If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨
Broad opinions on Drug Law reform
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
BBC Have your say
These are the most popular/recommended comments from the 'Have Your Say' page on the Beeb, on the question 'How can we stop young people taking drugs?'
It's been mentioned on this board more than a few times (by me
) that any change in drug laws is going to be hampered by politicians being seen to be 'soft on drugs'. I wonder though if we could start to see sympathy expressed for more progressive methods, particularly if negative stories around enforcement based policies continue to appear.
These are the most popular/recommended comments from the 'Have Your Say' page on the Beeb, on the question 'How can we stop young people taking drugs?'
It's been mentioned on this board more than a few times (by me
) that any change in drug laws is going to be hampered by politicians being seen to be 'soft on drugs'. I wonder though if we could start to see sympathy expressed for more progressive methods, particularly if negative stories around enforcement based policies continue to appear. 0
Comments
spot on.
For example, if Cannabis were to be legalised it would have to be done in tandem with some truely heroic education and health initiatives, perhaps in the same way we've tackled smoking over the past 15-20 years. Personally I believe that after an initial glut of presenting mental health problems, Cannabis use would actually decrease in terms of number of users and quantity consumed, in the the long term.
The problem is that, at the moment, Mental Health services in this country simply could not take the initial strain of such a widespread and co-ordinated policy shift.
Yes, some old stonners might think 'I've have the occasional bifta now its legal' but a kid with serious mental health concerns who is self medicating isnt going to use more or less just because he can get it over the counter.
Cannabis could (if we didnt have legal problems with doing so) be easily legalised tomorrow and there really would be very little impact on use or harm.
This would not be a particularly large group, and the bulk of new service users would, I believe, be those with existing mental health problems who would come to access services that would need to be bolstered in tandem with any change in law.
And I really dont see there being a spike in use, it is almost totally accepted behaviour amoung the young now, for the vunerable users the law is no deterant.
2) As I have stated previously I don't think a spike in use will be massive, but it would happen. This is because of a small group who initially might be interested in this previously banned substance, but also because greater availability and market economics could drive down prices and allow more to be purchased more often. Also this brings in a commericialisation issue, wherein social and entertainment businesses might include Cannabis use as a central plank (cafes, bars etc.).
2) I dont think that need happen if it was managed effectively, no one wants to see loads of advertising, product placement and so on. And there is no reason why the legal supply needs to be below the lower end of the market rate at the moment. Just because we are making a massive mess of legally supplying alcohol doesnt mean we must make a big mess of legally supplying cannabis and other intoxicants.
On a side-note, i'm not too fond of alcohol either, don't mind drinking it but I have to deal with so much shit at work caused by alcohol, the quicker they ban it's consumption in public, or raise the drinking age to 21 the better.
As for alcohol, I'd like to see higher taxes, a ban on lots of the promotions, a ban on all advertising, and state run off licences. But that unfortunately will never happen.
From this page, hosted by the University of Iowa, USA
The culture of throwing oneself into an 'oblivion' of any intoxicating substance has been with us through the most important stages of our national history and is intrinsically bound up with many areas of British Civil life.
It would be interesting to hear thoughts on how people think this might be overcome, challenged or addressed.
As for how we change this culture of intoxication, education, restriction of cheap supply and doing things to stop people thinking they need to get totally out of it. The latter of course being a very complicated set of social and economical factors.
Oh! that's interesting, don't think I've heard that opinion before.
:no: Why should I have to pay more for alcohol. Isn't an increase in tax on alcohol just going to force more people to bootleg from France etc ? We already pay far too much tax on our alcohol in this country.
Actually no, you dont. Statistically speaking alcohol is cheaper now than its been for many years.
Yes, of course bootlegging is an issue, but alcohol is a lot harder to do on a commercial scale (unlike tobacco) so I think taxes could rise a bit without a big increase in people going to France.
In my opinion we need to look at all of the intoxicants, not just legalise the illegal ones. We are making a mess of alcohol and tobacco which we should sort out at the same time.
I already get my sister's French boyfriend to bring me cases of 20 Leffe beer everytime he comes over. He picks up for something ridiculous like €8. If I buy it here it's at least £1.50 a bottle! We get truly ripped off.
But the past price of alcohol doesnt interest me. Im intrested in the price today and the likely price tomorrow. You right about it being harder to smuggle alcohol on a commercial scale, however an increase in alcohol tax will tempt individuals to travel to France to stock up on drinks for their own personal consumption.
Why do you want to see an increase in alcohol tax ? Is it to combat binge drinking
Oh i really like Leffe it's has a real nice sweetness to it and its quite strong
This just proves how much we pay in taxes to start with. Any further increase in alcohol taxation is just going to push more people to bring it in from the continent.
Be good to live in Kent or near Dover, then I could just pop over to France and stock up and cheap drink and fags :thumb:
Not really, yes alcohol is cheaper in France, but we have lower taxes on other items, we are a lower taxing country than France over all. And anyway, on high end items like that its largely profit, not tax making it expensive.
On a very basic level, yes. Though its more the long term high levels of drinking which I would like to reduce, we will see an increase in alcoholics otherwise (especially women).
I'm not sure if higher taxation would stop or reduce binge drinking.
I think its more to do with our culture.
Not sure how you can reduce the long term high levels of drinking though. I certainly think it is more harmful than some illegal drugs. I think education is the most useful weapon in trying to reduce the levels of heavy drinkers.
It is in our culture - but when you can buy three massive bottles of Lambrinni for about 5p it doesnt really help.
You're right though education has a big role to play. That and I think a ban on advertising would really help too.
I have to agree with you there :yes:
So with that in mind, perhaps we could have a tax not done per pint, but done on how much alcohol there is in the pack/bottle, that would be a fairer way of doing it.
It is the same for cigarette duty for me. I don't think taxation on cigarettes has anything to do with reducing demand but raising revenue. I see alcohol and tobacco taxation as an easy way for any government to raise money. (call me cynical)
I do take your point that having special offers like (2 bottle of Lambrini for 50p etc) aren't helping.
Perhaps a ban on promotions would be a compromise ? That way we stop people vendors encouraging over consumption.
As for promotions and so on, definitely they should be stopped, there certainly should be no incentive for the customer to buy more.
because for many people the incentive can already exist within the product itself.