Wanting cannabis/marijuana to be legalized in the UK

I'm in two minds about it myself. I used to be a very heavy smoker. Sometimes an eighth a day. Started when I was 14 and didn't stop until I was 38. I've had the odd spliff since but I'll get to that.

When I started smoking it was mersh or resin. Ethiopian red, and Yardweed were some of the strongest widely available strains. Double Zero, Oily Black, and Leb were the best widely available resins. After a few years Skunk popped up. Resin was finished. Much stronger. Every year or two a new popular wave of strains would come through. Skunk, then Super Skunk, then White Widow, then Blueberry, then Cheese, then Guanabana, and so on and so on. All of these strains came from Amsterdam, British Colombia, California, or were bastardised versions of the plants they produced. Cheese being one.

The extra strength of the new strains had varied effects on myself, and the people around me. People who were generally OK with the older stuff were effected vastly differently by the new THC laden stuff. Some became depressed, paranoid, violent, suicidal, and I saw quite a lot of mental illness. Some people were 100% fine. On the other hand some lost a lot of stuff to it, mainly through mental illness or stuff that it brought out in their personality. It's not just me procrastinating either, if you are around people who smoke it, and talk to people in the same situation they generally agree. I'd say it's around 50/50. If people are OK that's fine, if they aren't that's not worth the risk.

The trend for countries with lax legal status on weed, or now legal weed is "stronger is better". It is the general business model. THC levels are getting higher and higher, CBD is sinking. Weed here would follow the trend. People are fine with people drinking a pint of IPA, but frown on the Special Brew, and Frosty Jacks drinkers. If you put it into perspective the stronger weeds are just the 420 version of Special Brew (I have no problem with Special Brew or Frosty Jacks, I liked my stuff strong when I drank). Legalisation would make weed accessible to a much wider section of society, and some might not be compatible. I'm not comfortable with some of the problems a mass surge in users of high strength stuff could trigger. Also do people really think that there wouldn't be a big difference between commercially grown weed, and the unethical mass production techniques of a lot of legal drugs. It would become an industry, not like buying from a guy or girl who has legit earth grown, organically fed weed, who you can trust. On that subject........

I've seen people with their own grow make a living, feed their kids, pay the bills, and get by dealing. I've sold myself. It's not legal, but when it is the big money and industry will make sure that your local weed dealers get screwed over by enforcing licences. I know the people I bought weed off were pretty strict about the way they grew, or the stuff they sold (the THC thing was debatable though). I wouldn't sell hydroponic, chemical, trash. People don't even flush weed nowadays, they just want it out there. The last time I was doing it I only had mershy type stuff, mild, and some of the older smokers wouldn't smoke the new stuff. I've had a smoke twice since I stopped smoking regularly, once was Red Weed, the old fashioned stuff, absolutely fine. I smoked some new strain called Stardog and felt like the world was ending, horrible.

I think that the way it is now is acceptable, apart from the criminalisation of users. The medical benefits of real CBD, and weed for medical reasons is something that needs to be addressed too, some find benefits, so there's that. Blanket legalisation, in my opinion, isn't really something I'd be comfortable with. I also use the term "blanket" loosely, I don't imagine they will let you grow domestically. It will be exclusively legal for mass industry production, and licencee marketing, like alcohol. Look at edibles, if that isn't a Big Pharma goldmine, I don't know what is. Edibles are madness, just drop acid, it's basically the same. I'd rather but my weed from a guy I've known years than from some chain of shops full of hipsters who think they are cool. They aren't, it's just weed.

If you are going to smoke, find a reputable dealer, ideally someone you know, and you know what they sell, plus how it's grown. Find a strain that suits you, don't just buy anything. Smoke in places and with people you are comfortable with. Don't smoke loads, or everyday, it becomes reality, and not fun. If you feel your personality and/or mental health strained or changing, stop. I'm not advocating drugs, I'm just giving my knowledge of it.

Personally, and this is my last thought on it is, weed really isn't that interesting. The media and popular culture seem to be pushing everything towards everyone being high. I trust the media as much as the Government. Smoking for me was about as interesting as eating a bag of crisps, or drinking a beer. Most of the smokers I knew would find the "420 blaze it!!!" people a bit of a joke. It's just something some people do. The whole "weed culture" thing is something I find strange, and the pushing of it even more so.

Stay happy, stay safe, and do what you feel is best for you. Sober or high.

I'm in two minds about it myself. I used to be a very heavy smoker. Sometimes an eighth a day. Started when I was 14 and didn't stop until I was 38. I've had the odd spliff since but I'll get to that.

When I started smoking it was mersh or resin. Ethiopian red, and Yardweed were some of the strongest widely available strains. Double Zero, Oily Black, and Leb were the best widely available resins. After a few years Skunk popped up. Resin was finished. Much stronger. Every year or two a new popular wave of strains would come through. Skunk, then Super Skunk, then White Widow, then Blueberry, then Cheese, then Guanabana, and so on and so on. All of these strains came from Amsterdam, British Colombia, California, or were bastardised versions of the plants they produced. Cheese being one.

The extra strength of the new strains had varied effects on myself, and the people around me. People who were generally OK with the older stuff were effected vastly differently by the new THC laden stuff. Some became depressed, paranoid, violent, suicidal, and I saw quite a lot of mental illness. Some people were 100% fine. On the other hand some lost a lot of stuff to it, mainly through mental illness or stuff that it brought out in their personality. It's not just me procrastinating either, if you are around people who smoke it, and talk to people in the same situation they generally agree. I'd say it's around 50/50. If people are OK that's fine, if they aren't that's not worth the risk.

The trend for countries with lax legal status on weed, or now legal weed is "stronger is better". It is the general business model. THC levels are getting higher and higher, CBD is sinking. Weed here would follow the trend. People are fine with people drinking a pint of IPA, but frown on the Special Brew, and Frosty Jacks drinkers. If you put it into perspective the stronger weeds are just the 420 version of Special Brew (I have no problem with Special Brew or Frosty Jacks, I liked my stuff strong when I drank). Legalisation would make weed accessible to a much wider section of society, and some might not be compatible. I'm not comfortable with some of the problems a mass surge in users of high strength stuff could trigger. Also do people really think that there wouldn't be a big difference between commercially grown weed, and the unethical mass production techniques of a lot of legal drugs. It would become an industry, not like buying from a guy or girl who has legit earth grown, organically fed weed, who you can trust. On that subject........

I've seen people with their own grow make a living, feed their kids, pay the bills, and get by dealing. I've sold myself. It's not legal, but when it is the big money and industry will make sure that your local weed dealers get screwed over by enforcing licences. I know the people I bought weed off were pretty strict about the way they grew, or the stuff they sold (the THC thing was debatable though). I wouldn't sell hydroponic, chemical, trash. People don't even flush weed nowadays, they just want it out there. The last time I was doing it I only had mershy type stuff, mild, and some of the older smokers wouldn't smoke the new stuff. I've had a smoke twice since I stopped smoking regularly, once was Red Weed, the old fashioned stuff, absolutely fine. I smoked some new strain called Stardog and felt like the world was ending, horrible.

I think that the way it is now is acceptable, apart from the criminalisation of users. The medical benefits of real CBD, and weed for medical reasons is something that needs to be addressed too, some find benefits, so there's that. Blanket legalisation, in my opinion, isn't really something I'd be comfortable with. I also use the term "blanket" loosely, I don't imagine they will let you grow domestically. It will be exclusively legal for mass industry production, and licencee marketing, like alcohol. Look at edibles, if that isn't a Big Pharma goldmine, I don't know what is. Edibles are madness, just drop acid, it's basically the same. I'd rather but my weed from a guy I've known years than from some chain of shops full of hipsters who think they are cool. They aren't, it's just weed.

If you are going to smoke, find a reputable dealer, ideally someone you know, and you know what they sell, plus how it's grown. Find a strain that suits you, don't just buy anything. Smoke in places and with people you are comfortable with. Don't smoke loads, or everyday, it becomes reality, and not fun. If you feel your personality and/or mental health strained or changing, stop. I'm not advocating drugs, I'm just giving my knowledge of it.

Personally, and this is my last thought on it is, weed really isn't that interesting. The media and popular culture seem to be pushing everything towards everyone being high. I trust the media as much as the Government. Smoking for me was about as interesting as eating a bag of crisps, or drinking a beer. Most of the smokers I knew would find the "420 blaze it!!!" people a bit of a joke. It's just something some people do. The whole "weed culture" thing is something I find strange, and the pushing of it even more so.

Stay happy, stay safe, and do what you feel is best for you. Sober or high.

The safest way to use cannabis in the UK is to grow it yourself, and harvest/prepare/use your own crop. That way one wouldn't need to make any contact with a dealer and you would know exactly what you are using and exactly how much. Ironically you can go to prison for growing cannabis yet for possession you get a cannabis warning, so the safest way to use cannabis carries much harsher criminal penalties than the riskier way to use it. The law isn't on the side of harm reduction and staying safe.

I've never smoked cannabis and only used edibles. Yes edibles can be strong but you can test the strength of them by taking half or even a quarter of the recommended dose and seeing what effect that has, so then you can have an idea of how much to eat to reach desired effect.

Fun fact- cannabis seeds are legal but growing them is illegal. That's because it's the THC which makes cannabis illegal (which isn't present in the seeds). It's the same for the spores for psilocybin mushrooms.