Please don’t break drug laws, let’s just change them

Let’s smoke cannabis and enjoy a green Christmas – let’s spark up a number, a joint, a doobie or whatever the latest parlance is. We should be able to take drugs if we feel like it.

As you might notice, I’ve been causing trouble lately while writing for The Courier. Last summer, I wrote here suggesting a common sense approach to medicinal cannabis, but now I’m feeling more direct – smoke ’em if you got ’em.

I will, however, add a few caveats because, although I’m comfortable with controversy, I’m not entirely reckless. First, please don’t break the law – let’s change the law instead.

And legalising hard drugs – your highly-addictive, highly-destructive Class As such as heroin – is a tougher sell. I do believe using such substances should be decriminalised, and we should start treating addicted people as patients, not crooks, but that doesn’t mean these drugs should be totally uncontrolled. I’d favour a similar approach to hazardous prescription drugs, such as legal opiates.

But your weed, wacky baccy, hash, oil, resin and the like should be freely available.

Last week, I read about one court case in which a Perthshire man admitted cultivating and possessing cannabis.

He had a few plants, of which many were dead. He hasn’t been sentenced yet, so I’m leaving out details because I’m mindful of reporting restrictions and I respect the Scottish courts system.

But I don’t respect the criminal laws that put that man in court. Who cares if he lights up and giggles a bit, then gets the munchies? Who cares he made (faintly pathetic) attempts to grow his own? Why are the police and courts wasting resources on this nonsense?

Here in Canada, the government sells you cannabis. I bought some by mail order and I smoked it, too. I didn’t enjoy it much (I got paranoid and my wife laughed because my leg was twitching comically) but I didn’t hurt anyone either. I’m not addicted and it was no more destructive than a few cigarettes.

Scotland should decriminalise drugs, and redirect resources into harm reduction, health promotion and action against violent crime. And, if we want, we can show our approval with big, stoned smiles.

Wacky baccy, hash, oil, resin and the like should be freely available