Cannabis Legalisation

Although cannabis does indeed have some harmful effects, it is no more harmful than legal substances like alcohol and tobacco. As a matter of fact, research by the British Medical Association shows that nicotine is far more addictive than cannabis. Furthermore, the consumption of alcohol and the smoking of cigarettes cause more deaths per year than does the use of cannabis (e.g. through lung cancer, stomach ulcers, accidents caused by drink driving etc.). The legalisation of cannabis will remove an anomaly in the law whereby substances that are more dangerous than cannabis are legal whilst the possession and use of cannabis remains unlawful.

In recent years, scientists and medical researchers have discovered that cannabis possesses certain medicinal qualities that are beneficial. For instance, it is now acknowledged that the use of cannabis helps to relieve the suffering of patients afflicted with multiple sclerosis (MS). The latest research that was conducted by the Complutense University in Madrid indicates that cannabis has the potential to kill cancerous glioma cells. Governments should acknowledge such findings and legalise cannabis in order to alleviate the pain of patients who are afflicted with such diseases.

Individuals should be given the freedom to lead their lives as they choose. Of course, such freedom is not absolute and laws should intervene to limit this freedom, especially when the rights of others are infringed. In the case of the use of cannabis, it is a victimless crime, insofar as nobody other than the user him/herself experiences the effects of the use of the substance.

There is no empirical evidence to suggest that the use of cannabis will necessarily lead users onto more dangerous narcotic substances. It is undeniable that there are a large number of people who use the drug despite it being unlawful to do so. Rather than turn away from this problem, the government should instead face up to reality. The legalisation of cannabis will enable the government to regulate its use thereby protecting its many users from harmful abuse of the substance.

Presently, cannabis is sold by dealers who have connections with the underworld. The legalisation of cannabis will help facilitate the sale of the drug in establishments like Amsterdams "coffee houses". This will shift the sale of cannabis away from the criminal underworld. The severance of this criminal link will ensure that the users of the drug no longer need to come into contact with organised crime.

If you strongly agree with these facts and believe that cannabis should be legalised then please add your signature to this petition in the hope that in the future cannabis will be legally availible to purchase by the public for their own personal use.