Drug Dealers

[nailit]

Just having a bit of banter while out on the van today about the drugs problem in the country but got me thinking a bit.
Just how DO we define a drug in law?
Tobacconists and off-licences are perfectly legal while something like weed is illegal.
WHY?

What is the difference between someone who chooses to smoke a plant like weed and someone who chooses to smoke a plant like tobacco?
Or someone who chooses to drink a plant like coffee or someone who choses to drink a plant that's been turned into alcohol?

*ALL* mind altering substances, so why the difference and just how do we define a drug?
(I can half understand tobacco, but alcohol must be a class A drug surely??)

[Old_Geezer]

Difficult to ban that which is traditionally used. That's the only reason alcohol isn't on the banned list. America was daft enough to try to ban it once, against the will of the majority. That worked out well for them.

[Mamyalynne]

You've said it yourself really - the Law decides what and when a drug is illegal.

Why, is a different matter.

[nailit]

//the Law decides what and when a drug is illegal//
But the law is made by people mamy. So how/why is this decided?
Who says what substances are legal or illegal and why?

[johnny.5]

I bought some new trainers from a drug dealer

I don't know what he laced them with
but I've been tripping all day !

[Calicogirl]

Tobacco and alcohol aren't illegal because historically they have existed as a 'norm' here for a long time- and thus they became businesses that influential people wanted to involve themselves in.
Ketamine on the other hand is a relatively recent horse tranquiliser and is far harder to justify taking for recreational purposes. It's all essentially down to money, power and business.

[Mamyalynne]

Laws come down through Parliament and different ones will have different experts depending on what knowledge is needed.

[douglas9401]

They just want to kill our buzz man.

[spathiphyllum]

I don't think the country has a drugs problem by any means. I think people have a problem with drugs though.

Weed isn't illegal everywhere, many places it is decriminalised, even teeside. Teaside has a cannabis club, supported by the plod.

The government make bank from tobacco and alcohol.. they could make bank from marijuana but Theresa already does along with her husband so why do they care about giving access to the public when they're already selling it to Colorado lol.

There is no way tobacco will be classed as a drug, it's not mind altering enough. Addiction and mind altering are separate issues.

[spathiphyllum]

Teesside even


http://www.teessidecannabisclub.co.uk/join-us/

[spathiphyllum]

Calico Ketamine is used in hospitals on humans and has been for a while. It's not just for veterinarians. It has also been proven to be an antidepressant. I can see why people would take it recreationally, certainly not me though.

[spathiphyllum]

https://www.pat.nhs.uk/downloads/patient-information-leaflets/pain/904%20Ketamine.pdf

[JF85]

Not only Ketamine either. Sherlock Holmes was a happy user of opium, and not just as a scent. The country even went to war to ensure a reliable supply. Cocaine was a commonly used pharmacy product, and laudanum was a recreational drug for poets and playwrights.

[Calicogirl]

Anything medicinal is fine, I was referring to the passed out Chavs on the carpark re Ketamine use x