Saturday, 5th July 2008
Cannabis smokers publish photos on Facebook
Experts reject arguments for decriminalisation
A group of Maltese people have taken a daring step ahead in their lobbying to legalise cannabis: posting photographs on the social networking website Facebook showing them smoking what they claim is the substance.
Almost 1,000 users have joined the Legalize It, Malta! group and some posted their photos on the site following an appeal by the promoters to do so. Many of the photos have since been removed due to legal implications raised by other members.
Speaking to The Times, the leader of the group, David Caruana, listed a number of reasons for decriminalisation. He argues that cannabis is not lethal and is safer than alcohol and most prescription drugs. He says that if the drug is legalised it can be regulated and taxed and, instead of spending huge amounts of money to arrest and prosecute smokers, such funds can be invested in education and awareness campaigns.
Many experts disagree.
Psychiatrist Peter Muscat says the damaging effects of alcohol and cigarette smoking are reputed to be milder than those of cannabis. However, given that the majority of users also tend to drink and smoke they expose themselves to the compound effects of all three substances.
Mr Caruana insists that prohibition of the drug is failing in all countries, whereas in the Netherlands, where cannabis has been decriminalised, it has been taken away from drug lords and criminals and regulated through a system of shop licences.
Sedqa's operations officer Jean Claude Cardona fears that if access to substances is allowed the demand and use will increase, arguing that in Malta laws should be made harsher rather than more liberal.
Mr Caruana and his friends are aware that campaigning for the decriminalisation of cannabis is no mean feat but they blame resistance on misinformation.
He compares smoking a joint to appreciating a nice glass of Cabernet in the evening and says that cannabis gives "mental relaxation".
As the system stands now, someone wanting to buy cannabis will resort to a drug dealer who will offer much more than cannabis, making it more likely for young people to progress to harder drugs, he says.
Mr Cardona, a spokesman for Sedqa, a non-profit agency funded by the government to spearhead the battle against substance abuse, defines many of the arguments raised by Mr Caruana as flawed.
He argues that there are a number of consequences to prolonged use of the drug, including paranoia, depression, loss of motivation, psychological dependence and a higher risk of respiratory infections and psychosis.
Mr Cardona quoted the British newspaper The Independent, which apologised for a pro-decriminalisation campaign it had launched in 1997. In its editorial of March 18 of last year, the newspaper said new research had found cannabis to be 25 times stronger than that available a decade ago and said that more than 22,000 people in the UK were treated for cannabis addiction in 2006, almost half of whom were under 18.
The article said that at least 25,000 of the 250,000 schizophrenics in the UK could have avoided the illness had they not used cannabis and that there is now a proven and clear link between cannabis and psychosis.
Admitting that cannabis is easily available in Malta, Mr Caruana says decriminalisation will make it cleaner, safer and "home-grown" rather than processed with additives.
He argues that all form of abuse is harmful and dangerous. Education is the only way to stop abuse, he says. He agrees with Sedqa's own terms that alcohol is the worst drug because it is readily available to young teenagers. He also thinks that there is not enough emphasis on the dangers of alcohol, which he calls "the real root of all evil".
"I am not proposing legalisation by itself but together with a reform to have stricter regulation on alcohol," he says, concluding that, through regulation, enforcement and education everyone will be allowed to make their own choices responsibly so that abuse of all kinds of substances will be reduced.
Dr Muscat, on the other hand, is quick to point out that cannabis has a plethora of harmful physical and mental effects. Although some users can responsibly control and limit their use of cannabis, users can become psychologically addicted to the altered mental state that cannabis induces.
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Comments
If we were to conclude that cannabis is truly harmful and deemed illegal solely on that fact then with the same premise we should also consider junk food, smoking, sweets, caffeine and alcohol as potential risks to the general public and therefore should also be illegalized. It is no surprise to anyone that everything used in excess is harmful, whether its food,sex, gambling, internet addiction, alcohol, etc.
What we should do is educate people to learn to be responsible for their actions. If the person (over 16) wants to smoke marijuana in his/her own free time without putting at risk other people but still knowing the possible consequences then so be it. if the person thinks he/she that marijuana is harmful and doesn't want to put his/her health at risk then it is probably wise to stay away from it. Though whether you agree or not the fact remains that people should have the freedom of choice
Never seen or heard of a fight fuelled by marijuana.
I have many friends who smoke the occasional joint on a weekly basis and they are perfectly healthy and sane.
I get the feeling that the ones who oppose the legalisation of this substance are the ones who have never actually tried it.
Making it legal will allow the goverment to regulate and tax the substance .... making the substance safer and taking it out of the hands of the drug barons.
Legalise!
Instead of having Sedqa, Caritas and the Government responsible for the ills of drugs, we should have the individual responsible for his acts. do as many drugs u like, but you, all alone, who will face the consequences. Together with a legalise call, I also call for the abolishment of free clinics, who offer free accomodation and meals to irresponsible junkies.
1930s alcahol was illegal in America, this didn't stopped its consumption, far from it. it only gave a golden opportunity to mobs to take over a lucrative business.
As long as drugs remain illegal, criminals will continue to make big money out of it. beside thet fact that the demand will stay constant, and as long the demand will stay strong, the supply will continue to make it's way. there's no way of winning the war on drugs, beside the fact that once drugs are legal, they will become any other drug.
the main issue is RESPONSABILITY ON THE INDIVIDUAL!
How on earth can somebody use biased opinions and biased websites to make their stand?
Most of these are based on a couple (Literally) of papers with vague statistical significance.
Please dont get me wrong, i'm not expressing an opinion on whether cannabis should be legalised or not. I'm just pointing out to various people posting in this article, that taking personal experience, opinion, or even expert opinionsas medical evidence which is not founded on correct evidence as a very big medical error.
I suggested those two websites and wrote down the medical facts as they currently stand in the medical world, regarding what is known regarding cannabis. Those two websites are not as karl mercieca stated as a fact (again) in colloboration with the Government, but privately own companies, but provide evidence base, peer reviewed information of most of the major medical journals. (basically a most updated medical textbook)
So please refrain from stating something which is opinion fact.
As Graham Hancock (documentary reporter on channel 4 UK and writer) once said in an interview "...an individual alone in his/her home sampling a plant that has been with humanity since the beginning of time, for that to be called a criminal act is insane for we live in a insane society that believes it has a right to even patrol our consciousness..."
Cannabis has replaced my expensive prescribed pain killer pills and anti inflammation capsules that where doing serious damage to my liver.
This herb has been used for thousands of years by many cultures .
People should see" Run from the Cure" on Youtube to get an idea of this herb's potential medicinal value.
Big multi- national pharma companies have a huge vested interest in keeping cannabis outlawed as it would really cut into their profits big time, as it can replace many of their dangerous , profitable and expensive products that can be also be very ineffective to help ill people.
The big pharma companies cannot patent cannabis so it has been demonized for the last six decades or so with government complicity.
Wake up people !
Governments do not have your best interest at heart.
Corporate Fascism is dictating the Law.
Cannabis can help mankind and ease a lot of suffering from illness.
3. What about people who live next to the power station? or people, like me, who don't drive and are forced to put up with all the fumes? You would be surprised how damaging the effects are. Lets the government not forget these people and give them a bonus then.
4. Yeah! let's have a whole list to be handed to out employer - Religious beliefs, family tree, sexual preferences, favourite alcoholic drink/ brand of cigarettes, alcohol consumption a) during the week b) during the weekend, along with reasons for consumption a) church b) wine c) entertainment. Etc…etc……
@ G Saliba
Nobody said it was harmless. Most things have harmful consequences. Are you perhaps suggesting we close all fast food chains? Or better still let us give everyone a list of what should or should not be consumed (not much red meat, not to much fried food, a healthy dose of vegetables… a glass of wine with every meal).
@P.S. Cassia
What a load of nonsense. 1st off, its not about breaking hold of drug barons. Its more to safeguard the people who are caught with substances for personal use (In my opinion all substances).
1. Taxes will only be an option it it becomes legalized not decriminalized. Then yes, you can rest assured that hefty taxes will be introduced.
2. Is someone who drinks a glass of wine with their meal self indulgent too? or you are assuming that if someone smoke pot (or any other illegal substance) they must all be junkies? there are responsible drug users out there you know! Only to be thrown in bad light by scum who say they need to do bad deeds 'because of my addiction'. The current situation is helping these, which I have no remorse in calling scum. Please note that the revenue received from taxes from cigarettes is always higher than that spent to on the medical needs of sick people. In all truth, the government needs smokers.
1. joints could be sold with a Government health warning, plus a hefty tax, to alleviate some other taxes for the more abstemious;
2. Users will have to pay for their medical treatment consequent to their use (the same should apply to tobacco, alcohol, obesity- all cases of forewarned self-indulgence);
3. Users will have to pay higher insurance premiums for house loans, etc, (as with tobacco smokers);
4. And would have to make a declaration of use to their (current and future) employers of their habit (a "habit" being something you consider essential to your well-being/functioning).
If people want the privilege to smoke the stuff legally and so openly, then the public should have the corresponding right to know who they are and allow them to pay the social and economic costs for their pleasures...
People will still smoke a joint at home, or at a friends' house. Is that illegal? And cannabis is more dangerous than ecstasy? Who writes that junk?
As always, discretion is the better part of valour. And enough of this church-crap findings and learning. Haven't you ever seen priests smoke? Or gone to confession, only to be blasted by a breath of stale ash-tray air?
Alcohol kills how many people per year? And pot? Ahh...thought so!
Why?
Since it is so dangerous, JUST LIKE ALCOHOL, and JUST LIKE TOBACCO, it should be taxed and regulated just like any other potentially dangerous drug.
Mr. Michael Bonello : Your comment makes me laugh. Of course I take information from a Pro Cannabis Legalization Initiative webiste; that's what I want, after all. Also, those so called "unbiased" websites are almost definitely in collaboration with a very government policies and government funded research.
You want me to give you an example from a more reliable source? Ever heard the name Milton Friedman? He was a very notable economist, and he wrote a book mentioning that Cannabis should be legalized.... the book he wrote doesn't require you to have a PhD in Economics or a Nobel Prize for you to understand, both of which Dr. Friedman had.
A study in the U.K. has shown that cannabis increases the chances of a person developing schizophrenia by 2000%.
With regards to the opinion that if cannabis is legalised and is regulated it would cause a decrease in drug related offences, this is also wrong. It may seem a petty fact, but a few months ago a petition by the residents of Amsterdam, asked the city mayor and council to close the 'coffe' shops in the centre of the city and re-open them into other peripheral zones, simply because of the increase in crime in the residential zones where coffee shops are present in Amsterdam. It is also a fact that as a result of the legalisation of cannabis, Amsterdam has also become the illicit drug capital of Europe; surely not a proud record to hold.
Interesting research results on use/misuse of drugs. Interesting how tobacco and marijuana came out more harmful than ecstasy when, unlike ecstasy, you cannot overdose on them.
Look abuse of anything is bad, its not a cigarette which kills you, its the habit which does. Alcohol is legal but you don't see anybody entering the bank to cash a check all drunk with a bottle of liquor in his hand. There is a time and place for everything.
My final comment is that the only reason why cannabis makes one paranoid is solely due to the fact that it is illegal.
These findings prompts several questions such as; why is it that the more harmful alcohol is legal while marijuana is not? Is it wise to spend so much resources to prosecute, say, ecstasy users, when the same (limited) resources can be used to combat heroin instead? And, in light of this new information, isn't it time for our govt to revise its zero-tolerance policy, which, honsetly, leaves much to be desired in terms of results obtained -vs- costs incurred? Finally, how much similar research have our own ‘experts’ undertaken?
Let's face it, there wil ALWAYS be drunks and addicts and chain smokers. Even in the Bible you have admonitions against excessive drinking. The key to a solution is to educate not to try and eradicate. Making something illegal only sends it underground and that's when the real trouble starts.
For those who want a tangible example, look at the Prohibition in America in the early 20th century. It gave rise to black markets, gangs, killings and general discontent.
People will always find a way, regardless of whether it's legal or not. Let us not waste time with minor drugs (which are really no less harmful than alcohol, cigarettes or even excessive eating). Let us concentrate on the REAL killers like heroin and cocaine. If the public is well-educated then there is such a thing as responsible smoking and drinking.
Finally, bear in mind that marijuana is a relaxant whilst the 'harde' drugs are stimulants, therefore do not put everything in the same basket and look at each issue independently.
What I dare people is to use a bit more their brains, and use more reliable sources, like cochrane reviews, or uptodate.com, websites which actually review all the major scientific journals, and you can get unbiased information.
Upon reading uptodate regarding the issue, one can conclude (in a summary) that Marjuana
-use has physilogical and psychological effects that last up to 4 hrs, Motor awarness can be effected for up to 24hrs, and this has been associated with MotorVehicleAccidents
-chronic use leads to physical dependence with withdrawal symptoms that can last five to seven days
-smoke contains carcinogens, but there is currently no data which shows a defentive increase in lung, neck or head squamous cell carcinoma
-decreases libido and causes infertility
-is a causative factor of ChronicObstructivePulmonaryDisease(COPD)
-is assocaited with increased prevelance of shizophrenia and depression although it is not clear whether this is causal
-data of chronic cannabis causing long term cognitive impairment is still conflicting
The above are facts gotten from circa90 different papers
Furthermore Mr. Cardona stated that in the UK the cannabis is 25 times stronger than 10 years ago. Although the drug is a Class B drug, it was still illegal making poeple to grow the plant themselves or buying it from unknown sources. The British Government is now wanting to raise it to class A .I think it is not right to put cannabis on the same level of cocaine and heroin! The cannabis drug is 25 times stronger because poeple were growing the plant illegally, without any regulation, and thus preventing control of the growth. This is mostly done by asians (veitnamese) who come to the UK without even knowing English, sent by their bosses!
So I believe an educational campaign is the best way!
I believe 1:3 are said to be prone to schizophrenia and cannabis helps fire up the neurons in our brain. Genetic evidence might be clear, biological contributions are still far from clear however. It’s so called ‘normality’ that is pushed down our throats here. Freedom, again denied. Can you give us statistics of some other places rather than only the UK.
Dr Muscat – There are a plethora of harmful effects with loads of things. Stress being the biggest killer. Do you agree? Take stress levels our teenagers face at school for example. While one is responsible for oneself (may choose to take 3 bottles or just take a glass of wine with a meal ,or a spliff), They don’t have any options.
As for Psychological addiction – Shopping, sex, video games, sports and reading the times online can be addictive for that matter. I say give people the choice and responsibility. Why should one suffer for another’s irresponsibility? (Those mental states you stressed are also important to some religious beliefs too btw). Freedom, again denied.
I’m looking forward to a paradigm shift. I fear I won’t witness it anytime soon though.
Sedqa – the more I hear from the more I despise you. Jean Claude Cardona – law should be made harsher!!!!!!!! Are you a friend of some drug barons by any chance?!?! What, in your humble opinion JC Cardona, are laws made for? Are they made to punish and control us poor common folks? Are you so naïve? Who do you think goes to court in the first place? While some end in prison (and get out with heroin addiction at times btw), others merely a slap on the wrist (usually no legal action takes place in these cases). Freedom can’t exist without justice. Caruana’s arguments may have flaws but can you please enlighten us to any arguments that don’t have any flaws. We have an institution that is trying to reveal 1 single unified truth – University. Work is still in progress 2500 years later however.
Although there is a link between cannabis and psychosis putting it forth as an argument is very misleading. People are prone (genetically) to schizophrenia, bi polar disorder and so forth.
Psychiatrist Peter Muscat – please tell us how you came up with the fact that Alcohol and cigarettes have milder damaging effects. Until you do so we can’t really argue much. So you are saying that the bulk of are drinkers and cigarette smokers….interesting….and what about the minority in a democratic country then? Compound of three substances!! Ah! So you are discriminating the substance then - Alcohol and smoke 1 cannabis 0. Can we also have a list of people who are taking some form of drug (legal too i mean). Can anyone give us some statistics (which I believe are quite shocking)?
"[Mr.Cardona]....argues that there are a number of consequences to prolonged use of the drug, including paranoia, depression, loss of motivation, psychological dependence and a higher risk of respiratory infections and psychosis."
Fact:
There is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults. Some marijuana users experience psychological distress following marijuana ingestion, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. Such experiences can be frightening, but the effects are temporary. With impossibly large doses, marijuana can cause temporary toxic psychosis. This occurs rarely, and almost always when marijuana is eaten rather than smoked. Marijuana does not cause profound changes in people's behavior.
(sources : *
Iverson, Leslie. “Long-term effects of exposure to cannabis.” Current Opinion in Pharmacology 5(2005): 69-72.
*
Weiser and Noy. “Interpreting the association between cannabis use and increased risk of schizophrenia.” Dialogues in Clincal Neuroscience 1(2005): 81-85.
)
cigarette smoking I stood up and declined to complete a Drugs Abuse Questionnaire.
When questioned by my CO why, I told them that what difference does it make, both
weeds kill you one slowly one a little bit longer, one stinks you to death, one accelerates it.
I was in the RAMC. Legalize it like the UK and Holland and liberate all the people in jail.
My CO was an Orthopaedic surgeon.