Topic: The decriminalisation of drug use: Do you agree with Richard Branson?

[The Prophet]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16702930

There's a video in the link if you haven't already seen it:

Sir Richard Branson said politicians should ignore newspapers like the Daily Mail, and reform the UK drug laws.

The Virgin group boss said David Cameron had appeared to agree with him 10 years ago - while a backbench MP - and now had to be "brave as prime minister and has to do what is right for the country".

He had appeared before the Commons home affairs committee to say a different approach to drug use in other countries had led to a fall in use

I'll post my thoughts in a bit.

[TheGuv]

I will never and have never taken drugs.

This would be great if it went through though. I know crime would go down significantly for a whole host of reasons

[HansDownerpantz]

ASDA selling smack on isle 25 would be areet like

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

Obviously not all drugs, that's just stupid. But the likes of weed and pills/madman definitely.

[Neil]

Obviously not all drugs, that's just stupid. But the likes of weed and pills/madman definitely.

This.

[johnnypd]

i'd start off with weed but i wouldn't decriminalise it, rather legalise it, which regulates its production and sale, allows for companies to make money selling it and would probably raise a fair bit of money in taxes.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

A bit of sensible education on the matter would be dreamy. Not holding my breathe, mind.

[Neil]

A bit of sensible education on the matter would be dreamy. Not holding my breathe, mind.

Drugs ==> bad. BAD. Look at the bad drugs!

[HansDownerpantz]

I'm not quite sure why but I would find something incredibly eery with the country legalising pills. It would just seem really, really weird.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

I'm not quite sure why but I would find something incredibly eery with the country legalising pills. It would just seem really, really weird.

Not if you were on pills

[Disco]

Obviously not all drugs, that's just stupid. But the likes of weed and pills/madman definitely.

Odd that you'd pick those two

[johnnypd]

the nonsensical hysteria in all corners of the press (not just the daily fail but guardian, bbc etc) after cannabis was essentially decriminalised in 2003 was horrific. s*** like "oh we all enjoyed a spliff back in the 70s but the stuff around now is 9000 times stronger and sent my brother round the bend". like saying oh i enjoy a beer but that whisky stuff is far stronger and my uncle was an alcoholic.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

Obviously not all drugs, that's just stupid. But the likes of weed and pills/madman definitely.

Odd that you'd pick those two

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Disco]

Obviously not all drugs, that's just stupid. But the likes of weed and pills/madman definitely.

Odd that you'd pick those two

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Indeed.

[Sifu]

[Disco]

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

[Foluwashola]

Bairns need cowies instead of milk. Replace the geeky  milk money collector with  a class dealer.

"Jimmy, will you start us off with the hungry caterpillar."

"Will a f*** miss, ya owld doylum."

[Anderson]

[Stifler]

I will admit theirs an argument that marijuana legalisation is a valid argument. However I can't see any other debate of legalisation being worthwhile.

If marijuana was legalised then it would have to be restricted, only certain places selling it, heavily taxed, still illegal to drive after use, still make dope illegal, etc.

I'm a fairly liberal person and I would even be in favour of prostitution being legalised and restricted.

[The Prophet]

He was strichtly talking about possession. There's also a distinction between decriminalisation and legalisation.

[garth]

Certainly agree with legalising it, just so it could be sold under controlled conditions. I used to smoke many, many moons ago and I'm glad I have stopped. It seems the s*** they sell today is laced with chemical nasties just to make it even stronger. I can remember when I used pay 30 aussie dollars for 2oz, I was really shocked when my young nephew told me they are were paying 300 dollars, an oz. That was ten years ago. I'll stick with my occasional glass of wine and beer.   

[Tooj]

I agree with him.

The scare mongering in the press about things such as weed are absolutely ridiculous.

f*** off Frank, I don't want to talk to you!

[Northerngimp]

I agree with him...

The papers would thrive on this tho, the first kid or young'un to die on legalised drugs would be the biggest story ever.  Even tho kids die every day from solvent and alcohol abuse.

The papers also kicked up a massive fuss when labour relaxed the late licence for bars.

The way they were talking you would have thought it was the end of civilisation and people would be drinking 24 hours day.

[kingkerouac]

The Tories are disingenuous on the subject of drugs, though.
During the early part of the eighties when unemployment was heading up to 4 million, suddenly there seemed to be shitloads of hash and grass available.
On TV and the newspapers the Tories were saying what you'd expect them to say, but meanwhile every hippy from Jesmond to Arthurs Hill was offering you it on tick!
I'm not sure whether this was a conspiracy - obviously people don't riot if they're sitting at home stoned - or coincidence, but it seems suspicious, no?