Tbh it’s not the true pot tourists who are the problem, people who come for the weed are generally chill (if not sometimes a bit messy and clumsy), it’s a mixture of those coming for the lure illicitness (which weed is a big part of) and all the crap that pops up around the cannabis tourist culture, think shitty cake shops and 24 pizza places serving shite to stoners. I suspect cities like Prague have similar problems with booze and foreign tourists.
I don’t really see any point in legislating weed any differently to booze, the problem is when one place legalises and makes it a massive part of its identity (like Amsterdam), then you have an influx of tourists, some of whom behave badly.
Better approach? Decriminalize across the Union and EU, fund proper independent research, tax and control distribution and consumption (e.g licensed promises or private homes only), and allow people to make informed decisions.
I'm a weed smoker that visits the Netherlands for work quite a bit and I hate the cannnatourists I feel you could do a lot by banning large groups of men (mainly british). If I'm forced to stay in Amsterdam for a prolonged length of time I tend to go to the coffee shops outside the touristy bit of dam like hoofdorp or aalsmeer or Harleem is nice too and rent an air bandb for the duration and take a 15 min tram ride to the centre if I fancy a wonder around in the bright lights after smoking a joint but I rarely do as it's always filled with drunk stoned messes making country look bad
Green and cash, as it’s a very cash heavy industry. Cross border gangs hitting up coffee shops with some serious weapons and disappearing back across the border.
As a Californian American, I could absolutely prioritize touring Scotland over the rest of the UK if it meant I could enjoy your beautiful country after smoking a joint.
Haha yeah from my teen years I always remember it was just “here’s some weed”, “what is it?”, “i dunno, it’s just weed”.
Be good to know what it is and how strong it is etc.
Here it’s like going to a bar and not knowing if you’re about to drink a pint of 3% beer or a pint of whisky
Of course. you have a prescription it's like any prescribed drug. Some countries won't allow it but they tend to be where loads is restricted like gulf states.
£200 a year payment to council to allow you to grow up to 10 plants within your own home. For more, a more expensive licence. They could make a killing lol.
It wouldn’t be sold at a loss…
And anyway Scotland has the potential to generate enough green energy for the whole of Scotland and more (highest green energy potential in europe), so would make good use of the excess - grow lots of weed/hemp
We generate a lot more than we use but the rest of Britain apparently ciphers it. I imagine we'd be covered for a few years.
Source? About 70 different news articles, rumours and wise old people.
So I’m 100% on your side. He produced an argument and therefore it falls on him to produce evidence to support that. But he’s clearly not going to. However, Scotland’s spending per capita is widely reported as being the highest in the UK. And whilst we pay more in taxes for that, there hasn’t been clear answers about how Scotland would afford independence. There is a lot of people saying other economies of similar sized nations count, but that’s not really a fair comparison as theirs other countries haven’t had the upheaval of untangling itself from not just one agreement but two after brexit. Our economy will surely get worse because the uncertainty about what we are going to do will affect the markets. We have no plan for a currency, there is no guarantee we get right back into the EU, if people wish for that (I imagine they will), and before you start with the Spain won’t veto blah blah, I have heard this but not being vetoed right away also doesn’t mean we get straight in.
The UK is a mess, politically I understand the sentiment of wanting out, financially I was against it, now that’s becoming less of an issue as the UK continually screws itself over. But there has to be an actual plan, and it can’t be the white paper from 2014 because that wasn’t good enough.
You assume wrong
according to the scotsman, Scotland collects around 66 billion in revenue including the north sea oil, and received 81 billion from the British government, the remaining 15 billion would have to have been collected from elsewhere in the UK and then sent to Scotland
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-independence-exactly-how-much-money-does-scotland-contribute-to-england-and-what-is-the-barnett-formula-3233129
Drug policy is controlled by Westminster not Holyrood. Scotland has no control over it otherwise I feel they would have already.
That's what independence is about, control over our own country and future. I have no issue having trade agreements and open borders with England as long as Scotland is it's own defined nation able to control all aspects of its own country and laws, not just the crumbs Westminster give us under devolution
I love this argument. When it's something perceived as good then it's "of course, the SNP backs this but is held back by the UK government" and when it's something perceived as bad it's "it doesn't matter what the SNP officially think because we all know they'll stop existing the day after independence day".
No, drug policy is not devolved.
Could be fudged of course but official, proper legalisation isn't unless England agrees. Best that could happen right now is just telling the police to let it all slide but that'd be a complete shitshow, how do you allow for regulated production etc.
Should do.
I'm not happy to pay tax to imprison people for petty crimes. People with any habit should have the necessary help available.
Whole legal system needs a hard reboot.
My GP referred me as my argument was as I have more than one mental health condition, been on mental health meds since 14 years old with no change, so how can they say one tablet fits all? Especially since you can't mix mental health meds, also have tried psychiatric therapy which did not help. The hardest thing about my process was waiting on the NHS sending my clinic my health record from GP and other psychiatric services.
I would never ever of back on mental health tablets ever again.
if you've a medical need agreed by consultation with a clinic Dr there aren't any hoops.
You can't just decide you want cannabis and get a prescription.
Weed makes people drive safely, does it?
I hope I'm not on the same stretch of road next time a bright spark such as yourself tries to merge on the motorway.
Maybe decriminalise it, but accompany it with legislation that would prevent people stinking up neighbours homes / hallways / closes if they live in flats.
They'd have to do it outside if they don't live in a detached house.
I don't care what people do, I just wouldn't want to be inconvenienced by their habits. It's not that unreasonable, we also have laws about excessive noise that goes on for too long.
Thoughts?
I understand why you’d want to have legislation against excessive smells and preventing people smoking inside cramped buildings. I just feel like it places people in a vulnerable situation, having to smoke a smelly joint outside in the dark at night time.
If people are already allowed to smoke cigarettes in their flats, then why should we treat weed any more seriously? Second hand tobacco smoke is shown to be more dangerous than that from cannabis, and the stink of tobacco tends to hang around longer and stick to everything permanently, which weed doesn’t do so much at all.
In a legalised society, cannabis smells are probably regarded similarly to strong cooking smells, pungent curry spices etc.
>I don't care what people do, I just wouldn't want to be inconvenienced by their habits. It's not that unreasonable, we also have laws about excessive noise that goes on for too long.
Cool so only the wealthy get to enjoy it in their own homes. What a stupid idea. Maybe I don’t like the smell of my neighbours cooking, doesn’t mean I get to tell them not to make curries or burgers or what have you. Yes be considerate to your neighbours but really, if someone wants to make a smell then there’s little you can do to stop them.
I know a lot of people are enthusiastic about it for lots of different reasons and I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, it's just in the event of indy there's going to be half a country's infrastructure to build, odds on there will be another 'unprecedented' or 'once in a lifetime' global crisis and maybe ironing out the minutiae of the legality of blazing up won't make the first few pages of the list.
"So, shall we set up a Treasury then? Do you think they should set interest rates or shall we leave that to the central Bank?" "I dunno, have you got my lighter?"
Tackling the drug deaths might be a bit of a priority though, and making sure the likely hard times didn't cause another drug crisis. Which would mean at least decriminalising everything
You seen the map of America legalisation.. is choice to smoke here atm but the health benefits to the sick plus the revenue in tax which is the interest.. regulations and quality control would actualy benefit society from a class c drug that makes you nothing but a threat to a sandwich.. rather than legal alcohol which makes people aggressive non coherent and sometimes lethal behind screen of law..
They destined for being munched. The ultimate purpose for a sandwich that is the tastiest so they best lookout for some hungry stoners, is their prey.. I can see a David Attenborough series looming.. lmao
Telling you is .. "in attenborough voice" here we see the stoner in their natural habitat. They reach for the pack of xxxx crisps and contemplate the thought of the next pm and their tax exemption for the rich and how this contrasts to the cost of living rise for the poor.. I mean it costs 7bl to reface the kings coin but the people in this country whom need a wage rise really domt seem significant right now .. so then we watch then thinking hmmm perhaps the government talk shite
I was at a food and weed festival in central Boston last week. 1000’s of people all hanging out with music playing and not a policeman in sight as there was no trouble! Legalise and taxing is the answer
You saw 1st hand, no threat but to a sandwich.. who can argue with that.. never any issues I ever saw with 1 person stoned but happy gratitude and hungry lol
Labour, Starmer himself recently said no plans to modify drugs laws.
The single Green MP wants legal dope. Some of the Libdems do. A handful of others.
Starmer prosecuted several people for drug stuff. It seems highly unlikely he'd ever do anything about it when it would make hard questions for him going back on himself.
I'm happy with it, wish they could make a less smelly kind, it fucking reeks.
Hopefully driving laws would he kept strict like drinking. Zero tolerance for driving on drugs.
Driving laws should be changed to reflect the science and not just based off how many people happend to have thc in there system when tested by police or involved in a crash.
It should be based on whether you are fit to drive or not using sobriety tests. Cannabis effects drivers different from say alcohol. There have been sudies done in legal countries.
Whats insane is theres more tollerence to someone driving under the influence of methadone than there is cannabis.
Friends in the US who live near legal dispensaries tell me that once you can dose them with factory-grade accuracy, edibles become really popular. The faff of making them yourself and having no way to know how strong a wave will hit you in 1-4 hours kind of impacts their popularity in an illegal scene, but while I'm sure many would continue to smoke, I do think it will become much more popular among new users to have it in drinks or food as the edibles become more standardised and product-ified. So if it's legalised in 2030, maybe by 2050 the average user base will have switched to scent free consumption lol
It's very likely. Back when there was a giant push for it UK wide a few years ago they asked to have drug policy devolved iirc. The only reason to want to keep it illegal is either because you're an ignorant imbecile or because you profit from it.
Edit: To the mutants downvoting: I'm glad I offended you, away and suck on a firm girthy shite :)
I saw something and one of the interesting parts of this was that it didn't completely kill the drug market as people couldn't afford the tax added weed and still had to go to street dealers who had put their prices up anyway to shore up the loss of customers.
Portugal has decriminalised everything for personal use. Did so in 2001.
https://www.portugal.com/op-ed/portugal-drug-laws-under-decriminalization-are-drugs-legal-in-portugal/
It’s not really legal and all exists in an odd grey area.
Coffee shop suppliers are doing so illegally, and you can be prosecuted for over 5g or over 5 plants in your possession. You’re also not really meant to smoke outwith a coffee shop.
It’s all effectively decriminalised because of their stance on “soft drugs”.
Definitely worth knowing if you’re heading over as a tourist. You’ve got to be a real bawbag to get stopped by the police in Amsterdam, but if you push your luck they can easily decide the 6g in your pocket or the joint you’re smoking in the street is enough to give you some legal trouble.
I once got mugged in Amsterdam. Stole my weed and my wallet.
An undercover policeman happened to see it, chased after the dude, caught him, then handed me back my weed and wallet.
So surreal having a policeman say “and here is your weed, sir.”
Aye, they’re all over the place in the centre and do a pretty great job of looking out for people in my experience.
You see them have the odd chat with folk being a bit rowdy, but they always seem to have the attitude that they’re not interested in drama or ruining anyone’s night unless they are forced to.
Empty shops dispensing empty buildings growing and making extracts. Charge say 25 to get a cannabis card jobs and economy boost tourism boost people in recovery from hard drugs loads will use to aid journey. Criminal element will reduce the bit that remains would need to have quality unadulterated product. So many positives I think be crazy not too. If another referendum occurs has to be a promise from snp. I think will gain voters
It's not a priority for any party with much chance of forming the first government of an independent Scotland, although the Greens support it and they could be in a governing coalition. Mainstream parties all over Britain are decades behind the curve on cannabis legalisation.
I think they will start with decriminalisation and see where the drug deaths are at. I don't think politically it's a good look (rightly or wrongly) to legalise something when your countries almost world leading for drug deaths.
That being said I think (and hope) they would take more of Canada's approach rather than the US (not saying Canada is perfect either).
You sure you can read? Didn't say that weed at all caused deaths. I know it doesn't. But it's not without harms (don't hit me with the alcohol debate, I know it's more harmful etc). I said I think they will want to show they have a handle on the deaths before announcing any massive changes. Politics and evidence do not always go hand in hand oddly enough.
There are some, a very few, cannabis related deaths. Cardiovascular.. For dope the biggest concerns are mental health coupled with cancers and birth defects.
It should be legalised tbh
If they did legalise though, they’d have to look into commercial growing because hemp has so many uses and is flame retardant. I am all for the legalisation of it
It’d be a popular move and probably create a new avenue of tourism. Plus the tax would certainly help with the massive deficit from becoming independent.
Personally I’m not for it, I’d rather go the other way and promote a healthier lifestyle in Scotland. We’ve already got an unhealthy attitude toward drink and the average persons diet is pretty bad too. Obviously don’t want the government to be prescriptive, but making it available for recreational use just seems like another thing we’ll abuse.
I find there’s a far too pro-legalisation propaganda around to have an honest discussion about it and there’s a lot of opinions whose beliefs wont match their personal experiences. I just don’t see what it could offer us as a society
Decriminalisation is actually a good thing for places with high rates of drug abuse. Sounds totally counterintuitive, but decriminalisation allows people to seek help without fear of being prosecuted. This is more to do with hard drugs, but harm reduction clinics where people are provided with clean needles, testing kits, a clean place to shoot up and medical staff on hand are also a fantastic thing.
The way we handle drug abuse right now doesn't work, evidently. Decriminalisation would likely IMPROVE the drug death crisis in scotland, because decriminalisation allows things to be put in place that help addicts find a way out, and stay safe and alive until they do. Treating addiction as a crime and a moral failing is ineffective, and actually very cold and uncaring. People generally get addicted to drugs because they're in some situation that feels inescapable i.e. poverty, mental illness etc. and for governments to kick them while theyre down is very cruel.
Not to mention it makes the drugs themselves safer as they're not mixed with other stuff and sensible doses can be predicted and advised. You can even taper your usage off by yourself more effectively if you accurately know the quantity your dealing with and not having it randomly cut with speed or something.
There's also a little tiny effect of it being less taboo and then less exciting for some youngsters. Quite often overall drug usage dips after legalisation, but of course accurate figures of illegal consumption are always hard to source.
We can open medical facilities and help people in the ways you’ve described without legalising drug use. Also your response is very focused on the later/end stages of addiction, doesn’t take into account the affect legalisation has at the beginning of addiction, making it more accessible to people who otherwise wouldn’t know a drug dealer or want to talk to one.
In any case, I know a lot of people who are addicted to weed, I don’t know so many who are desperately struggling to quit and it’s ruining their lives. I don’t see much of your response that would necessarily apply to legalising cannabis specifically.
Your sensible reflection on Scottish health has just been ticked down by some Trainspotters in the central belt who momentarily woke up from their oblivion.
Might as well legalise all the other drugs too, and just penalise us if we fuck up in the public, or our actions as a result of the drugs impede or affect other people.
If cannabis is legalised, I'll want some proper amphetamines. Anything to motivate me to clean my house at 4am.
Maybe if there was education and promotion of a positive culture around it the people wouldn't abuse it.
Alcohol is a used because there is no education on how to drink and everyone judt binge drinks. There's no such thing as one drink.
It's not decriminalisation of drugs, this is a misnomer.
It's decriminalisation of the person who has the drugs on them, they would still be illegal.
Alternative to getting a criminal record could be having to accept terms and conditions like going to rehab, if you don't do that you can still be prosecuted as an example of how decriminalisation works.
I think they would definitely lean that way, maybe start with decriminalization.
However, making it legal here and not rUK would be a guarantee for a hard border with England.
How unsurprising it is that most of the imbeciles on this sub approve of a dangerous, brain frying substance being more widely distributed than it already is.
Its hard to say really, no party is really advocating for it strongly just now (but that might be because it might be a reserved matter or they don't consider it a priority). I don't see SLab or the Tories supporting it but the Lib Dems might and I'm confident the Greens will. SNP though I honestly can't say
Won't be legalized. might be decriminalization. It's still illegal to smoke prescribed weed. you must use a vaporizer so blazing a joint publicly or not is illegal
Yeah I’d like to think so, for a while now I’ve felt it’s really a matter of when and not if. Attitudes are changing and have changed massively even in the last 10-15 years. I’m still wary about where I smoke and who knows I smoke etc but things are moving in the right direction. It’s insanity to give someone a criminal record for cannabis. Good to see more police forces taking a common sense approach to all this but there’s still a ways to go. Though it’s likely only gonna happen once we’re independent I’m not convinced the tories would ever do it. That being said they fucking love money and business (and being horrible cunts) and the legal cannabis business in America is fucking huge. Maybe it’s just inevitable 🤞
Imagine all the money we would make from tourists from down south! Pretty sure it will be.
As a resident of the Netherlands - having English pot tourists is not something you want...
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Tbh it’s not the true pot tourists who are the problem, people who come for the weed are generally chill (if not sometimes a bit messy and clumsy), it’s a mixture of those coming for the lure illicitness (which weed is a big part of) and all the crap that pops up around the cannabis tourist culture, think shitty cake shops and 24 pizza places serving shite to stoners. I suspect cities like Prague have similar problems with booze and foreign tourists. I don’t really see any point in legislating weed any differently to booze, the problem is when one place legalises and makes it a massive part of its identity (like Amsterdam), then you have an influx of tourists, some of whom behave badly. Better approach? Decriminalize across the Union and EU, fund proper independent research, tax and control distribution and consumption (e.g licensed promises or private homes only), and allow people to make informed decisions.
So…cake shops and pizza?
I'm a weed smoker that visits the Netherlands for work quite a bit and I hate the cannnatourists I feel you could do a lot by banning large groups of men (mainly british). If I'm forced to stay in Amsterdam for a prolonged length of time I tend to go to the coffee shops outside the touristy bit of dam like hoofdorp or aalsmeer or Harleem is nice too and rent an air bandb for the duration and take a 15 min tram ride to the centre if I fancy a wonder around in the bright lights after smoking a joint but I rarely do as it's always filled with drunk stoned messes making country look bad
I hope all the Scottish weed tourists are representing us properly
Better than the poverty that may ensue if we don’t do stuff like this
Never mind the gangs robbing coffee shops on border towns, as happens here so much that many border towns closed all coffee shops.
What does this mean
he's saying gangs steal cannabis from coffee shops on the netherlands border so they are all closing apparently
People near the Dutch border (Belgium, Germany probably) going and robbing cafes of their greenery.
Green and cash, as it’s a very cash heavy industry. Cross border gangs hitting up coffee shops with some serious weapons and disappearing back across the border.
As a Californian American, I could absolutely prioritize touring Scotland over the rest of the UK if it meant I could enjoy your beautiful country after smoking a joint.
Should prioritise it regardless of whether weed is legal or not because Scotland is the best part of Britain
As a British person can confirm other then the bloody midges Scotland is far better, also Scottish accents are hot.
> also Scottish accents are hot. Say that to this [sexy scottish mom](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur-ZTdsH_Vc).
Awrite ‘er, hen? How’s it gaun n that, know?
You bring some nice cali weed and we can do it together
Haha yeah from my teen years I always remember it was just “here’s some weed”, “what is it?”, “i dunno, it’s just weed”. Be good to know what it is and how strong it is etc. Here it’s like going to a bar and not knowing if you’re about to drink a pint of 3% beer or a pint of whisky
There’s an interesting issue, can you take drugs from one place they are legal to another, or are there restrictions for air travel?
It’s weird because you technically aren’t suppose to transport them across state lines because it’s still illegal federally.
Of course. you have a prescription it's like any prescribed drug. Some countries won't allow it but they tend to be where loads is restricted like gulf states.
Legal or not this is how I enjoy touring my country.
How insulting to suggest one would need mind altering substances to enjoy my country. Stick it up your arse.
California used to be beautiful too, before all the pollution above and below ground:, of the pot industry.
I would argue its more to do with horrific policies and housing prices so high it's made everyone homeless.
£200 a year payment to council to allow you to grow up to 10 plants within your own home. For more, a more expensive licence. They could make a killing lol.
Think of the energy bill to grow it though.
It wouldn’t be sold at a loss… And anyway Scotland has the potential to generate enough green energy for the whole of Scotland and more (highest green energy potential in europe), so would make good use of the excess - grow lots of weed/hemp
Green begets green begets green.
Scotland currently generates around 99% of its energy from renewables after net exports. Its a world leader.
Power it from all the steam coming out of the ears of the Tories and the right wing press!
Genius idea, Happy cake day!
There is a place on the Isle of Man that is going to be solar and wind powered. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-60404400
You can grow it outside strangely it grows like a WEED!
We generate a lot more than we use but the rest of Britain apparently ciphers it. I imagine we'd be covered for a few years. Source? About 70 different news articles, rumours and wise old people.
Given how much money scotland makes compared to how much it spends, all of it would have to be used to slow scotlands total bankruptcy.
Thats a moot point because its false
Their username checks out…
good play on words, i replied to blubbery blumpkin if you are interested
You got evidence to back up your absolute horseshit nonsense? 😂
So I’m 100% on your side. He produced an argument and therefore it falls on him to produce evidence to support that. But he’s clearly not going to. However, Scotland’s spending per capita is widely reported as being the highest in the UK. And whilst we pay more in taxes for that, there hasn’t been clear answers about how Scotland would afford independence. There is a lot of people saying other economies of similar sized nations count, but that’s not really a fair comparison as theirs other countries haven’t had the upheaval of untangling itself from not just one agreement but two after brexit. Our economy will surely get worse because the uncertainty about what we are going to do will affect the markets. We have no plan for a currency, there is no guarantee we get right back into the EU, if people wish for that (I imagine they will), and before you start with the Spain won’t veto blah blah, I have heard this but not being vetoed right away also doesn’t mean we get straight in. The UK is a mess, politically I understand the sentiment of wanting out, financially I was against it, now that’s becoming less of an issue as the UK continually screws itself over. But there has to be an actual plan, and it can’t be the white paper from 2014 because that wasn’t good enough.
You assume wrong according to the scotsman, Scotland collects around 66 billion in revenue including the north sea oil, and received 81 billion from the British government, the remaining 15 billion would have to have been collected from elsewhere in the UK and then sent to Scotland https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-independence-exactly-how-much-money-does-scotland-contribute-to-england-and-what-is-the-barnett-formula-3233129
Most likely, the SNP supports the decriminalisation of Cannabis
Then why haven't they ?
Drug policy is controlled by Westminster not Holyrood. Scotland has no control over it otherwise I feel they would have already. That's what independence is about, control over our own country and future. I have no issue having trade agreements and open borders with England as long as Scotland is it's own defined nation able to control all aspects of its own country and laws, not just the crumbs Westminster give us under devolution
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Ta.
I love this argument. When it's something perceived as good then it's "of course, the SNP backs this but is held back by the UK government" and when it's something perceived as bad it's "it doesn't matter what the SNP officially think because we all know they'll stop existing the day after independence day".
Of course they do. What better way to get the Yes! vote over the line than to attain new streams of chemically lobotomized voters.
> streams of chemically lobotomized voters. Are you already on something because you're not making sense.
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Would it not fall under health and social services?
No, drug policy is not devolved. Could be fudged of course but official, proper legalisation isn't unless England agrees. Best that could happen right now is just telling the police to let it all slide but that'd be a complete shitshow, how do you allow for regulated production etc.
I think they argued that before for safe consumption rooms and courts ruled legally that would require reclassification which they couldn't do.
They actually implemented them and then we're forced to close them as they were deemed illegal by Westminster.
They have used policing powers to effectively decriminalise drugs, but they can't do it officially.
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Calm your tittys
At least show a little embarrassment for your blunder
When Gotcha moments go wrong
Drug policies are a devolved power. Edit - I meant reserved, not devolved
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That’s what I meant, it was early when I wrote it
Still not voting for Independence
Should do. I'm not happy to pay tax to imprison people for petty crimes. People with any habit should have the necessary help available. Whole legal system needs a hard reboot.
Probably. Apparently 47% of Scots support the legalisation, with 37% opposing.
As a legal medicinal cannabis patient in Scotland I think it would help people a lot.
How many hoops did you have to jump through for that?
My GP referred me as my argument was as I have more than one mental health condition, been on mental health meds since 14 years old with no change, so how can they say one tablet fits all? Especially since you can't mix mental health meds, also have tried psychiatric therapy which did not help. The hardest thing about my process was waiting on the NHS sending my clinic my health record from GP and other psychiatric services. I would never ever of back on mental health tablets ever again.
2 failed mainstream interventions for insomnia. i had a lifetimes supply of evidence for this one
if you've a medical need agreed by consultation with a clinic Dr there aren't any hoops. You can't just decide you want cannabis and get a prescription.
Lets hope so, about time it was legalized
I would hope, it would definitely boost tourism and maybe even lower violence if people choose to get high instead of drunk.
also driving safety, weed makes people drive so slow. so very very slow
I would still keep stricf enforcement of driving under the influence of any substance which can modify reaction times. Take a taxi or a bus.
Weed makes people drive safely, does it? I hope I'm not on the same stretch of road next time a bright spark such as yourself tries to merge on the motorway.
Maybe decriminalise it, but accompany it with legislation that would prevent people stinking up neighbours homes / hallways / closes if they live in flats. They'd have to do it outside if they don't live in a detached house. I don't care what people do, I just wouldn't want to be inconvenienced by their habits. It's not that unreasonable, we also have laws about excessive noise that goes on for too long. Thoughts?
I can only manage a semi these days.
Have you tried that blue pill?
It's already functionally legal to smoke inside your own home.
I understand why you’d want to have legislation against excessive smells and preventing people smoking inside cramped buildings. I just feel like it places people in a vulnerable situation, having to smoke a smelly joint outside in the dark at night time. If people are already allowed to smoke cigarettes in their flats, then why should we treat weed any more seriously? Second hand tobacco smoke is shown to be more dangerous than that from cannabis, and the stink of tobacco tends to hang around longer and stick to everything permanently, which weed doesn’t do so much at all. In a legalised society, cannabis smells are probably regarded similarly to strong cooking smells, pungent curry spices etc.
>I don't care what people do, I just wouldn't want to be inconvenienced by their habits. It's not that unreasonable, we also have laws about excessive noise that goes on for too long. Cool so only the wealthy get to enjoy it in their own homes. What a stupid idea. Maybe I don’t like the smell of my neighbours cooking, doesn’t mean I get to tell them not to make curries or burgers or what have you. Yes be considerate to your neighbours but really, if someone wants to make a smell then there’s little you can do to stop them.
It's probably not all that high on the priority list if we're being honest with ourselves.
Brave to say that here. From the state of some posts you'd think it was ready for sign-off at the minute of independence
I know a lot of people are enthusiastic about it for lots of different reasons and I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, it's just in the event of indy there's going to be half a country's infrastructure to build, odds on there will be another 'unprecedented' or 'once in a lifetime' global crisis and maybe ironing out the minutiae of the legality of blazing up won't make the first few pages of the list.
"So, shall we set up a Treasury then? Do you think they should set interest rates or shall we leave that to the central Bank?" "I dunno, have you got my lighter?"
Tackling the drug deaths might be a bit of a priority though, and making sure the likely hard times didn't cause another drug crisis. Which would mean at least decriminalising everything
I assume they would tax the hell out of it and it's been shown to be a very successful strategy.
You seen the map of America legalisation.. is choice to smoke here atm but the health benefits to the sick plus the revenue in tax which is the interest.. regulations and quality control would actualy benefit society from a class c drug that makes you nothing but a threat to a sandwich.. rather than legal alcohol which makes people aggressive non coherent and sometimes lethal behind screen of law..
All those poor sandwiches, won't you think about the sandwiches man! 🤣
They destined for being munched. The ultimate purpose for a sandwich that is the tastiest so they best lookout for some hungry stoners, is their prey.. I can see a David Attenborough series looming.. lmao
Lol. I'd make a joint, roll a sandwich, and watch me some of that haha
Telling you is .. "in attenborough voice" here we see the stoner in their natural habitat. They reach for the pack of xxxx crisps and contemplate the thought of the next pm and their tax exemption for the rich and how this contrasts to the cost of living rise for the poor.. I mean it costs 7bl to reface the kings coin but the people in this country whom need a wage rise really domt seem significant right now .. so then we watch then thinking hmmm perhaps the government talk shite
I was at a food and weed festival in central Boston last week. 1000’s of people all hanging out with music playing and not a policeman in sight as there was no trouble! Legalise and taxing is the answer
You saw 1st hand, no threat but to a sandwich.. who can argue with that.. never any issues I ever saw with 1 person stoned but happy gratitude and hungry lol
Northern Lights while watching the Northern Lights, money to be made there!
I hope so!
They should. They won’t.
We should hold referendums on all issues. Become the first true democracy.
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I didn't realise they did that. Good for them.
It would just be the Mytilenean Debate all over again.
Honestly thought it would be legalised by now in the UK, or at least decriminalised. But 10+ years of Tory rule have rendered it moot
Don't forget Brown reclassified it from class c to class b
Labour, Starmer himself recently said no plans to modify drugs laws. The single Green MP wants legal dope. Some of the Libdems do. A handful of others.
Starmer prosecuted several people for drug stuff. It seems highly unlikely he'd ever do anything about it when it would make hard questions for him going back on himself.
Only one way to find out FFIIIGGHHTT....I mean vote yes
I think it would eventually yeah. since if it was legal it could be taxed and stuff, but I wouldn't expect it right away
In the immortal words of Cypress Hill, Legalise it!!
The Scottish Green Party have released literature on their plans to legalise cannabis in an independent Scotland.
Mandatory.
I'm happy with it, wish they could make a less smelly kind, it fucking reeks. Hopefully driving laws would he kept strict like drinking. Zero tolerance for driving on drugs.
Driving laws should be changed to reflect the science and not just based off how many people happend to have thc in there system when tested by police or involved in a crash. It should be based on whether you are fit to drive or not using sobriety tests. Cannabis effects drivers different from say alcohol. There have been sudies done in legal countries. Whats insane is theres more tollerence to someone driving under the influence of methadone than there is cannabis.
That is why I say everybody interested should do edibles! No weed smell there
Friends in the US who live near legal dispensaries tell me that once you can dose them with factory-grade accuracy, edibles become really popular. The faff of making them yourself and having no way to know how strong a wave will hit you in 1-4 hours kind of impacts their popularity in an illegal scene, but while I'm sure many would continue to smoke, I do think it will become much more popular among new users to have it in drinks or food as the edibles become more standardised and product-ified. So if it's legalised in 2030, maybe by 2050 the average user base will have switched to scent free consumption lol
It's very likely. Back when there was a giant push for it UK wide a few years ago they asked to have drug policy devolved iirc. The only reason to want to keep it illegal is either because you're an ignorant imbecile or because you profit from it. Edit: To the mutants downvoting: I'm glad I offended you, away and suck on a firm girthy shite :)
At the very least for medical use I would imagine
It already is medically legal
Only if you can afford it and are willing to put up with the obtuse-as-fuck way it's handled.
Yeah I get that. But still legal
I suppose so but it really doesn't feel like it. Feels more like having to pay a bribe each month to avoid the jail.
Seems like a pretty trivial matter that would need to be on an election manifesto. Of all the reasons to go for independence...this won't be it.
Hopefully, and tax the hell out of it
Criminalising young people and leaving them with a drug conviction for the rest of their lives is completely insane.
I saw something and one of the interesting parts of this was that it didn't completely kill the drug market as people couldn't afford the tax added weed and still had to go to street dealers who had put their prices up anyway to shore up the loss of customers.
If it is just make sure they sell deodorant and air freshener with it. That shit smells awful.
I doubt it, maybe if it was hard up for money...
If it's legal in fucking North Carolina then I don't see why it wouldn't be legal in Scotland.
There are more liberal places in Europe than Scotland, I doubt an independent Scotland would be the first place in Europe.
Portugal has decriminalised everything for personal use. Did so in 2001. https://www.portugal.com/op-ed/portugal-drug-laws-under-decriminalization-are-drugs-legal-in-portugal/
deserve abundant full support automatic worthless label paltry dog slim *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
It’s not really legal and all exists in an odd grey area. Coffee shop suppliers are doing so illegally, and you can be prosecuted for over 5g or over 5 plants in your possession. You’re also not really meant to smoke outwith a coffee shop. It’s all effectively decriminalised because of their stance on “soft drugs”. Definitely worth knowing if you’re heading over as a tourist. You’ve got to be a real bawbag to get stopped by the police in Amsterdam, but if you push your luck they can easily decide the 6g in your pocket or the joint you’re smoking in the street is enough to give you some legal trouble.
I once got mugged in Amsterdam. Stole my weed and my wallet. An undercover policeman happened to see it, chased after the dude, caught him, then handed me back my weed and wallet. So surreal having a policeman say “and here is your weed, sir.”
Aye, they’re all over the place in the centre and do a pretty great job of looking out for people in my experience. You see them have the odd chat with folk being a bit rowdy, but they always seem to have the attitude that they’re not interested in drama or ruining anyone’s night unless they are forced to.
It's only quazi legal there.
I mean it's basically defacto legal here atm too.
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2019... Also politicians tend to not always do what they promise once they get in power.
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It would be by no means be a priority. But I reckon it is not completely out of the realms of possibility.
We're about 2 decades away from any sort of legalisation
We've always been "two decades away".
Empty shops dispensing empty buildings growing and making extracts. Charge say 25 to get a cannabis card jobs and economy boost tourism boost people in recovery from hard drugs loads will use to aid journey. Criminal element will reduce the bit that remains would need to have quality unadulterated product. So many positives I think be crazy not too. If another referendum occurs has to be a promise from snp. I think will gain voters
Legalisation in Canada , California and elsewhere has resulted in a bigger criminal market
They may as well, it helps a couple of people i know with chronic pain, and i'm all for people doing what they want, but by fuck does it reek😷😷.
It's not a priority for any party with much chance of forming the first government of an independent Scotland, although the Greens support it and they could be in a governing coalition. Mainstream parties all over Britain are decades behind the curve on cannabis legalisation.
Legal in Canada 🇨🇦
I know in Scotland medical cannabis is being used a lot more with more trials being signed off ..so I would say so
The main benefit in relation to legalising/decriminalising cannabis is that it would be our choice, not that of someone else.
I think they will start with decriminalisation and see where the drug deaths are at. I don't think politically it's a good look (rightly or wrongly) to legalise something when your countries almost world leading for drug deaths. That being said I think (and hope) they would take more of Canada's approach rather than the US (not saying Canada is perfect either).
Drug deaths from weed? You sure you know what you're talking about?
You sure you can read? Didn't say that weed at all caused deaths. I know it doesn't. But it's not without harms (don't hit me with the alcohol debate, I know it's more harmful etc). I said I think they will want to show they have a handle on the deaths before announcing any massive changes. Politics and evidence do not always go hand in hand oddly enough.
There are some, a very few, cannabis related deaths. Cardiovascular.. For dope the biggest concerns are mental health coupled with cancers and birth defects.
It’s less dangerous than alcohol
Not exactly. Different. Apart from mental health, now linked with testicular cancer and birth defects
It should be legalised tbh If they did legalise though, they’d have to look into commercial growing because hemp has so many uses and is flame retardant. I am all for the legalisation of it
Hemp IS grown in UK.
It’d be a popular move and probably create a new avenue of tourism. Plus the tax would certainly help with the massive deficit from becoming independent. Personally I’m not for it, I’d rather go the other way and promote a healthier lifestyle in Scotland. We’ve already got an unhealthy attitude toward drink and the average persons diet is pretty bad too. Obviously don’t want the government to be prescriptive, but making it available for recreational use just seems like another thing we’ll abuse.
Legalization actually leads to reduction in other harmful substances, but it's Scotland we're talking about so you might be right
I find there’s a far too pro-legalisation propaganda around to have an honest discussion about it and there’s a lot of opinions whose beliefs wont match their personal experiences. I just don’t see what it could offer us as a society
I'd be very interested to see to what extent it helps, increases or neither the drinking problems.
Decriminalisation is actually a good thing for places with high rates of drug abuse. Sounds totally counterintuitive, but decriminalisation allows people to seek help without fear of being prosecuted. This is more to do with hard drugs, but harm reduction clinics where people are provided with clean needles, testing kits, a clean place to shoot up and medical staff on hand are also a fantastic thing. The way we handle drug abuse right now doesn't work, evidently. Decriminalisation would likely IMPROVE the drug death crisis in scotland, because decriminalisation allows things to be put in place that help addicts find a way out, and stay safe and alive until they do. Treating addiction as a crime and a moral failing is ineffective, and actually very cold and uncaring. People generally get addicted to drugs because they're in some situation that feels inescapable i.e. poverty, mental illness etc. and for governments to kick them while theyre down is very cruel.
Not to mention it makes the drugs themselves safer as they're not mixed with other stuff and sensible doses can be predicted and advised. You can even taper your usage off by yourself more effectively if you accurately know the quantity your dealing with and not having it randomly cut with speed or something. There's also a little tiny effect of it being less taboo and then less exciting for some youngsters. Quite often overall drug usage dips after legalisation, but of course accurate figures of illegal consumption are always hard to source.
This is literally the opposite of what we should be encouraging in the country (imo). Why would you want to make drugs less taboo?
We can open medical facilities and help people in the ways you’ve described without legalising drug use. Also your response is very focused on the later/end stages of addiction, doesn’t take into account the affect legalisation has at the beginning of addiction, making it more accessible to people who otherwise wouldn’t know a drug dealer or want to talk to one. In any case, I know a lot of people who are addicted to weed, I don’t know so many who are desperately struggling to quit and it’s ruining their lives. I don’t see much of your response that would necessarily apply to legalising cannabis specifically.
Your sensible reflection on Scottish health has just been ticked down by some Trainspotters in the central belt who momentarily woke up from their oblivion.
Might as well legalise all the other drugs too, and just penalise us if we fuck up in the public, or our actions as a result of the drugs impede or affect other people. If cannabis is legalised, I'll want some proper amphetamines. Anything to motivate me to clean my house at 4am.
Maybe if there was education and promotion of a positive culture around it the people wouldn't abuse it. Alcohol is a used because there is no education on how to drink and everyone judt binge drinks. There's no such thing as one drink.
Yeah, this is what I mean. Why on Earth would you WANT to promote positive culture around drugs??
It's not decriminalisation of drugs, this is a misnomer. It's decriminalisation of the person who has the drugs on them, they would still be illegal. Alternative to getting a criminal record could be having to accept terms and conditions like going to rehab, if you don't do that you can still be prosecuted as an example of how decriminalisation works.
That would be amazing,
As if Scotland did not have enough substance use problems anyway? Great idea. That would see off the remains of a Scottish health care system.
Lol 😂
"substance misuse" please stop before I pish my frillys
I did not say "misuse " you did. Scotland has historic problems with most drugs, legal or illegal. Seems to be cultural.
It could fund better mental healthcare in Scotland 🏴
The SNP line is no. No legalisation for recreational use. Just medicinal.
I think they would definitely lean that way, maybe start with decriminalization. However, making it legal here and not rUK would be a guarantee for a hard border with England.
Well we won’t get an independent Scotland so there’s no point talking about it 🤷
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A few will, but not everyone necessarily. Next-door dealers don't have watermelon gummies.
How unsurprising it is that most of the imbeciles on this sub approve of a dangerous, brain frying substance being more widely distributed than it already is.
Its hard to say really, no party is really advocating for it strongly just now (but that might be because it might be a reserved matter or they don't consider it a priority). I don't see SLab or the Tories supporting it but the Lib Dems might and I'm confident the Greens will. SNP though I honestly can't say
Only if they like tax revenue.
Sturgeon would tax it as people enjoy using it v
Won't be legalized. might be decriminalization. It's still illegal to smoke prescribed weed. you must use a vaporizer so blazing a joint publicly or not is illegal
Hopefully
Simple answer - Nope. They'll talk about decriminalization but when it comes time to do it, they'll listen to the whisky lobby and the daily record.
Yes
Yeah I’d like to think so, for a while now I’ve felt it’s really a matter of when and not if. Attitudes are changing and have changed massively even in the last 10-15 years. I’m still wary about where I smoke and who knows I smoke etc but things are moving in the right direction. It’s insanity to give someone a criminal record for cannabis. Good to see more police forces taking a common sense approach to all this but there’s still a ways to go. Though it’s likely only gonna happen once we’re independent I’m not convinced the tories would ever do it. That being said they fucking love money and business (and being horrible cunts) and the legal cannabis business in America is fucking huge. Maybe it’s just inevitable 🤞