David,

<<Those who have seen my aging visage but are not familiar with my libertarian principles may be shocked to learn that I am an enthusiastic supporter of legal recreational cannabis.

<<This is not because I am an enthusiastic toker [marijuana user], although I don't deny having inhaled. Rather, it is because the policy of prohibition does more harm than good. Moreover, we in the Liberal Democrats believe the government has no right to prevent adults from making choices that do not harm anyone else>>.

Of course you'd be in favour of liberalising marijuana laws. It's in harmony with a Liberal Democrat principle: 'People should be free to make their own choices and accept responsibility for the consequences, so long as nobody else is harmed' (<<https://www.ldp.org.au/>>).

Your LD policy is individual responsibility 'as long as nobody else is harmed'. Marijuana research shows the harm or potential harm done to self and others by marijuana use:

1. Twenty four hours after one cigarette, experienced pilots performed severely impaired simulator landings. (Dr. J. Yesavage et al Stanford University 1985 & 1991). What is the possibility of loss of life for pilots on marijuana?

2. Decreased fertility in males and females (Hambree et al and Mendelson et al respectively). It is associated with impotence in males. So does infertility impact others?

3. An 1100% increase in the incidence of leukaemia in the offspring of mothers who used while pregnant. (Professor Neglia et al Minnesota University - reported 1990).

4. Marijuana use has been scientifically linked to the dramatic increase in drug induced schizophrenoform illness and the associated increase in teenage suicide rates (Same study - Karolinska Institute Sweden - 86 references which are available on request). This psychosis impacts others.

Your claim that <<the policy of prohibition does more harm than good>> is a furphy. In this thread, I've demonstrated from research the harm of marijuana ingestion to individuals and to others.

Marijuana does harm others. Any govt that legalises marijuana will have to take responsibility for the damage it has chosen to allow.