yes 

Yes. I think all the drugs that drug addicts take should be legalised and then maybe it will cut down on the crime. Like old people getting beaten up for their handbag, or getting broken into and robbed, and all the shoplifting should go down hopefully. It would bugger up the market and hopefully prices would drop, and that would take out the criminals that deal the stuff.Prisons would be calmer.

I have never partaken of anything myself,but if people choose to, and it is decriminilised, then surely that would be better all round for society as a whole.

Yes, yes, yes!

... that will never work.  Stoners are too busy looking biscuits to bother with sex.

I'm going to be out of step with the forum on this one. 

No, No and thrice No! I hate drugs.

I think most people hate the effect drugs have  on society,families,health care ,crime and the addict themselves,I don't think it necessarily follows that de criminalising it makes it more acceptable  or encourages use.The major effect it would have is removing the criminal element to a large degree.

One could argue that tobacco and alcohol are already legal and both have an adverse effect on health care, violent crime,families and society,prohibition was tried in the 30's in America and what that produced was a massive escalation in organised crime and violence.

Imo, if you decriminalise something, it is definitely perceived as more acceptable, and I'm sure there are law abiding people who would never try it whilst it is illegal, but could be persuaded to try it if it were legal.

Apart from the accepted medical issues associated with cannabis there is also the (much debated) issue that cannabis can be the stepping stone to stronger drugs. 

Organised crime and violence are not only prevalent in the manufacture and distribution of cannabis, so where do we draw the line in decriminalising things? 

Very good points,Yogi, I would draw my line at anything that harms some one else,drugs harm the user, the rest of the harm comes from the illegality of using it.

If you look at the current trends in smoking it shows what can be achieved by education and  altering people's mindsets, that is also true for drink driving, it used to be perfectly acceptable in both cases

I don't see that de criminalising guns or knives as some thing any society should consider,for example.

We only have to look at other countries to see how catastrophic that is.

I agree with everything you say in the BIB, Jackson.

I disagree that drugs only harm the user though. Our prisons are full of people who have committed crimes, either to feed a drug habit or under the influence of drugs. These crimes impact on and hurt other people. A lot of these prisoners started out on a bit of weed and progressed to harder drugs.

Btw, I'm well aware that some people have been smoking cannabis for years, never progressed to anything stronger and have never committed a crime. 

on balance, it should, but only after a thorough independent medical enquiry without any political or business interference or agenda either way.  It should report on the disputed effects on the mind and short term memory etc.  Its final say should be binding and subject to review.

I don't partake myself and on the very, very few occasions when I have It's never really done much for me.  Most of the evidence points to cannabis being far safer than fags and alcohol (which I do partake far too much).  I think ecstasy should be reviewed also.

BIB: I agree Yogi, that's why I said it's the illegality of drugs that cause damage, rather than people taking the drug itself.

There is an argument that if drugs were de criminalised and came under govt. control,many of the  problems associated with drugs would be ameliorated.

I am on the side of believing that cannabis has a detrimental affect on mental health and can lead to paranoia and other problems, but I don't see that as a reason not to legalise it.

BIB On that we are agreed.

Whilst we agree on many points but may not reach the same conclusion, I always appreciate the reasonable way you debate your points.

It's a hard one, while I agree with everything Yogi says, I also know from the law enforcement stance that prisons and over night jails are full of drink related offences, such as drink driving, brawling, even domestic violence, there is very little to no arrests due to cannabis smoking. Other than the possession of the substance. Stoners are too mellow to commit these types of crimes.... raiding the cookie jar, on the other hand........