r/unitedkingdom • u/RandomUsername1604 • 25d ago

Police officers say cannabis is effectively ‘decriminalised’ in the UK .

https://www.leafie.co.uk/news/police-cannabis-decriminalised-survey/
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u/rocc_high_racks 25d ago

It's more the alcohol industry that's preventing legalisation. Statistics from basically all the US states that have legalised show alcohol consumption rates dropping with cannabis legalisation, and the alcohol industry has an absolute stranglehold on British politics.

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u/Lopsided_Rush3935 25d ago

Tobacco and alcohol. They go easily hand-in-hand.

If you drink, you're probably also more likely to smoke. The classical idea of masculinity is beer and cigarettes (which is ironic because both make you weaker).

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u/sobrique 25d ago

My experience with weed was the opposite though when I was indulging (many years ago officer). We'd not be drinking alcohol to go with it, because we didn't feel the need.

Ironically some of the people I know from that time still have a nicotine habit from the rollups though!

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u/Lopsided_Rush3935 25d ago

Nicotine is broadly more addictive than alcohol I think, yeah. I've known people who have quit drinking but have required 10-20 years longer in order to quit smoking.

But yeah, weed negates that (albeit maybe increases binge eating when high), and so is the enemy of both the tobacco giants and the alcohol giants.

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u/sobrique 25d ago

Yeah, I'm pretty sure nicotine is the most physiologically addictive of the three.

Alcohol is the one that's most likely to be fatal due to overconsumption.

I think technically 'too much nicotine' can kill you, but it's absurdly hard to achieve that by "normal" consumption methods.

The one thing I'm wary of about weed edibles personally is just how much could be contained in a 'full stomach' for someone who didn't realise they need to take it slow.

Either way, I can't really see there's any sensible argument based on harm/impact/addiction/health etc. of making weed illegal whilst nicotine and alcohol aren't.

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u/Ripp3rCrust 25d ago

It's a shame as alcohol abuse is such a blight on society and a burden to the taxpayer. The number of A&E attendances, the volume of police calls and antisocial behaviour, and the chronic health conditions that are a result of alcoholism.

It really needs to be better regulated. The legalisation of cannabis and subsequent taxation could be diverted into alcohol harm-reduction programmes and stronger controls. This is before you even consider the organised crime and human trafficking involved with the illicit grows and supply.