B
BigBlackCock
I purposely made the title of the thread as such to attract attention to it. Hopefully people will be mature enough to see this. But I do have to say the following article in the West Australian does get me thinking. There is now increased evidence to show that many, many people who are into Weed graduate to harder drugs. Sure, some stay as marijuana users all their lives but there are side effects to that too - ranging from mental illness to violence and crime over time. What do you think - is it to be banned in the same way that ecstacy, ice, heroin are?
I realize that fines are indicative of a ban anyway but has the problem now grown so huge, it might need LOTS more fines and jail times. I wouldn't invoke the death penalty for pushers thought but something SEVERE to be imposed? What say you?
One in seven high on cannabis
CATHY O'LEARY MEDICAL EDITOR, The West Australian
July 27, 2011, 2:20 am Post Commenttweet0EmailPrint
The West Australian ©
WA is the country's cannabis capital, with one in seven teenagers and adults using the drug in the past 12 months, according to an extensive national survey.
Only days before the State is due to bring in tough new laws on possessing the drug, results from the 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey show WA's rate of cannabis use - 13.4 per cent - is 30 per cent higher than the national average. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report shows the overall use of illicit drugs in WA is the highest in the country after the Northern Territory, with almost one in five people over the age of 14 using them in the previous 12 months.
The survey found one in 50 Australians had recently used cocaine - 30 per cent higher than the rate three years ago - with women aged in their 20s recording one of the biggest increases.
The results come as West Australians face tougher penalties from next week for possessing cannabis.
Anyone caught with more than 10g of cannabis will face two years jail or a $2000 fine.
The laws will apply to people found with any cannabis plants, whereas previously the possession of two plants resulted only in an infringement notice and a fine of up to $200.
National Drug Research Institute senior researcher Steve Allsop said the survey results on cannabis were disappointing and showed that a range of measures, including education in schools, was needed.
He said cannabis use had reached a high in the late 1990s before falling, but had picked up again in the past few years.
"Historically WA has had higher rates of cannabis use, and we're not really sure why that is, and while we should be concerned about these latest results that has to be tempered with the fact that generally there has been a downward trend since the late 1990s," he said.
Professor Allsop said hefty fines for cannabis use were not the whole solution.
"We need an enduring campaign to highlight the risks associated with cannabis use because this survey also shows there has been a decrease in people's perception of the serious harm caused by drug," he said.
The AIHW report found smoking rates were falling but there was no decrease in risky drinking. There was strong support for government policies which reduced the harm from tobacco and alcohol.
I realize that fines are indicative of a ban anyway but has the problem now grown so huge, it might need LOTS more fines and jail times. I wouldn't invoke the death penalty for pushers thought but something SEVERE to be imposed? What say you?
One in seven high on cannabis
CATHY O'LEARY MEDICAL EDITOR, The West Australian
July 27, 2011, 2:20 am Post Commenttweet0EmailPrint
The West Australian ©
WA is the country's cannabis capital, with one in seven teenagers and adults using the drug in the past 12 months, according to an extensive national survey.
Only days before the State is due to bring in tough new laws on possessing the drug, results from the 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey show WA's rate of cannabis use - 13.4 per cent - is 30 per cent higher than the national average. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report shows the overall use of illicit drugs in WA is the highest in the country after the Northern Territory, with almost one in five people over the age of 14 using them in the previous 12 months.
The survey found one in 50 Australians had recently used cocaine - 30 per cent higher than the rate three years ago - with women aged in their 20s recording one of the biggest increases.
The results come as West Australians face tougher penalties from next week for possessing cannabis.
Anyone caught with more than 10g of cannabis will face two years jail or a $2000 fine.
The laws will apply to people found with any cannabis plants, whereas previously the possession of two plants resulted only in an infringement notice and a fine of up to $200.
National Drug Research Institute senior researcher Steve Allsop said the survey results on cannabis were disappointing and showed that a range of measures, including education in schools, was needed.
He said cannabis use had reached a high in the late 1990s before falling, but had picked up again in the past few years.
"Historically WA has had higher rates of cannabis use, and we're not really sure why that is, and while we should be concerned about these latest results that has to be tempered with the fact that generally there has been a downward trend since the late 1990s," he said.
Professor Allsop said hefty fines for cannabis use were not the whole solution.
"We need an enduring campaign to highlight the risks associated with cannabis use because this survey also shows there has been a decrease in people's perception of the serious harm caused by drug," he said.
The AIHW report found smoking rates were falling but there was no decrease in risky drinking. There was strong support for government policies which reduced the harm from tobacco and alcohol.
