I must say, I concur with COL ROUGE'S position, apropos the use of illicit drugs. Whether it be cannabis or so called 'hard' drugs, they ALL tend to ultimately affect us in some deleteriously way, no matter how careful or judicious we are with their consumption.

O sung wu, the mistake you're making with that position is that you are not recognising that hard drugs kill, while Marijuana DOESN'T kill. By treating "all" illicit drugs as the same, Col shows a lack of understanding of the difference between the deadly effects of some drugs, and the less harmful affects of marijuana. If everyone possessed that lack of understanding, society's ability to counter the hard drug trade would be greatly diminished. Law enforcement in this country rightfully recognises this difference, enabling over stressed resources to be applied more towards battling DRUGS THAT KILL!

If the criminality of pushing hard drugs is not recognised as FAR, FAR greater compared to pushing marijuana, then we as a society are guilty of a criminal underestimation of the dreadfully deadly results of hard drugs, and a criminal overestimation of the results of smoking a marijuana joint.

Col also passes shops every day that push drugs that DO kill, and kill on a MASSIVE scale.....and he does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about it. By FAR, the most dangerous drugs in our society are alcohol and tobacco, with a mesmerizing death toll and social dislocation. But Col stays "silent"; he believes their legality justifies his double standards and silence. It shows his motivation against drugs is NOT because they cause death, otherwise he'd be constantly and religiously speaking out against alcohol and tobacco.

Marijuana smoking is a pathetic endeavour.......but it DOESN'T KILL YOU.

Anyone caught with "commercial" amounts of marijuana deserves to be charged, and depending on circumstances, imprisoned. It also must be recognised, as it indeed is in most first world countries, that being caught with commercial quantities of marijuana is NOT the exact "same" crime as being caught with commercial quantities of illicit drugs that KILL people.

Col is obviously a very confused, vengeful and bitter man.

Other people are more interested in "understanding" drugs, and their physical and social affects (both legal and illegal drugs). It's from this "understanding" that ultimately many users are afforded the opportunity to escape from their lifestyle choices and addictions.

o sung wu, why stop at illegal drugs? If your criterion for your objection is the "deleterious" effect, do you condone alcohol, tobacco, aspirin, caffeine? If not, why do you single out "illegal" drugs?

For the record, I've smoked marijuana since I was 16 or so, and I'm now 45. I've smoked a lot of it and I used to smoke it very frequently, although I smoke it less now I'm older and it's harder to get hold of and much more expensive thanks to the wowsers. It was a normal part of the culture I grew up in.I don't THINK I'm psychotic or that I have a ruined life because of cannabis. I'd say I'm pretty articulate, rational and a functional member of society. Most people I know have similarly used the drug at some time, some of them more than me. In 29 years (just realised how long it's been, wow!) of use of marijuana, I have not had a single friend become mentally ill. I have never met anyone who became psychotic, let alone through a single week's use at a camp. Frankly, mate, I reckon you don't know what you're on about, your police career notwithstanding.

Good evening to you both - PHILIPS & ANTISEPTIC...

OK, you both mount a pretty good argument, and have essentially blown my precis, on the use of illicit drugs, right out of the water !

I was of course speaking in general terms. Not having ever tried cannabis sativa (medically recognised as a psychotropic drug) on any occasion, places me in a position where I can only rely on scientific material and theory, rather than sound empirical evidence.

I would still maintain however, that even though there's been no fatalities recorded from the use of cannabis per se(to my knowledge at least), there's an abundance of evidence suggesting that those folk who choose to 'use', on a regular basis, do run the risk of suffering from diminishing brain cells. I willingly admit, so do smokers and heavy consumers of alcohol.

It is also a reality, the usual purveyors and suppliers of cannabis often consort and associate with drug pushers (hard or otherwise), who are often habitual members of various crime gangs and other ne'er do wells who ooze from the dark and murky depths of the nether world !

The is also substantial evidence supporting the fact, that those who have a regular supplier of their 'stuff', though quite harmless initially, are often introduced (by their suppler) to much more dangerous and insidious substances. That can sadly lead to major dramas with the coppers. And worst, very serious addiction.

I accept, there are many 'back yard' growers of cannabis, basically for their own use. Though unlawful, the best of British luck to them. As long as it remains the status quo.

Some individuals seem to think that their initial success at growing their precious verdure undetected, believe that their modest little crop/s, suddenly transmogrifies to a hugh commercial enterprise. Where millions are to be made ? It's really so so sad.

O sung wu, I agree with your post.

I think Schapelle Corby, "if" guilty (and there's definite doubt about that...despite recent family related revelations; and there's doubt about the "total" accuracy of those allegations anyway), should do prison time. Like many Aussies in 3rd world country prisons, I think she should do some time there and finish her sentence here. "If" she's eventually found to be innocent, I think she should sue everybody who's libeled her.

o sung wu, I live in Qld, and I don't know anyone who grows the stuff any more. I had a long-term supplier who was shut down some little while ago. I believe he was an example of your comment about visions of millions to be made. I also know those visions were never realised, largely because it's apparently quite a lot of work to grow large quantities of anything, including marijuana. I once tried to grow a couple of plants myself for a couple of years and got very little to smoke out of it, so gave up. AFAIK, the main suppliers are bringing it in from South Australia, or that's the usual claim, anyway. It's nearly all hydroponically grown.

I have long had my suspicions that the police are not seriously interested in stopping the trade, since I'd have thought a "hydro house" would be pretty easy to detect, not to mention the purchase of all the necessary equipment, which must be fairly extensive. If so, I'm not complaining, since the price I pay has been the same for the past 5 years or so. At least the crooks aren't greedy...