Try to imagine the future and you'll inevitably find it has bypassed you entirely, bringing a new present instead, part tragedy and part farce. Cannabis is a fine example. I well remember when it came into our lives, bringing new heights of paranoia with it. It was a time of student rebellion. It was a time of love-ins. It was a time of young blokes you knew wearing beads and growing wispy beards. We read Blake. We discovered Robert Crumb and listened to John Coltrane. [continues 612 words]
I have changed my mind about cannabis. I don't think it should be legalised and so normalised the avowed aim of some lobby groups but I do accept that it's madness to have overflowing jails bursting with its lowest-level dealers and the people they sell to. The lobby groups are full of hot air and paranoia but low on presentation of facts. However, the Justice Ministry has convinced me this week with its statistics on how this minor offending is taking up court time that would be better spent on speeding up justice for serious offenders. [continues 579 words]
I have changed my mind about cannabis. I don't think it should be legalised and so normalised the avowed aim of some lobby groups but I do accept that it's madness to have overflowing jails bursting with its lowestlevel dealers and the people they sell to. The lobby groups are full of hot air and paranoia but low on presentation of facts, but the Justice Ministry has convinced me this week with its statistics on how this minor offending is taking up court time that would be better spent on speeding up justice for serious offenders. [continues 579 words]
I have changed my mind about cannabis. I don't think it should be legalised and so normalised the avowed aim of some lobby groups but I do accept that it's madness to have overflowing jails bursting with its lowest-level dealers and the people they sell to. The lobby groups are full of hot air and paranoia, but low on presentation of facts. However, the Ministry of Justice has convinced me this week with its statistics on how this minor offending is taking up court time that would be better spent on speeding up justice for serious offenders. [continues 566 words]
I HAVE changed my mind about cannabis. I don't think it should be legalised and so normalised the avowed aim of some lobby groups but I do accept it's madness to have overflowing jails bursting with its lowest-level dealers and the people they sell to. The lobby groups are full of hot air and paranoia but low on presentation of facts, however the Justice Ministry has convinced me this week with its statistics on how this minor offending is taking up court time that would be better spent on speeding up justice for serious offenders. [continues 578 words]
If there's a good side to the incident at Hospital Hill, it's that there are decent people in cynical times. That goes for the people who kept an eye on each other, helped police, looked after elderly neighbours, and fed people's pets as the hours dragged on. It's reassuring that we still rise to the occasion. Since everybody's an armchair expert on policing, though, there will inevitably be a downside. An intimation of that was the flat near the gunman where three kids refused to listen to police, and finally had to be arrested and taken into custody for their own good. They were charged with obstruction. [continues 609 words]
The pro-cannabis lobby gets into a snit easily. They don't appreciate criticism. Maybe they're used to nodding the issues through among the already persuaded, over a soggy toke. But they have a lot of persuading to do if they want to move sceptics. Who knows? Ultimately the Greens and their sympathisers may prevail and dope will be decriminalised to great acclaim. But in the meantime, these would seem to be the main platforms of their arguments, and the appropriate sceptical responses. [continues 706 words]
