Hello fellow UK and World Wide blades, I found an interesting article about the proposal of coffeeshops in the UK to reduce alcohol consumption and hospital treatment costs for the bingers. Have a read here:http://wideshut.co.uk/want-to-curb-alcohol-use-save-money-open-cannabis-coffee-shops/ What do you think?
It would DEFINITELY lower alcohol use, so yeah awesome proposition. But sadly that is also part of the reaon why it won't be legalized as easily.
I don't think it matters though. The money they make from the alcohol will be made up for by the consumption and use of coffeeshops all over the UK. I'm so happy an MP in the UK is brve enough to present this to commons. I've noticed as of late cannabis is use on evening and daytime TV over here a lot more. It's casually a recurring thing on a soap for teenagers on Hollyoaks, it was on Jonathon Ross' show last night with him pulling out a joint, a bong and an incense burner. It seems the United Kingdom is becoming more lenient and accepting of the herb. ...this excites me.
Um, hate to burst the bubble, but David Nutt isn't an MP, he's an academic, i'm surprised he's even still allowed to address the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee to be honest. He was, for want of knowing his proper title, the chief scientist for a committee that advised the government on drug issues, until he puplished a paper in the British medical journal, the Lancet, saying certain unmentionables were safer than riding a horse, and for being generally in favour of decriminalisation/legalisation of bud; seeing as how common sense and Westminster don't make for a very good mix, he was sacked, and basically laughed out of his post by the political community. While his ideas might make sense to ordinary simpletons like you and I; since when did legislation ever follow good advice? Especially when, following an investigation into his dismissal, it was said that basically the advisers have to tow the governmental line otherwise they risk the sack... Until I see this news being taken up by a parliamentarian, and a slightly more reputable source, I remain sceptical, sorry...
I will personally never understand how legally getting completely hammered, shouting, swearing, vomiting and urinating in public (obviously some laws try to kerb this but do not excuse the fact we legally have the option to do this) is a right but, getting stoned and considerably less likely to be a pubic menace is evil and should be stamped out. Therefore forced into the black market and therefore puts the supply in the hands of criminals. So many crimes could be wiped out by a move like this by denying the black market and reducing costs involved with dealing with users. Plus with clever thinking, a lot of money could be made for reducing the costs through regulation. Quite a few of the recognized parties do in fact have something similar to this in their manifestos. Although public perception would need to change a lot first, I do think the Binge Drinking culture is changing societies view on Alcohol though so perhaps this analytical view of substance abuse and will allow for a shift in perspective. But I can't see it happening over night. EDIT: I would also imagine it would reduce demand for other drugs considerably.