Wanting cannabis/marijuana to be legalized in the UK

Hello I am thinking about writing an email to my local MP because I would like for cannabis to finally be legalized in the UK for medical reasons as one of its benefits and also I would like to see it be legalized for other reasons I think and for the minimum age to smoke cannabis to be set at age 18 as we become adults at that age in this country for many other purposes so I don't see why it cannot be set at age 18 like most other countries have set it at that age and because of many other things having a minimum age of 18 too. Also we should all be allowed to make all types of decisions as adults who are age 18 or over like whether to smoke cannabis or not or do other stuff as no age restrictions should apply to adults either because age restrictions should only apply to children and teenagers who are underage. I really need some good advice please.

  • Is Marijuana the World's Most Effective Treatment for Autism? BY DEBRA KAMIN ON 02/15/18 AT 8:00 AM EST

    The above thread has been posted by myself please feel free to post your thoughts on it.

  • I have a very stiff gait and throughout my life I often overhear people say things like "that guy walks like a solider/robot/zombie" (which has the effect of making me even more tense)+, my shoulder often hurts because I'm so tense.

    I've been told I walk like a zombie too, and like "Wolverine in the comics, but dead" once. I do walk funny, but *** it. A zombie/robot/soldier, and an undead Wolverine sounds pretty cool on paper! We can take a little comfort in that!

    I have a lot of trouble with tension. It sucks. Mainly in my calves. I've tried a number of drugs, some pretty strong. I only found relaxation exercises and stretching worthwhile. Simple but effective, for me anyway.

  • The safest way to use cannabis in the UK is to grow it yourself, and harvest/prepare/use your own crop.

    In an ideal world this would be best for autistics who want to use. It would help them avoid using dealers, who may take advantage. I've grown and found it a very interesting, involving process. I used to make the bubble hash too. Clean, and the only things involved were the bags, and buckets of ice water. The problem is moderation in such a thing, 10 to 12 oz per plant at least, if you aren't going to sell, is going to be hard to resist.

    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.

    It just depends on the dealer. I was pretty lucky in that regard. I grew up with a few trustworthy people who knew their stuff, and I was a savvy buyer. I have heard horror stories, weed sprayed with sugar, or cured with sand on to bump up the weight. People would get the bag and think that it was a darker colured strain, but it was the sugar turning black. The sand trick would have people thinking that they'd got some really trichrome covered stuff, but when they got it home it was covered in "sand" or glass beads. I never bought off the street, and I was pretty involved in things so I knew who, and what I was getting. I'd imagine it just depends on the situation. I wouldn't recommend anyone just buying off some random person, and that includes any drug.

    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.

    That was kind of my point when I said that if it was legalised they wouldn't be letting the average joe grow. I'd imagine it would be commercially licenced. I totally agree with your point though, as you said in the last bit of your post, people would be totally in control of the strain, and their preference. Safety is another thing too. As for the law, you only get a warning a few times, and it depends on how much you have.

    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.

    I'm not too keen on edibles. It's easy to just put down the blunt, or spliff you are smoking, and just slow down. With edibles you are there for the whole ride, and most people just aren't cautious enough. I've seen people in some pretty bad states. I used to go to someones house, and they grew. Every time they cropped they'd make a big bowl of Angel Delight, loaded with bits of leaves covered in THC, kief, and basically everything that wasn't bud (that's where the money is!). Everything that was good but not the bagable stuff went into a blender, got whizzed up, and folded into a treat bowl for the closer customers and friends. Me being a tightarse, mine went into bubble hash! Anyway, you'd only need a few spoonfuls to be totally gone. Some people would have a few, wait an hour, and say nothing was happening, so they'd have a few more. They'd ineviatably ruin their evening, and even weekend by overdoing it. Stuff that was baked into brownies, banana bread, and the like was even worse. They'd eat a slice, and when it didn't kick in quick enough they'd have more, and leave a paranoid, sick mess. Each to their own but if I was feeling it too much I could just put out what I was smoking and slow it down. With edibles you can be "along for the ride" for a fair few hours.

    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.

    I'm pretty familiar with that one. The tragedy is cuttings are illegal. With a cutting from a good mother plant, you know it isn't going to be a dud seed, a hermaphrodite plant that will pollenate everything, rendering it useless, and good stuff! As for mushrooms, wait until autumn, they are free. I never liked them though, and you need to know what you are doing picking and taking them. 

    It's weird that since this cultural push towards making weed mainstream, I've seen people who thought I was a burned out stoner, and looked down on it all, ask me if I still sold or had so and so's number. 15 years ago they would run for the hills if someone lit a joint near them, now they want to get high. Hypocrites! I love telling them I don't smoke anymore!

    I stopped because I found it was making me very analytical, paranoid, and if I didn't smoke grumpy. If I got high sometimes I'd get so analytical, and introspective, it was depressing. I also think it contributed to my mental illness. I think from seeing it first hand, and from converstions between people who indulge, that weed is different nowadays. I wouldn't advise anyone with mental illness, or social anxieties indulging. Sativa strains were more agreeable, indicas have a real heavy, nasty feeling, for me anyway. I feel happier without weed myself nowadays. And happier without the catalogue of other substances. To tell you the truth I used to get high and drunk to ease the effects of my condition, now I'm trying to manage them naturally.

    As for the legalisation I'm still cautious of it for the reasons in my last post.

    I'm not condoning drugs, I'm just giving the knowledge I have for anyone reading. It seems like there are a lot of people considering weed nowadays.

    Again stay safe, stay happy, and do what's best for you. Sober or high.

  • there are many benefits, off the top of my head cannabis induces relaxation which can help those with autism who are very tense/rigid/stiff. Even occasional use could give tense muscles a much needed break.

    I have a very stiff gait and throughout my life I often overhear people say things like "that guy walks like a solider/robot/zombie" (which has the effect of making me even more tense)+, my shoulder often hurts because I'm so tense.

  • Hi, sorry to sound incredibly naive. I’m aware that there are some medical trials into the benefit of using cannabis oil for people who have autism. I’d like to ask, in real life terms (as opposed to the results of scientific studies) what are the benefits? how does cannabis help with symptom management? Thank you

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Cannabis oil available in the health shop contains virtually none of the active substance, probably about the same as chewing a piece of hemp rope.

    Yep, Ruderalis ran through big butane gas and water filters. Hardly "natural".

  • Synthetic cannabinoids are extremely dangerous and the only reason they were created and exist is because of cannabis prohibition. In some US states that still have prohibition you can actually buy synthetic cannabinoids from places like petrol stations.

    CBD oil itself does have medical benefits.

  • The USA once tried alcohol prohibition. To say it didn't go down well is an understatement

  • I agree on legalised cannabis for medical and recreational usage for many reasons. I've tried cannabis in the past and taken an interest in learning about it.

    -Many medical benefits- painkiller (much safer than opiod painkillers), anti-seizure(there are cases of epilepsy where cannabis is the only effective treatment) etc

    -Prohibition doesn't stop people using cannabis.

    -Prohibition causes harm because if you buy street cannabis you have no idea what you are getting, how strong it is or if it is contaminated or not.

    -It should not be a crime to relax in your own time with cannabis.

    -If legal, people who want to buy cannabis would no longer have to put themselves at risk by buying from a street dealer (who may rob them or offer other drugs for sale etc)

    -Police resources would be freed up to be used elsewhere.

    -If made legal, money spent on cannabis can go to the Government and benefit the economy rather than street dealers. In Colorado citizens get tax rebates and some profits go towards helping the homeless.

    -Compare the effects of cannabis to alcohol- being drunk causes fights, violence, accidents, disturbances, A+E visits, domestic incidents etc. Being stoned causes relaxation, giggles and munchies!

    -Cannabis is very safe, an overdose isn't fatal and withdrawals aren't fatal (you can't say the same for alcohol).

    -Another point worth mentioning is cannabis doesn't cause impulsive behaviour like alcohol does so you are unlikely to say things or send text messages you will regret the next day. You can think of it like this- alcohol makes you act without thinking, cannanis makes you think without acting.

    -In my opinion we in Britain are misled by the alleged mental health effects of cannabis. We are led to believe that cannabis will cause mental health effects and schizophrenia etc. But look at all the states and countries that have had legalisation for years and none of them have had an outbreak of mental health issues. Some people find cannabis makes them paranoid but in my opinion this may be for reasons relating to prohibition as opposed to the cannabis per se.

    -Look at other countries policies. Canada and Uruguay have legal recreation cannabis. 30 US states have legal medical cannabis and about 10 have legal recreational cannabis. Portugal, Netherlands, Norway and even South Africa have decriminalised cannabis. None of these nations have changed their mind and made it illegal again after legalising it.

    -Prohibition causes unfair and unjust stigma. People who don't know much about cannabis just assume because it is an illegal drug it must be as bad as other illegal drugs like heroin, cocaine, meth etc and judge you for it.

    The UK has recently legalised cannabis for medical reasons. However as you can imagine it will be very hard to get a prescription of and only a specialist can prescribe it. Oh and the NHS won't fund medical cannabis so if you do get a prescription you will need to pay a very large sum of money.

    The Tories are a very backward party with no interest in cannabis reform laws or looking after the vulnerable. All they care about is the country's top 1%. The Lib Dems and Green Party are the ones with an interest in reform.

    This site will tell you who your local and national politicians you can write to are:

    https://www.writetothem.com/

  • While I agree that the uses of cannabis should be explored, and also that adult people should be able to abuse their bodies if it doesn't affect other people, there are other issues about this that should be addressed.

    First there is the smell on every street corner that I find so repugnant and I am sure others do.  I do not wish to breathe in second hand smoke, whether of cigarettes or cannabis or anything else and I am sure it does me no good.  So use should be restricted to confines where it cannot be detected by others ... so how could this be done?

    Second, there is a world of difference between smoking the odd joint and regularly taking cannabis for 'medical' purposes.  The extract of cannabis would be undetectable to other people and there are many drugs around which are legal for medical purposes but which cause antisocial behaviour if taken outside medical supervision.

    Third, some forms of synthetic cannabis are being produced now which are extremely dangerous and have led to sudden deaths when used for recreational use.  However, once again if a medical use could be found for these and used under normal medical supervision I could not see why there should be a blanket ban.

    Cannabis is one of the few substances that has a near outright 'ban' on its use, although this now seems to be relaxed in some instances.  And police very rarely these days seem to do anything about it or street corners in the town I work would not have the smell lingering under clouds of smoke.

    Cannabis oil available in the health shop contains virtually none of the active substance, probably about the same as chewing a piece of hemp rope. Whether it actually has any effect as a medical substance I cannot say.

  • ... so can crossing a road or falling in love ;) 

  • Go for it Sholay, I’m with you. I don’t know how you get the letter to the government but I guess the first thing could be to write the letter then take it from there. I think it’s a very good idea (to write the letter) for several reasons and I think you’ll find a lot of people agree with your views on this matter. When it happens, it will mean I won’t have to leave the country to go and live in Amsterdam, although I might still do that anyway, as I do like Amsterdam and the climate suits me. 

  • I've always wondered why alcohol and cigarettes are legal whereas cannabis isn't. Alcohol can ruin lives and cigarettes can kill you. 

  • 50-54 High St, Birmingham B4 7SY

    Be aware, though, that it's expensive.  £15 for a small bottle.

  • Ok Wave clouded thank you for recommending but which location is the shop as I live in Birmingham England?

  • I recommend try out James Hooy CBD Oil which is legally sold over the counter in any Holland & Barret. It is really amazing stuff. 

  • Thank you Martian Tom for agreeing with me on this one as marijuana should be legalized finally for good reasons. Also I would like to be able to try it out too but not too much of it as I want to be more sensible like am always am as I am 20 nearly 21 years old in April this year.