HIGH society
Two viewpoints on the decriminalisation of cannabis for private use…
‘A significant problem with prohibition is that it often results in mass incarceration: the police have a quota to fill, and going after dagga smokers is easier than going after more dangerous criminals.’ 'We propose that trade in cannabis be legalised so that it can be regulated; that way, sellers will be required to ask for ID and we can keep it out of the hands of minors.'
‘MY partner Julian Stobbs and I were arrested in 2010 for cannabis possession, and we’ve been working full-time as cannabis activists ever since. It’s about more than just a plant for me: it’s a human rights issue. This is about the sovereignty of our minds, and our cognitive liberty to put in our bodies what we wish.
Cannabis has been used for thousands of years; it’s only since prohibition that it’s been taken off the “shelves”. There’s an endless list of ailments that cannabis can be used to treat, including seizures, headaches, arthritis, pain, depression, inflammation and nausea. Your body has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that is in charge of regulating processes in your body and protecting you from certain diseases. Cannabinoids – the various alkaloids which make up the cannabis plant – are found naturally in your body, and when they are deficient, problems arise within the ECS. Administering cannabis can help equalise a deficiency and restore balance. One of the greatest victories of this ruling is that we’re no longer beholden to big pharma – people can choose how to treat their illnesses, whether they grow their own medicine or buy it off the shelf. But buy only once the laws have actually changed; cannabis is not legal for trading as yet.
A significant problem with prohibition is that it often results in mass incarceration: the police have a quota to fill, and going after dagga smokers is easier than going after more dangerous criminals. The people who are most affected are the youth – those who have been caught with weed and now have a criminal record. This means they struggle to get employment, all because of a victimless crime.
We’ve learnt so much from this amazing plant, yet those against the legalisation of cannabis have had the same arguments for more than 40 years. They make blanket statements and use terms like “there is some evidence” or “there is a chance”, but that isn’t scientific evidence. We’ve never said cannabis is harmless – nothing is harmless – drinking too much water can be harmful.
Prohibitionists also tend to say that cannabis is addictive, yet you can develop an addiction to any substance. The reason the rate of cannabis addiction has increased over the past 10 years or so is because the courts have been sending young people to treatment centres rather than giving them criminal records, so they’re registered as having a cannabis addiction disorder. Another argument that prohibitionists make against legalisation is that children will start smoking cannabis. We propose that trade in cannabis be legalised so that it can be regulated; that way, sellers will be required to ask for ID and we can keep it out of the hands of minors.
Another reason to regulate cannabis is quality control so that we can ensure a safe product for people. Some dealers lace their weed with tik; it’s not very common, but it does happen. But if it’s regulated, people will be able to buy dagga knowing it has been tested, and that it comes from a reliable source. And it will allow the almost 900 000 small-scale farmers currently growing the plant to become legitimate.
The reality is that the prohibition of drugs is a war on people. A legally regulated cannabis industry would be the gateway to broader drug policies that are based on sound evidence and human rights.’