Toni,

I've had to deal with individuals who were intoxicated on grog and those who were on a cloud through the "Leaf", the latter were much more amenable to reason.
The particular cases that come to mind both wanted to walk to New Zealand or somewhere else East of Middle Head Beach (North Coast, NSW).
The one on the grog had to be forcibly restrained, there were other incidents involving other people and alcohol won hands down for violence.

Hi Paul,

As a light smoker, I'm all for the most rigorous controlling of tobacco; and of alcohol, for that matter. I'm not sure if smoking affects non-smokers to the same extent, perhaps not, so the main damage from smoking is to the smokers themselves; they pay the price for their addiction.

Alcoholics and ordinary drunks certainly do damage to themselves but worse, they do harm to others. As a light drinker, I would be happy if being drunk and disorderly, particularly drunk and violently disorderly, was an offence, if it isn't already.

Is that what you meant ? So we are in total agreement then ?

Cheers,

Joe

Hi Joe,

I see the harm that all drugs do, both the legal and illegal. I am very much anti drug, I don't smoke, but do drink in moderation. In the case of the drug marijuana it has become so socially acceptable, particularly among the young, that they do not see its use as "illegal".
What Di Natale and the Greens are saying is the anti marijuana strategy we have in place now is not working, prohibition has failed. We need to look at the reality and move to control the supply and use of the drug in legal ways.

Just to give you some perspective at least three of my neighbours smoke weed. If I wanted some I could get it from them, or from the pub down the road. They have it home delivered by taxi! If I was to call the local cop shop and report; "Officer, my neighbours are in their backyard smoking cannabis!", the copper would say "And what do you want us to do about it."

I wonder if di Natale smokes weed himself, of is he just wanting everybody else to be off their trolley enough to vote Green.

My only objection to the legalising of weed is how it affects people's actions in day to day life.

Having spent some time with people who smoke I noticed that they just seemed peacefully drunk.

There is the problem.

Obviously this wasn't a scientific study but I noticed that they would have been incapable of driving a car, or any other vehicle for that matter. It was very much like watching a drunk.

Also what affect will smoking dope have on children? We know that alcohol in the home can be a major cause of child neglect and worse, so how will dope be any different?

Do we really need another mind altering substance in society?

People will grab all sorts of statistics to justify their position but often these presentations are tainted.

For instance in the USA, in states where weed has been decriminalised, the movement of illegal weed has dropped to half. Well der... Whilst this is a good outcome, because people now have their own little weed plants, how does this protect children and others in our community when they jump in a car when the munchies hit?

Personally I have never tried the stuff but from observation I am most concerned about proper studies being done first in Australia.

I don't have a concern over medical marijuana except also for the above

Come, come, ttbn, you vote for Corny Banana and the Lovely Pauline, and you are right, far right, out of the trolley.