Posts by Stephen McIntyre
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Somebody asked why I think regulating sales of cannabis will lead to a decrease in alcohol and tobacco use:
"Marijuana is becoming increasingly popular with teens in the US, as they smoke less cigarettes and slow down on binge drinking and the use of methamphetamines, according to a survey released Monday by White House drug expert Gil Kerlikowske." (Dec 15, 2009)
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1799342/marijuana_more_widely_used_among_us_teens/
I believe this supports the 'balloon theory' I posited earlier about patterns of drug use.
Also note the recent turnaround in US teen pot smoking rates, after a long period of declining use. Ross Bell is absolutely correct: the law has very little - if any - influence over trends in use of particular drugs. Young people, in particular, are more influenced by friends and the media in the choice of intoxicants they take.
And imagine how popular its going to be when granddad comes out and says its his big buzz.
In addition to the survey which found declining rates of teen use in US states which had enacted medical marijuana programs, I recall reading that one reason cited for this phenomena was that young people's attitudes towards cannabis were changing because of its association with the sick and the dying.
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Irrational old naysayers like Dunne will die eventually.
He's not being irrational at all. Politically savvy is what he is. Very, very savvy.
Libel laws prevent me from being specific, but - as I understand it - the guy has certain "interests."
Don't know about that, but just take a look at his consistant track record as an MP on voting against anything which may harm alcohol sales (label warnings, etc) and supporting measures which help the industry (Lowering the drinking age).
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I had the privilege of visiting the Daktory twice early in 2009 when it had only been open for a month or so. It already had more than 1000 members and was absolutely humming - full of members, lots of smoking going on of course, but vapourisers were provided and were used a lot.
It was about 8 or 9 in the evenings: the environment was relaxed and mellow. I saw a whole range of people there - old, young, Pasifika, Asian, Caucasian, men, women, professional and non-professional people alike - a total microcosm of society.
A very different atmosphere than I'd expect to find in any pub at the same time of the day.
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To me the biggest argument against the legalisation of cannabis is that we don't know what unintended consequences it will cause.
The Netherlands has been regulating cannabis sales to adults only through licensed coffee-shops - i.e. de facto legalisation - for over 30 years now. Their rate of cannabis use teens is 3 times lower than ours, adult rates of use are below ours, they have an ever-declining rate of heroin use due to seperation of 'hard' and 'soft' drug markets (very relevant to NZ and 'P'), standard of living is high, population health is good, health services well funded, lower rates of teen suicide rates and depression than NZ.
We're not The Netherlands I know, but ... if the sky didn't collapse there, why would it here?
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I see more people people smoking cannabis than tobacco in New Zealand anyway, I thought it was already legal.
Yes, in our hearts and at the the Daktory:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3218470/Pot-clubs-go-nationwide
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Also: http://www.coldtype.net/Assets.09/pdfs/0909.Myths.pdf
The story of what happend in Portugal before the England-France 2005 World Cup match: the authorities fearing the worst from drunken violence decided not to ban alcohol but to allow fans to freely smoke cannabis instead. Follow the link to find out what happened.
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Here's a link to the introductory chapter from the bestselling book Marijuana is Safer - so why are we driving people to drink?
Reading this is what inspired me to write the opinion piece in the first place.
Also:
http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/marijuana_is_safer:paperback
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I read studies saying this and studies saying that and the question I always come back to is this: worldwide cannabis use has literally skyrocketed over the past forty years, why have rates of psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia remained relatively stable? If cannabis caused schizophrenia, shouldn't incidence rates of the condition have risen in tandem with cannabis use rates and shouldn't that be statistically evident by now? It doesn't appear to be.
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A good book to read on the subject is the recent "Marijuana is Safer - so why are we driving people to drink?" by Steve Fox, Paul Armentano, Mason Tvert; with an eye-opening foreword by the former Seattle Police Chief, Norm Stamper.
Auckland Public Library has a copy.
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decriminalisation is worth a shot because prohibition has been a failiure.
What do you mean by "decriminalisation'?
My understanding is that's what we've had going on in NZ for decades, BUT NOT IF YOU'RE YOUNG, MALE, OR MAORI. Based on my what I've heard from literally hundreds of people who have contacted NORML over the years, your average, white middle class Kiwi over the age of 21, when caught with a small amount of cannabis, loses their stash and gets let off with a warning - that's what I call selective decriminalisation.