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Times of India endorses legalization of marijuana

23536

23536

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Dec 16, 2010
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A more enlightened approach to intoxicants should legalise marijuana

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...d-legalise-marijuana/articleshow/17184411.cms

With two US states - Washington and Colorado - voting to legalise the recreational use of marijuana, a similar liberal approach towards mild intoxicants in India is up for debate. Consumption of marijuana and other cannabis derivatives such as bhang dates back hundreds of years with strong roots in Indian culture. From being the indulgence of baul singers of Bengal to the festival of Holi, marijuana use has rarely been seen as deviant social behaviour in Indian society. In fact, till 1985, marijuana and other cannabis derivatives were legally sold in the country through authorised retail shops. However, the enactment of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in that year - carried out under pressure from the US - pushed the marijuana trade underground. This in turn pushed consumers and dealers towards harmful drugs such as smack, that had higher profit margins but far worse health implications.

Given that studies across the world show that moderate consumption of marijuana is far less harmful than tobacco or alcohol, it makes little sense to uphold the ban on its recreational use. Of course, excessive consumption of marijuana can be detrimental. But that's also true of alcohol - banning which is seen, rightly, as impractical. If tobacco and alcohol can be sold over the counter and consumers expected to use their discretion regarding their use, there is no reason why the same policy cannot be adopted for marijuana. Besides, the benefits of medical marijuana are widely acknowledged, which bolsters its credentials as a mild drug. Taken together, an enlightened drug policy that legalises marijuana is needed to stop the spread of more dangerous intoxicants.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...d-legalise-marijuana/articleshow/17184411.cms
 
I like how this article basically talks about how making marijuana illegal in 1985 only caused problems. This is also the first time I've become aware of the fact that India only made weed illegal in 1985, after the U.S. pushed them too and that they are already wanting to go back on that.
 
LogicSoDeveloped said:
I like how this article basically talks about how making marijuana illegal in 1985 only caused problems. This is also the first time I've become aware of the fact that India only made weed illegal in 1985, after the U.S. pushed them too and that they are already wanting to go back on that.
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U.S. did this through financial ability all over Asia.
 
Yea most of the countries there that now have mandatory death penalties for dealers, traficers, ect and long sentences for users used to have pretty lax laws regarding drugs.
 
Excellent! The wave is here, now, and it will take down large amounts of the unfairness of the drug war.
Just because 2 states out of 50 in the US legalized weed is really not relevant to India - they could have written that 48 states still consider it illegal. But it makes the difference, because it is part of the wave.
Watch your backs, drug war police, gangs, jailers! You may be out of a job soon.
 
It is relevant to India that two US states legalised marijuana, because the US is the main impediment to liberalising the cannabis laws worldwide - all other nations are prevented from adopting legalisation policies because of the UN drug conventions, which were largely pushed through under US pressure. But the US will happily pass laws that breach the UN conventions and just demand that the UN conventions are changed to match, which no other country will do. So any change in the united front of US drug prohibition is a massive change that can easily impact the entire world. :)
 
mad_scientist said:
It is relevant to India that two US states legalised marijuana, because the US is the main impediment to liberalising the cannabis laws worldwide - all other nations are prevented from adopting legalisation policies because of the UN drug conventions, which were largely pushed through under US pressure. But the US will happily pass laws that breach the UN conventions and just demand that the UN conventions are changed to match, which no other country will do. So any change in the united front of US drug prohibition is a massive change that can easily impact the entire world. :)
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This. The US has been a massive roadblock to drug policy reform all around the globe. I know when Australia tried to implement a heroin maintenance trial, they didn't go ahead because the US government pressured them about it. That's why so many countries are watching the current situation with interest, because if the American federal government is forced to admit the legitimacy of state laws legalizing cannabis within their own borders, they can hardly bitch at other nations for doing the same thing.
 
When you go anywhere in India, street kids run up to you to sell you high grade hash or pot.

Pot is illegal in India in title only. It's not enforced.
 
^ not entirely true. I've lived in India and it is enforced selectively, depending on the benefits and negative outcomes. Kind of like everything else in India, it is entirely at the discretion of whatever random confluence of variables falls together. ;)

But true, it is widely available in some regions, and permitted "legally" for religious reasons in others.
 
Do you think stoners in India can push the legalization of Marijuana? They have their own forum now callled India's Marijuana Community Forum ( www.HIGHisCOOL.in). I believe they can. I believe...
 
amanitadine said:
^ not entirely true. I've lived in India and it is enforced selectively, depending on the benefits and negative outcomes. Kind of like everything else in India, it is entirely at the discretion of whatever random confluence of variables falls together.
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Selective and arbitrary enforcement is as a good as no enforcement, IMO. They are not the USA. India is a haven for cannabis, and frankly everything else. I bought pure ketamine OTC there and the pharmacist didn't ask questions.

The debate that the Times article talks about is sort of redundant. There are probably more people in India smoking pot regularly than in Europe and the USA combined.
 
I would think india of all nations would legalize given the extremely strong cultural roots of cannabis in that region.
 
Foreigner said:
Selective and arbitrary enforcement is as a good as no enforcement, IMO.
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I have a hard time agreeing with that statement, as would you if you were the rich business mans son or the foreigner on vacation arrested for smoking and having to pay out sometimes outrageous bribes. Corruption is corruption. Enforcement is enforcement when it falls on your head! But i will certainly agree it is not the USA, and much else can be gotten for a handful of rupees. I was last there in 2010 and the ketamine noose was starting to tighten, still available, but nothing like back in 2000, my first trip. I hear it is "scheduled" now, so probably just costs more ;) hard narcotics were tough to get from pharmacists, only codeine, tramadol, propoxyphene, and pentazocine easily available. Buprenorphine ampules were rampant for a spell but now much harder to acquire, or so I hear. Technically benzos are scheduled, but you almost always find them in any town for a price. Anything goes on that "one" street in delhi however. Amphetamines were unheard of, and the few time cocaine was encountered it was actually pricier than in Europe or the US. Still, a candy store compared to just about anywhere else when it comes to pharmacies! Now, if you were willing to buy quantity and throw down some cash bypassing the pharmacies and going to the distributors (usually some warehouse) was the ticket. Terrible weed, hash of all stripes.

Where were you foreigner? Crazy country eh? I've travelled a lot and India is probably one of the most insane places I've ever been! Madness! Sad to see the collision of ancient culture and the head first dive into western capitalism.
 
23536 said:

Besides, the benefits of medical marijuana are widely acknowledged, which bolsters its credentials as a mild drug. Taken together, an enlightened drug policy that legalises marijuana is needed to stop the spread of more dangerous intoxicants.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...d-legalise-marijuana/articleshow/17184411.cms
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This writer most definitely advocates the legalization, good to see media supporting good things! <3

Also dude what the hell hahaha surely you did not just do that!
 
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