for/against cannabis being illegal

I have to have prepared an 'argument' to present to my class tomorrow on the +/- of the current law on cannabis.

For points AGAINST it being illegal I've mentioned that in 1998, the World Health Organisation suppressed a report which stated that cannabis was safer than tobacco and alcohol, and that it is less addictive. Also, that nobody has died directly from cannabis use, whereas alcohol can cause death by heart attack and alcohol poisoning etc.

For points FOR it being illegal I've simply got the matter of mental health issues it can supposedly lead to including psychosis, paranoia, depression, insomnia, schitzophrenia.

Has anyone got any other points I can use for either view? Especially those 'for' cannabis being illegal? Thanks.

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Reply 1

j.alexanderh

There isn't really much of a 'For' argument. Most of the reason it is still illegal is public perception of the drug; people have been brought up hearing that it's bad for them so their instant reaction is that it must be bad.

Reply 2

thecat23

Against:

Rasta's use it to bring them closer to god so it's got religious purposes

Reply 3

Walter Ego

Legalise everything, and contract the manufacture and supply out so that it can be produced cleanly, and taxed heavily, yet still massively undercut street prices. Impose extremely harsh penalties for supply to minors or any crime which can be linked to its use, and come down very heavily on anyone using machinery (driving etc) whilst under the influence. Sell it clean, cheap and taxed, and all purchases monitored in state pharmacies, with information about effects and dangers given. To buy you must be over 21 and apply for a biometric license, and this opens up your life to scrutiny about your financial circumstances to allow monitoring of potential crime (ie. if a dole-scrounging ex-burglar is feeding a £400/wk habit, where is his money coming from, and if he cannot justify it, he is arrested and investigated). Street-dealing, supply to minors or drug-driving carry long 'hard labour' prison terms. Show some responsibility for your own actions and respect for others, and do as you please.

Reply 4

Leon Trotsky

Against. There aren't any good arguments for keeping such a harmless drug illegal.

Reply 5

KellyWellyWoo537

Original post by charlottejepsonx

Against: Look up the legalities of it in the Netherlands e.g. coffee shops, and look at why they done it, that's a huge argument against. Also, their rate of addiction is lower than ours andit's legal over there (under 30g on person)

For: Mental health, children getting hold of it more freely (like cigarettes) therefore more addiction = more cost to the NHS, social control (nobody likes having to scrape the stoner off the street!)

Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 6

jonski

It has health benefits as well e.g. medical marajuana

Reply 7

j.alexanderh

Original post by KellyWellyWoo537

children getting hold of it more freely (like cigarettes) therefore more addiction = more cost to the NHS

As far as I am aware, cannabis is not addictive.

Reply 8

KellyWellyWoo537

Original post by j.alexanderh

As far as I am aware, cannabis is not addictive.

It is from my experience, and a lot of my friends.

Reply 9

kilowattjester

I am against it being legal. There I said it.

Reply 10

j.alexanderh

Original post by KellyWellyWoo537

It is from my experience, and a lot of my friends.

Apologies, perhaps it would be more correct to say it is less addictive than other drugs.

Reply 11

Rogercbinboy

Against:

In Portugal they legalised drugs and it's almost completely stopped organised crime, instead they offer drug-addicts rehab for free. Their drug usage has also dramatically reduced, none of this gets onto our media though because they don't want us to see how logical it is to legalise drugs.

Reply 12

KellyWellyWoo537

Original post by j.alexanderh

Apologies, perhaps it would be more correct to say it is less addictive than other drugs.

Definately! I don't understand why it's illegal to be honest, it's like most things, not bad for you in moderation.

Reply 13

Samw1se

For: The government are too spineless to go against the extremely powerful media who, for some reason (on the whole, ie Rupert Murdoch), are extremely against the legalisation of cannabis.

Reply 14

Enoch.

Legalize it! In my country its legal :biggrin:

Reply 15

Broderss

for: nothing.
against: everything.

you will have a lot of difficulty of finding arguments for because there are just so many positives to legalising it (including its use as hemp, the extra revenue streams from its taxation, etc). perhaps you could say that it would encourage people to smoke it more and make people believe it is ok to take stronger/alternative drugs which may be illegal (you could also look at the health effects of these but i don't believe health effects should be taken into account when determining the legal status of a substance and i just so happen to believe all drugs should be legalised).

Reply 16

DorianGrayism

Original post by charlottejepsonx

For points FOR it being illegal I've simply got the matter of mental health issues it can supposedly lead to including psychosis, paranoia, depression, insomnia, schitzophrenia.

Has anyone got any other points I can use for either view? Especially those 'for' cannabis being illegal? Thanks.

Talk about the amount of money that is spent trying to enforce Drug laws. It is huge. I think the US alone spends billons trying to combat the problem. However, they don't really stop drugs coming into the country. Also,most their prison population is due to drug related offences.

By making it illegal, the money just ends up in the hands of criminal gangs and these, that people are ready to use violence. The most extreme case of this is Mexico were thousands of people have died as a results of the drug wars.

Also, by making it illegal, it makes it harder for people to get the necessary treatment for addiction.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 17

Willum Infanta

Against. There is nothing wrong with weed.

Definitely for the legalisation of it due to its medical properties.

http://www.youtube.com/user/theweedguy?blend=1&ob=4

Canada for the win!

Reply 18

Psyk

Original post by j.alexanderh

As far as I am aware, cannabis is not addictive.

But the tobacco it's usually taken with is highly addictive. Perhaps one argument against it being legal is that it might mean more people take up smoking. I know a few people who started out smoking weed and ended up addicted to cigarettes.