“David from Skewen, what research have you been reading that leads you to believe that all drug users are thieves? You are probably right about most offences being linked to drugs, but then again, the drug that is most strongly linked to other crimes seems to be alcohol. What matters is not what proportion of criminals are also drug users, but what proportion of drug users are also criminals. If someone batters a pensioner, they deserve punishment whatever they were going to spend the stolen money on, whether they are a drug user or not. If a drug user doesn't victimise anyone else (and accurate statistics are hard to come by when drug use is illegal, but all of the research I've ever come across points clearly to the proposition that only a small minority of drug users commit other crimes), then I've yet to hear a coherent argument as to why they should be punished at all. And if under a legalized, regulated market you wait for them to 'overdose' I'm afraid you may be hanging around a very long time, since most alleged overdoses are the result of impurities or of unpredictably powerful doses, both of which are the direct result of prohibition. Still, at least you are prepared to speak out in favour of legalization, even if for the wrong reasons.”

“I'd legalise the lot and have rooms in hospitals or centres where they could go and get free drugs and help themselves. Then when they overdose its one less thief to worry about. Lets be concerned for the people that these rats steal from to fund their habit. Lets be concerned for the pensioner who has been battered for her pension. These are the real victims. Enough from the bleeding heart druggie support services "oh he's had a tough life" well listen bucko, we all have had "a tough life" but we dont go taking drugs and stealing from people. Go and sit in any Magistrates court and you will see most offences are linked to drugs. Shocking. Lets look after the victims of crime not the rats who commit crimes!!!”

“This article is just more of the lets keep the failing status quo rubbish.

If legalisation would cause chaos why didn't Holland become full of stoners when they decided to allow cannabis?

It's time to look at ending prohibition, it didn't work in the 1920's America and it's not working here.”

“People are aleady well educated on the dangers of drugs and it hasn't helped solve the problem.

Education isn't a solution, education is just a word "experts" use when they haven't got a solution.”

“There is no evidence to support the government's idea that prohibition acts as a deterrent. As long as there is easy money to be made a black market will exist to support supply.

Black markets aren't taxed - how much drug money goes back into education and social care? How much of it goes towards funding more serious criminal activities like people and weapons trafficking?
What's the legal age to buy cannabis in the UK?

With these so-called 'controlled' substances, how much regulation is there in terms of quality/purity/strength/potency? None!

Prohibition has got us nowhere, completely destabilised producer/transporter countries socially and economically, i.e. Afghanistan, Columbia, Mexico. Prohibition has stunted economic growth here in the UK and endangered thousands of lives by allowing drugs like ecstasy to go unregulated to the point where users don't have a clue what their pill may, or may not be pressed with. We have the so called 'skunk epidemic' with all this 'cannabis ain't the harmless drug it used to be' nonsense. Again, an effect of prohibition the fact that the THC levles and more importantly the CBD levels in the strains of cannabis are not regulated so people can get hold of this 'killer skunk' (quotes because it's impossible to ingest enough THC to overdose from it).

Regulation would also take pressure off our criminal justice system. Hell, it may even free up hospital beds on the weekends if people were peacefully getting stoned as opposed to drinking themselves into a state of violence.

The most worrying thing is how easy it is for young people to get hold of drugs that could cause serious cognitive impairment down-the-line because their brains have not fully developed. Although it is worth pointing out that drugs education is massively lacking substance as, at current, it's pretty much a blanket "drugs are bad" statement.

Prohibition is a shambles and the government knows it, you only have to read the ACMD's report on whether or not to reclassify cannabis to B or not to see the government only care about their image and the vote (the ACMD (the governments own advisory council on the misuse of drugs) said cannabis should remain class C).

It sickens me to see such a messed up classification where ketamine and GHB (a 'party drug' but also a DATE-RAPE drug at higher doses) are class C and cannabis is class B and most ridiculous of all: alcohol with a greater toxicity level than cannabis, is well and truly legal.”