Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 - Impact Assesment. Petition (30,000 signatures already)

[Kardan]

You take drugs when you have hayfever and when you have a headache. why cant i take cannabis to help my depression? i think i woulda been dead by now cos i was so suicidal when i was a kid.

I actually don't take those type of drugs either I think the last time I had paracetamol was when I was a kid and had calpol

[Stephen]

You do raise some good points, so I'll be quick and just bring up a few things.
Making drugs legal won't entirely get rid of 'fake' products... People will still go and get cheaper cigarettes and not know what they're smoking... Likewise for drugs.

Technically if you legalised the drugs, more people would be using "legal highs" as cannabis etc would be classified as legal highs, would they not? Now, putting my pedantry aside, why would make drugs legal push people away from these current legal highs we have? Half say it will stop people from using other drugs, the other half say it's a gateway drug. Personally, I have no opinion on this since I'm pretty much clueless on the front.

Drugged up people do exist, but my point is that we are only allowing the numbers of these people to go up. Drink driving is more common than driving under the influence of illegal drugs. Why? Simply because more people drink.

I don't think comparing the US alcohol ban in the 1920's has much relevance in a drugs ban in the 21st century in the UK. Entirely difference scenarios.

Once again, the US and the UK are different. Whilst I agree it *could* make a profit, is it really worth it?

unlike cigarettes people would rather pay a higher price for a decent high than a lower price for low quality crap

The law is cat and mouse with legal highs. Would you rather the known and studied chemicals were made available or would you rather dangerous alternatives be released legally into the wild every week? I just don't understand some people's minds when they're against drugs. It's like all common sense when it comes to drugs has been drained from their brains a la government brainwash. My sister went to glastonbury and told me how she was disgusted that her friend took mdma..... but while that person continued their day all chatty, loved up and happy, my sister was drinking alcohol and obviously ended up this stumbling mumbling nauseous mess

The law against drugs was created to protect users and other people from the harms caused by dangerous drugs... but atm it's being used to ban anything that alters a person's consiousness in anyway deemed unnatural

[CrazyColaist]

I actually don't take those type of drugs either I think the last time I had paracetamol was when I was a kid and had calpol

doesnt matter, you remember ur so anti drugs when ur any of your family ends up in hospital or life support. then u will shut up.

[Kardan]

doesnt matter, you remember ur so anti drugs when ur any of your family ends up in hospital or life support. then u will shut up.

I have no issue with people using drugs for medicine if recommended by a doctor. This isn't what this petition is about though.

[AgnesIO]

doesnt matter, you remember ur so anti drugs when ur any of your family ends up in hospital or life support. then u will shut up.

When my family end up on life support, I don't think I would be enthusiastic about the idea of giving them any form of narcotics.

[Stephen]

I have no issue with people using drugs for medicine if recommended by a doctor. This isn't what this petition is about though.

caffeine isn't recommended by doctors but people use it to help them wake up in the morning

[AgnesIO]

caffeine isn't recommended by doctors but people use it to help them wake up in the morning

As far as I am aware, I can drive a car without any issues no matter how many cups of coffee I have driven before.

[Stephen]

so the law is based on whether you're able to drive a car or not while on it

[AgnesIO]

so the law is based on whether you're able to drive a car or not while on it

No, but I don't want anyone taking drugs if I feel my own safety could be in danger. For alcohol, the law gets stricter and stricter which I don't think is a bad thing. Part of my issue with cannabis would be people smoking it in the street - when someone has alcohol, I don't inhale their fumes, when someone smokes cannabis I do.

The same obviously occurs with smoking tobacco, but I'd make it illegal to stop people smoking when walking in front of me if I could ;l

[FlyingJesus]

As far as I am aware, I can drive a car without any issues no matter how many cups of coffee I have driven before.

Pretty poor point to make tbh, I've driven while on all sorts of things and done just fine but I don't think it's a good idea and would have absolutely no defence if I'd been caught because it was a stupid and reckless thing to do - just because I was (and perhaps would be again) able to do it doesn't mean I'd condone it in any way. It amazes me how many people don't realise that a drug is a drug and legal rulings on a substance do not determine its damage