gv1.3
Admin
This thread is to highlight the hypocrisy and demonstrable lack of public health concern governments actually display.
The history of substance use and abuse is fascinating to me and is something I have researched for some time. Our memories are very short lived and no one would believe for example how widespread the use of cocaine was in the early part of the 1900's. It was in just about every miracle cure you could buy over the counter and was hailed as a tonic for every ailment. As the results of research regarding this drug began to emerge the true nature of the beast was there for all to see. Many people were extremely addicted to these so called tonics, ordinary men and women had become reliant on this readily available over the counter drug. It was then banned and that is when the true extent of its effects emerged with ordinary citizens resorting to the black market for their "tonic".
Fast forward a few years and governments around the world attempted to learn from their mistakes and banned many proven addictive substances but somewhere along the line marijuana became tangled in this web and was also banned. Many propaganda videos were put out to scare the public in to believing this plant turned people in to murdering rapists, especially black men!
The real reason for the banning was because the hemp plant was cheaper and easier to make paper from and large organisations had just invested a lot of money in making paper the way we do today - these organisations would have been ruined and so they used their political influence to get hemp banned.
Fast forward again... 2009....
Many studies have been carried out on the effects of various drugs and some startling facts have emerged. Most drugs are better for you than smoking or drinking. Earlier this week the UK governments chairman of the advisory council on the misuse of drugs announced that smoking and drinking were far worse than many illegal drugs. He went on to say that ecstasy carries about the same risk as riding a horse. Soon after making these statements he was sacked.
So why this thread?
This situation in the UK has highlighted the absolute hypocrisy behind the governments concern for the well being of its citizens. Lets be honest here the government make massive amounts of money when people smoke and drink and that is why it is not illegal. They have hired scientists and experts in the field of drugs to conduct research in to the harmful effects and when they report back in a manner that does not suit the governments agenda they are sacked.
I look at many substances that are used today and think to myself, will someone watch a documentary 100 years from now and be astounded that in 2009 there were these caffeine shops on every corner of every city selling triple shot large coffees to their addicted patrons, just like I watch documentaries about cocaine use in the early 1900s with disbelief.
I strongly believe that people who want to use drugs will use drugs. I dont think the fact that they are illegal will stop people who want them getting them. It merely makes the quality of the substance an known as the source is shady much like if we banned alcohol and you had to buy it from a lad brewing it in his shed.
I think this recent case in the UK merely tells the people "dont believe anything the government tell you because even with expert scientific evidence they will only give information that supports their agenda".
I would also like to say I in no way condone the misuse of any drug but I do believe it is an individuals choice. I dont like to see people falling around drunk on a Saturday night but I believe if they want to that is there business - Ive been that soldier more times than I care to admit
Comments welcome - Id be very interested to hear peoples feelings on this.
The history of substance use and abuse is fascinating to me and is something I have researched for some time. Our memories are very short lived and no one would believe for example how widespread the use of cocaine was in the early part of the 1900's. It was in just about every miracle cure you could buy over the counter and was hailed as a tonic for every ailment. As the results of research regarding this drug began to emerge the true nature of the beast was there for all to see. Many people were extremely addicted to these so called tonics, ordinary men and women had become reliant on this readily available over the counter drug. It was then banned and that is when the true extent of its effects emerged with ordinary citizens resorting to the black market for their "tonic".
Fast forward a few years and governments around the world attempted to learn from their mistakes and banned many proven addictive substances but somewhere along the line marijuana became tangled in this web and was also banned. Many propaganda videos were put out to scare the public in to believing this plant turned people in to murdering rapists, especially black men!
The real reason for the banning was because the hemp plant was cheaper and easier to make paper from and large organisations had just invested a lot of money in making paper the way we do today - these organisations would have been ruined and so they used their political influence to get hemp banned.
Fast forward again... 2009....
Many studies have been carried out on the effects of various drugs and some startling facts have emerged. Most drugs are better for you than smoking or drinking. Earlier this week the UK governments chairman of the advisory council on the misuse of drugs announced that smoking and drinking were far worse than many illegal drugs. He went on to say that ecstasy carries about the same risk as riding a horse. Soon after making these statements he was sacked.
So why this thread?
This situation in the UK has highlighted the absolute hypocrisy behind the governments concern for the well being of its citizens. Lets be honest here the government make massive amounts of money when people smoke and drink and that is why it is not illegal. They have hired scientists and experts in the field of drugs to conduct research in to the harmful effects and when they report back in a manner that does not suit the governments agenda they are sacked.
I look at many substances that are used today and think to myself, will someone watch a documentary 100 years from now and be astounded that in 2009 there were these caffeine shops on every corner of every city selling triple shot large coffees to their addicted patrons, just like I watch documentaries about cocaine use in the early 1900s with disbelief.
I strongly believe that people who want to use drugs will use drugs. I dont think the fact that they are illegal will stop people who want them getting them. It merely makes the quality of the substance an known as the source is shady much like if we banned alcohol and you had to buy it from a lad brewing it in his shed.
I think this recent case in the UK merely tells the people "dont believe anything the government tell you because even with expert scientific evidence they will only give information that supports their agenda".
I would also like to say I in no way condone the misuse of any drug but I do believe it is an individuals choice. I dont like to see people falling around drunk on a Saturday night but I believe if they want to that is there business - Ive been that soldier more times than I care to admit
Comments welcome - Id be very interested to hear peoples feelings on this.
