High time for legalization ?
Some religious groups, eg the Jehovah's Witnesses, would rather see people die or live in suffering than allow some medical treatment, such as blood transfusions and insulin injections. But these are a tiny minority of extremists, with very little real power. Or are they ?
There is quite a lot of evidence to suggest that cannabis can be beneficial in the treatment of certain medical conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis and epilepsy. Yet it remains totally illegal and cannot even be prescribed by doctors. And this ban, as well as being strictly enforced by law, has the backing of the British Establishment.
Yet there is very little evidence that cannabis is harmful, even if taken for recreational use. Certainly, many times more people are killed each year by tobacco and alcohol - both of which are legal - than have been killed by cannabis.
Interestingly, heroin - which is very addictive and kills a number of people each year - is available on prescription as a painkiller. Yet cannabis, which is not addictive (unless smoked with tobacco), is not.
There is some evidence to suggest that even dangerous drugs - such as heroin and ecstasy - should be de-criminalized and available on prescription. Such an approach would end the problem of such drugs being of poor quality, even laced with poison, which makes deaths and health problems more likely to result from their use. Also, de-criminalizing drugs would end the "anti-Establishment" appeal which boosts their use.
Don't get me wrong, I don't believe there is anything inherently radical or progressive about drug taking. Indeed, some of the most reactionary - and even disabled-ist - remarks I have heard, have been uttered from the mouths of druggies.
Yet I believe that there is nothing inherently bad about taking cannabis, either. It makes you feel good for a while (it does not make you hallucinate), and the "come-down" when the effect wears off does not leave any lasting effects. How do I know? I think I'll exercise my "right to silence" on that one !
If anything, the moral panic about drugs has caused problems of its own. I bet I'm not the only disabled person who's had his speech and co-ordination related disabilities described as being caused because I'm (supposedly) "a druggie" (see this web page). Meanwhile, real druggies - including people who get drunk and then harrass disabled and other people - are allowed to get away with it. Some justice ...