There are 3 choices, 9 votes for Dylan Aphex's debate

The recent sacking of the UK drugs tzar, Prof David Nutt, for stating the fact that cannabis, LSD and ecstacy are less harmful than tobacco and alcohol based on scientific evidence. Isn't it about time there was a major rethink on the drug classification

• Yes

  I have my misgivings about the safety of things that make you hallucinate, and I have heard some bad things that can happen with ecstasy, but (surprisingly!) this is not my area of expertise. But the fact remains that tobacco and alcohol are more harmful than other illegal substances, most especially marijuana. As long as someone is not endangering others, I don't see why they can't do what they want with their body under some regulated basis like with alcohol and cigarettes.

  77%  Voted for by Weydon, Alexander Hine, Lady Nightshade, Ns243cxcvi, NoeL-. (7 total)

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  • 
    NoeL-
    November 2, 2009
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    Drug use is a victimless crime, and it's hypocritical of the system that lets a person drink till they pass out every night but won't let a person smoke a joint at a private, social event.
    
    If they legalised these substances they could also tax them and get some good monies out of the legal sale of drugs. Chemical drugs would also be a hell of a lot safer to use if they were made by legit companies rather than in someone's tool shed bathtub.
  • 
    Dylan Aphex
    November 3, 2009
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    Pretty much what I would have said has been said by Weydon and NoeL. To be quite honest I'll keep smoking weed regardless of its legal status, but what I will say is that when the government is presented with solid scientific evidence that goes against their policies, they always find some sort of spin to put on it. It's about time people stood up to remind the government they serve us, not the other way around!
  • • 
      Weydon
      November 4, 2009
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      I hardly ever smoke anymore, though I went through a phase when I was younger. Even if I never smoked again, which isn't completely unlikely, I'd be behind voting for it's legal status. It's just one of those smaller issues that has to be ignored by most politicians who want to get something important done.
      
      The main problem is the harsher punishments that happen. In NY now you get a small summons for minor possession. Annoying, and luckily never happened to me, but at least it's nothing major.
  • 
    Dylan Aphex
    November 4, 2009
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    Well that was what you'd get here in the UK, but due to it going from a class C to class B the penalties can be 5 years for possession. Not only making criminals out of innocent people but filling the prisons at the cost of the tax payer.
    
    Also in a way this states that marijuana is just one step away from the class A drugs such as say crack. It is completely wrong for it to be portrayed like this. We, apparently live in a free "democracy" so therefore isn't the population entitled to the truth, which is what the scientific evidence that was presented more or less is.
  • 
    petethemeat
    November 5, 2009
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    I have said enough on this subject, but I continue to agree with most of you...
  • Shadows-and-Dust
    November 8, 2009
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    I think that although drug taking in itself may be a victimless crime, the drugs trade itself is far from being a victimless crime, and the consequences of drugs effect a wide variety of people.
    However, i believe the sacking of David Nutt was wrong, because after all, he is the scientist, what he said was backed by science, and its been said that the governments re classification of Weed went against scientific evidence.
  • • 
      Weydon
      November 9, 2009
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      While that's very true about the drug trade, one must ponder if things would be different were those drugs not illegal to begin with. Alcohol had the same trouble during prohibition after all. We should look at the damage of the drug itself before citing its dangers elsewhere.
      
      But yes, as a currently illegal substance, the dealers who use horrid practices should be punished appropriately.

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