is gaining curiosity, also if this is the logic around it then I’d vote for banning alcohol and tobacco all across.
As usual, there would be some people there to export that to the other countries illegaly as that would be cheaper…That is class c drugs that has undeniable affect on mental issues that is why it should be for sake of treating the consumers gradually and keep them away from the illegal dealers….purity of that substances is importan also as the researchers concluded…registered consumers using an electronic vouchers monitored for their well being with respecting their privacies is should be considered as well….Citizens health and safety is a real treasure any developed country is not ready to negotiate on that fundamental duties to take ….
yes, and properly controlled, so kids in school won’t get illegal weed immersed into heavy stuff like cocaine for purpose to make them addicted and constant buyers.
Yes, of course, but for therapeutic purposes only.
I do not smoke, but I think decriminalization of marijuana will solve many problems.
Decriminalisation is a step forward, but I think we need full legalisation
Nope.
Although I don’t smoke I think it should be legalised as it would be easier to take control over the black market that’s running it…
Defenetly yes!
Soooo… everybody in here agrees with a united europe over the same law code?! … It’s nice to know :) *
Οf course to stop related crimes and corruption to share the profits of the trade
No, only in Holland
…why not …the best variety exists in Greece…thats a nice chance for us …. developement..
Legalise medical research in to all chemicals, not just constitutents of cannabis and give an exemption regarding the drug classifications for medical research. As for cannabis, legalise, regulate and tax the weaker strains for domestic consumption at a persons own risk. Ban Skunk weed and class it in the same category as heroin and make arrests accordingly.
Never!!
yes of course!
NO !
No, of course.
Yes, of course!
it´s a plant. Should plants be legalized on the planet?
i guess you all know the answer.
yess
Yes. It’s a damn plant! Plus it will be a new opportunity for business in Europe which will be able to bring a bit more taxes for funding the member states’ social budgets, which keep getting higher and higher and higher…
That is not even worth asking. Of course it should be! Look at the US and Canada.
If booze is, why not, booze kills THOUSANDS each year in Europe, fuels abuse
Sim com toda a certeza.
Absolutely yes!
SHOULD YOU STOP THINK THAT ALL COUNTRIES ARE ONE ????
SHOULD YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT HAVE THE SAME CULTURE ???
DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT ALL COUNTRIES ARE NOT FOR SALE ???
If homosexual is legal then why can’t drug also legal?I don’t smoke
If homosexual is legal then why can’t drug also legal?I don’t smoke
If homosexual is legal then why can’t drug also legal?I don’t smoke
Whatever makes you through the day. Who am i to judge? :-)
YES YES YES
the question is if we should continue spending millions on fighting cannabis instead of using not even 10% of that money to make informative campaigns for the young, and create detox centers for people who lost control (like with alcool); and stop persecuting citizens who work, pay their taxes and do not create any trouble…
Only ignorant people would say ‘no’. Get the true information and true facts and you will see what others don’t want you to see
Need a sober mind to see the thrut…
As soon as possible!
Absolutely! Yes! Of course!
no nearon not to :) other than prejudice that is
Yes
Yes
Yes
Of course: legalizing !
YES,and also available as medical help where ever needed
Should alcohol and cigarettes be banned?
Only for medical purposes!
Cannabis and prostitution, Holand is ok with the first, Germany with he 2nd and why not uniform the age of consent?
In principle nothing that humans have created should be illegal, but responsibly limited and if obviously harmful prohibited. W should create solutions which are part of the EU system, not just solutions.
I agree with you, but humans created Cannabis? ;-)
“Historically, the possible connection between psychosis and cannabis has been long-debated.[11] Recent medical evidence strongly suggests that the long-term use of cannabis in people who started using it when young heightens the risk of mental health problems and other physical and development disorders…”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_effects_of_cannabis
That’s weird because it actually helps me with depression but I am not a daily base user and probably don’t want to be.
Whether it’s legal or not – Weed is probably the easiest “drug” to get hold of in any & every country… If it was to become legal it would more than likely be strictly for medicinal use with approval by a physician – therefore either way legalization wouldn’t really benefit the majority of smokers out there because guaranteed most smokers (including myself) have a smoke to relax after a stressful day at work, or have a smoke to sleep on nights we cant instead of popping pharmaceuticals, or have a smoke when we have pains instead of (again) popping pharmaceuticals & risk liver &/or other serious problems… The pros of weed FAR outweigh the cons & most of the muppets up on here straight up saying NO are selfish, ignorant fks that have no problem with the sale of alcohol or tobacco – REAL DRUGS that actually kill people – typical… Legal or not, it’s my body & i’ll do with it as i please – I trust a “drug” that grows naturally to help me through the tough times more than pharmaceutical companies & i’m sure millions of other smokers feel & will do the same!
For 3000 years Cannabis was used as medicine and/or shamanism. In 100 Years, when we look back in the history of Cannabis, we’ll see and probably call it, the black period of Cannabis existence in our planet, from 1930 to 2030 or 2050. Because it’s almost over this period of prejudice related to a plant that does miracles in our body through the endocanabinoid system. :-)
YES, because of using this plant in the industry for different products, such as clothes, or paper etc.
Jein.
Ich bin für eine Legalisierung weil die Prohibithion im Falle von C. nur kriminellen Banden hilft.
Aber: so etwas kann Brüssel keinen souveränen Staat aufzwingen.
Wenn man die Frage so stellt, gibt es viele Pros und Contras, viele Spinnereien auf beiden Seiten. Die Frage ist eher: warum sollte Cannabis weiterhin illegal sein, denn dadurch ergibt sich automatisch die Frage warum dann eine Droge wie Alkohol legal ist.
Da liegt eine riesigen Doppelmoral vor, ab der meiner Meinung nach gearbeitet werden muss.
Ich persönlich halte Canabis für bedenklich und ungesund. Aber jeder soll sich selbst so viel Schaden zufügen wie er will. Allerdings gibt es da eine Randbedingung, die beachtet werden muß, die Beseitigung des Schadens darf dann aber auch nicht die Allgemeinheit treffen.
Gsusa.
Yes.
We have not only criminalised millions of excellent citizens throughout the decades but we also cut them off from all kinds of futures because their papers were tainted by the fact that they had enjoyed marijuana. It is a travesty and a direct violation of their rights as humans that something as harmless and beneficent for many as marijuana is seen as criminal.
Not only we have ruined the lives of millions of people. We have also fuelled and financed criminals of all shapes while criminalising innocent people. Why have we allowed criminals to get rich on drugs that the state could have been taxing like everything else? How many trillions have we allowed criminals to make? How millions of lives have we ruined? And for what? A weed that makes people mellow and a bit happier about things?
Legalise it. Tax it. Enjoy it.
Legalised and regulated, yes.
I agree!
Only drug addicts would say yes. But keeping people stoned would at least stop them worrying about what is being done in their name.
Haha you are a grat example of a person who wishes to look smart trough half successful cynicism
Tomislav Humić Good morning troll, not had your fix yet ?
Please educate yourself before commenting nonsense here. PLEASE. It can be of geat value to many people, for one, cancer sufferers would be greatful. Not all people will use it as a drug. May I point out that sugar is also a drug as is tabaco and sex.
Go drink your medicine…
Christalle Efthymiou Who said anything about not using it for medical ? It’s about recreational drug use, nothing more. Could I suggest you read both the article and my post before going off on a rant.
Юлиан Начев There are the debating skill of a drug user, another reason not to allow it lol
They do get stoned whatever you do. A long leash is better than no leash.
Ivan Burrows why do you care about what is going on in the EU ? you hate EU anyway and don’t want to be part of it :)
Diaconu George Razvan Because we are leaving the pointless EU, we are not leaving ‘Europe’. Re-read the title of the page comrade.
The real question is another: the State has the right to prohibit individuals from using cannabis? And the bureaucratic apparatus don’t have any competence for decided about that.
No thanks !
Legalized and regulated. This will reduce corruption, trafficking and other wrongs.
of course,how can alcohol be legal and not marihuana?
Inevitable
Nope, because is … dope.
Only mafia says NO…
who do u think will set up marihuana business? mafia and people who currently manage marihuana…. the point is to get tax from it and public control of quality.
Legalize and regulate. Some people actually want to get high, drunk, etc. to get over their troubles or boost their joy. They’re adults, so let them be. As long as they do not harm anyone or anything, they should be able to use pot. (I also support anti-drug campaigns for I think we should use our brain and not turning it off, but that’s just an opinion; equally legit as a smokers’ opinion about weed. I respect that as well.)
Definitely!
Nu este cazul,poate in institutii special-medicale.Indiferenta si nepasarea in problemele social-cultural-sportive se vor reduce..e riscant un euforizant major
Yes!Stupid to have legalize the cigarettes and the alcohol and not cannabis!!!!
OF course all vices should be under control of State Not ruled by mafias
Да!
Immediately but not just for medical reasons. And allow people to grow at home.
Only for medical industry. Canabis is good for build new medicines but never for consumption. Drug addicted should search for tratment and drug dealers should be arrested and if possible, should be killed.
Definitely, yes. Regulate, decriminalize and tax it – it would be a huge government revenue. Or be coherent and ban alcohol, cigarretes and sugar. Otherwise, it’s all a big hypocrisy.
For medical reasons only. Quit the “free drugs for all, come and get stoned” propaganda.
Only for medical purposes
Why this question every two weeks? It’s so repetitive? Where is the point?
Why this question every two weeks? It’s so repetitive. Where is the point?
yes and also prostitution and any other business that can be legalized and took away from mafia.
No, I would only give free in jail.
Yes and I will explain.
Let’s remember why it became illegal in the first place. It started in the American south were the cotton producers, which had one of the strongest lobbying groups in Washington at that time, felt threatened from the competition and superiority of cannabis fibers over cotton. They lobbied to make it illegal and also run a vicious vilification campaign with “monsters” chasing after people after smoking weed and similar ridiculous ideas. Unfortunately this misinformation lasted for so many years and as Salvatore said above ruined the lives of so many people.
My grandmother told me that before 1960 a lot of people had cannabis plants in their yards, which they used as medicine (and a few people also smoked it :) ) – then at some point the police were going from house to house and derooting all the plants to the amazed look of everybody.
Lets not mention the benefits from legalization like
Better Control
Better quality
Lots of Tax money
Tourism explosion
Elimination of Black Market
More relax and happier population
One thing that I have to mention though is this:
We don’t need a system where legalization will mean millions of profits for a few companies that will be ‘licensed’ to grow – what we also want is the freedom to grow our own if we choose to.
I had the opportunity to live in the Netherlands for a few years where although it is not legal, it is ‘tolerated’ as they say. I really enjoyed the freedom I had with cannabis during that time.
Yes. For recreational use too.
Interesting how they need approval for legalizing cannabis, but they don’t need one for imposed, media-supported cultural degradation.
Legalisation and information about the consequences, not as nowadays, that marihuana is ilegal and seen as a harmless divine solution to all the problems on earth.
Absolutely YES! Cannabis is a natural plant used for centuries for domestic and therapeutic purposes! It has nothing to do with drug addictions! Cannabis is not cigarettes or alcohol! Its simply a plant!
YES !
It shouldnt be banned at first place…why is it banned? It s a self growing plant
You are the poster child for cannabis! Aren’t all plants self growing??? I guess you can’t get much dumber. So go for it.
No mum all plants arent self growing, many many plants have to be soil seeded….thank you for commenting…how do you feel about your shit brain now?
All drugs should be controlled, not banned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJUXLqNHCaI&t=12s
of course it should
Basta de hipocrisia…parem de enrriquecer os traficantes e drug LORDS…
Yes why not
It does not make sense not to legalize it.
People are willing to do it anyway and countries lack the financial means to seriously control and punish cannabis smoker.
In addition, those who are unfortunately caught have to pay in legal terms a fine which does not make sense inasmuch alcohol addiction is legalized and even more dangerous.
Finally, legalizing it, not only would contribute to the flow of money into countries pocket, but it would allow Police to dedicate more resources to serious crime instead of looking for stoner.
It is a win-win situation, it is so embarrassing that Countries do not see it. I repeat, people are doing it anyway and I think they have the right to buy good quality products and not the shit sold in the street, which, often, is cut with other substances meant to create addiction which would be otherwise either mild or zero.
If alcool is legal, why not cannabis?
Exactly. And alcohol kills
If only For health reasons yes
Yes! Completely, medicinal and recreational!
YES.. WE DON’T NEED CRIMINALS,
WE NEED TO TAX IT AS TOBACCO!!!
And tobacco…
Yeeeessssssss
Anyone interested in Irish cannabis/hemp history should check out the Dublin Hemp Museum podcast. First episode is out now.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/episodes/652852-george-sigerson
No, you will see that is no good for anyone
People are cured every day… of course YES
Of course is medicinal the Alcohol isn’t and its legal
Should freedom be legalized?
Sure, so we would all became lethargic and passive and you could screw western society and values much faster and without resistance
This is correct.
Yeah, because 100% of the population will consume the plant.
Should you still be able to to drink and smoke?
Only with Bongs
No! Cos I’ll be off the business
Don‘t we have other problems at the moment?
Just because we have other problems doesn’t mean others can’t be dealt with as well. Are you a one thing at a time person? You can’t multitask? Besides, it’s notlike the idiots sitting in Brussels are doing much of anything else besides fattening their wallets.
Yes, it is always easier to come up with fat wallets! Life is so onedimensional, right?
Why don‘t you get yourself elected?
So you can concentrate on your wallet?
Just kidding!!! I with it would be so easy!
NO, AND THEY SHOULD BAN CIGARETTES TOO.
Clueless!
Never …. killing people
Да
How will organize crime fund its many other activities? By picking up all the sales licenses legitimately anyway, so, yes. Cigs and booze is legit. (A non-smoker.)
Yes definitely…
Yes! And now! Many people with illnesses from depression to cancer will benefit from it. It is proven scientifically to help lower blood sugar so it will help diabetics. It is proven to stop epileptic attacks. It is proven it not only helps with the pain associated with cancer, chemotherapy side effects, but also can kill cancer cells. Just to name a few. Cannabis does not kill either. The opiods given as legal meds do. So does alcohol.
I can’t see a big deal of distinction between the pot and bad drinks.
I was tired to drive with the drunks drivers . Not the same for the pot , but I agree with the fact that cannabis would be used for the therapy under control of Mental doctors .
Says the man who came from stone age country…are you even a citizen of EU? If you are not stfu!
Yea!!
Yes. To eliminate illegal traffic
yes, да
Yes it should as it is less harmful than Alkohol. Of course with age restrictions.
Why not :) A limited reasonable usage would not harm anybody :) Just a wide campaign making people aware of consequences of overdose and unwise usage should be conducted. And rather discouraged should be massive commerce.
Cannabis makes people thoughtful ,mellow and hungry while alcohol makes people aggresive ,crazy,and dangerous . Should be an easy decision
Of course, legalising!
No way only medical but under no cirkumstanses The smoking veritionen
Yes or no, we will still drink.
I think it should be decriminalized as a hard drug. It serves as pain releaver or pain killer, better, medical marijuana. It will reduce the prison occupier’s, as well as, reduce the work burden related to weed.
Ofcourse yes!
Of course!!!
Of
Course
Yes, with regulations
Wow ! the druggies where quick to post on this one. This page is obsessed with drug use and prostitution lol
People want to ban smoking tobacco but allow marijuana although they both contain the same cancer-causing chemicals ? !
And then the druggies say smoking a joint isn’t addictive lol
Plants should be banned from this planet. Their illegal activity is destroying communities.
I think the arguments for legalising it have outweighed the arguments against for a long time, but look at the benefits places like Colorado are feeling after legalising- it has become a massively profitable industry- creating jobs and taxes.
In pills by Pharma providers yes. To smoke no! Apply science knowledge and not social trends
Yes. Legalized, regulated, taxed, and properly researched and monitored to ensure safe products and better understanding of the health and social effects.
Yes, with regulations, like tobacco and alcohol.
💚👌
Yeah, if Cannabis really doesn’t make you lose your mind to be able to drive and cause an accident or anything else similar, even though it might make some people very addicted.
Absolutely not. We should ban also the tobacco. Cannabis destroys the life of the young people. The masonery wants to destroy the brains of the young people to control them with their criminal propaganda supporting the globalization.
I would make all recreational drugs legal and free. It would be a very easy & democratic way to remove the useless 1/3 of society, basically it would be a right to commit suicide.
Yes!
No way we need to bann tobacco insted.
As meditation yes but only as pills or injektion and on prescription. And never as a smoke version.
A substance that probably will make you numb and confused, reduce your capability of planning yours and your family’s future, and turns you more prone to believe in all sorts of social lies and political fantasies and, therefore, more easely played and manipulated? Sure!!!
Yes we should…slowly but surely, untill people learn to use it.
yes, it should
yes
Yes. This way, ignorant politicians like we have in Spain, can’t ban the use of it for medicinal purposes.
Yes,we need a freedom of speech for the plant medication!
Yes
Yes! Smoking weed freely on Greek islands sounds like paradise!
I dont think it is dangerous in teens
Control it, don’t send it underground and into the hands of harder drug dealers. Tax it…your member states are losing out on billions in revenue.
Yep
Why not? Alkohol is legal too.
Very smart reason you gave
Is it more or less dangerous from legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco?
try on your kids to have the proof!
I’m sure there are studies.
NO
Maybe. It could stop the traffic…. But with information and communication against drug
legalisation doesn’t stop anything. The dealers don’t go in jail, that is the result.
maybe but government becomes the trafficker.. What might be better
We’ll have more burned brains, very hard to go back after legalisation. Did you asked your self why is this campaign everywhere, in every European country the last year? American market is ready for a new space: Europe. They are waiting only for legalisation. There is not a government!
Instead to have more spaces for education we’ll have more stores for drugs, to create more idiots in the world and obviously in Europe.
Colorado is making money outside that “liz” can u use u real profile ?
Yes ofcourse
Yes
All drugs should be legalised.
Repetitiv question ! To legalize for what? All absent mind and zombies to do what? I don’t know a genius that smokes, but I know a lot of idiots that are doing it.
Steve Jobs, Elon Musk to name the first two names that spring to mind. Silicon valley CEOs a plenty. You would actually be surprised, especially when you look back to the days before criminalisation. Was Einstein not a toker? Certainly a few of those physicists and artists were. Ithink Queen Victoria used it for medicinal purposes.
Don’t believe there is any evidence to link intellect and/or success to use. Motivation yes, so perhaps the latter.
I am speaking about what I see around me, not about what I read or what someone else say. I saw and I see a lot of absent mind and zombies. They lost any connection with real life.
I blame tech and social media for that
Of course it should. No doubt. Control the substance, tax it, and keep the poison out of the street.
I don’t smoke it, but I think it should. That way we will be able to kill the grey economy surrounding it, while being able to keep it away from children. A lot of kids are smoking weed mainly because it is forbidden and they think they are “cool” because they are breaking the rules.
Canada did it. Considering Europe is usually the one pushing enlightenment and progress on complex social issues, I’m a bit surprised this did not happen here first. Europe certainly could use the tax revenues too (apparently from this short experience in Canada, they are rather significant)
Of course
On pills yes, smoking no. It is not a social livestyle on debate, its a medical decision.
NO ! It is far more dangerous than alcohol and tobacco. Funny how the same people that want to prohibit tobacco are pleading to liberalising cannabis.
Can you provide any evidence of it being more harmful? You must be looking at different statistics to me! You can die from injesting alcohol, not sure the same can be said of Cannabis. Alcohol in my opinion is the most dangerous of the three…making you temporarily lose all control with potentially life altering consequences. Again, not sure such dangerous inhibition takes places with alcohol.
I don’t believe. Your problem.
All are harmful Pedro. You ignore all other scales and focus on dependence.
My point is legalised control is better than prohibition and the black market. I’d prefer to live in a free society where people can choose, but we try to dissuade and educate.
UK city centers at weekends could imply stricter controls are required on alcohol as although you say only heavy use is harmful, the drunken antics of many show that’s far from the case!! People are hurt, killed and injured every minute of every hour thanks to alcohol, a bottle of wine is enough..a single bottle of vodka, well!
Says who? Yourself?
The guys from where? I thought this page was called debating Europe… Disagreeing is surely the point!!!
I think all 3 do Mariusz…as they all cause other issues. Alcohol destroys the liver…tobacco the lungs…cannabis, studies show potentially liver also
How do you legalise and control?
Easily….take the best examples of how alcohol is legalised around the world. Limit, licence and tax outlets, manufacturing etc. Use HUGE tax proceeds (and savings from policing organised crime) and spent it on prevention, treatment and free up resources to develop a green sustainable economy
Cannabis has three times the amount of tar found in tobacco smoke and 50 percent more carcinogens. This is scientifically proved. It induces serious and socially dangerous dependence.
In my country it is virtually free to use and still creates induces criminality and drives many youngsters to be victims of organised prostitutions and other forms of slavery.
Prohibition has its bad side effects. But still I am against liberalising cannabis and other so-called light drugs. I can see, under my eyes, how it is harming too many.
Smoking a joint can be just agreeable to some, but it is too damaging in general.
AND THIS IS THE END OF THIS CONVERSATION.
Sunbading causes skin cancer…
How much damage does to the liver does alcohol cause? How many criminals/prositutes are alcoholics?
P.s. Do you come from Portugal? If so, still not really a controlled regime there, no controlled supply end. No wonder therefore, criminality is still involved in supply.
And I believe that is because of an EU law?
It’s not about belive my brother, it’s about science. If you go and see the world healt organization statistics you’ll see that alcohol and tobacco are in the top 7 most dangerous substances, weed is 11th. Not saying is good for your health but if tobacco and wine are legal pot should be too. Or we put everything out of law. One of the two, just not to be total hipocrite.
First, I’m not your brother. Second, science has proved that cannabis creates more dependence than tobacco and wine.
Tobacco is now being increasingly prohibited. Alcohol is not harmful, only in case of of heavy drinking.
Third, stop calling me hypocrite, insulting and name calling is not a proper way of debating serious matters.
Cannabis is as harmful to lungs as tobacco.
It is ridiculous to prohibit tobacco an liberalise cannabis. Either you allow all or you prohibit all.
you don’t have to smoke cannabis to realise its benefits dude :)
Ok…so legalise and control all then. Same argument goes for booze. Why is it different? Prohibition also failed with it.
I think should have the same treatment as tobacco. That would benefit the control and taxes.
Who cares!
At least legalise medical research aimed at pain relief and the use of cannabis products aimed at pain relief. At least that. What’s the use of having a potential treatment, even probably less harmful than opioids, if you’re not going to use it based on prejudice? Because it’s labeled a “drug”? By whose standards? Is it just health concerns? So what are we doing with tobacco and alcohol? Sugar?
Cannabis is one of the least harmful recreational substances, and a better pain controller than opiates.
Cant allow alcohol and ban cannabis, and call it reason. In fact we should really deregulate drug use, and see drug abuse as a psychological issue, not a criminal one. The eu shouldnt be a controlling b****, or it will fall.
taxable income
The first one? And the Netherlands 🇳🇱?
Decriminalisation != legalisation
There are no arguments against cannabis. It needs to be properly regulated, with strong provisions to make access by youth and young adults as low as possible (high cannabis consumption affects brain growth in adolescents and has been linked with psychosis), but legalisation, regulation and taxation is the way forward.
Ha, no arguments against cannabis? You just mentioned it yourself by mentioning the damage this can do :)
Criminalise everything and everyone.
I wish that this site puts things topics that are really EU competences and that really matter. Besides it is a bit naive (Dutch, 90s) thinking that if you legalise something that criminals will leave on a pension. On the contrary: the demand will be stimulated and created a bigger market for criminals to develop worse and more dangerous things
Helps many with pain. Only thing that helped my mother with her pain from cancer. Too bad we had to run around like criminals to buy it. Yet alcohol, which kills and provides zero benefits, is legal.
Good as long as it is regulated, harmful in large doses, can make you addicted, you can say that about almost anything: sugar, cofee, salt, alcohol
For only!
For medical purposes only.
I tried once. Made me throw up and sick as a dog. I still don’t know why people even bother with the stuff.