Weed legalization in Ireland

Your body keeps metabolizing it for weeks in low levels. There’s some science to it - if alcohol worked the same way technically you’d be mildly inebriated for a few weeks. As a practical matter though yeah, the impairing effects of cannabis majorly vanish within hours.

I think it's important to remember there is a difference between street cannabis and professionally grown cannabis. These studies are based on individuals who smoke street cannabis of which the quality/contaminates are unknown. Especially since street dealers priority is monetary not quality. Hard to know if people these days are even smoking real weed or if it's just weed sprayed with various chemicals to make it tick the boxes.

One of the main issues I see with cannabis is that you build up a tolerance quite quickly to the stuff, having to smoke more and more to achieve the same effects. If people here learned to knock it on the head, every so often and let their tolerance go back to normal, I think we would have a much more healthy usage in ireland.

For the regular Joe there is simply no need to be smoking vast quantities of powerful cannabis , this kind of product should only be used by people who need serious pain relief etc. If you have to smoke this kind of stuff to get high, it's just a sign that you've indulged too much and you need a break from it.

If adults want to smoke weed then all power to them fire ahead but we need to stop the absolute horse shite narrative that weed is not that bad for you,

It absolute destroys people minds , we all know people who are in a bad way because of smoking to much weed over the years,

Yes I'm well aware that alcohol is bad for you but i'd prefer if people be honest and acknowledge weed is awful for your head ,

I've had at home tests positive well after 6 weeks. It can depend on a lot of things, like your body fat and metabolism.

Thats crazy! Like surely people are being caught left right and centre for it in that case, given how many people smoke it?!

What sort of home tests can be got and are they reliable?

The Drager test is supposed to only detect up to 6 hours. Some day I'll find out I'm sure. Not looking forward to it. The blood/urine test though, up to 3 months. If you've to give one of them, you're screwed. Using my years of being a Garda to come up with some legal battle. Think I have something, but I don't ever want to find out. I don't smoke and drive, but the uncertainty of the time limits is worrying.

Re: driving while under the influence of cannabis vs alcohol. I don't drink anymore, but I did quite a bit up to 6 years ago. Borderline alcoholic near the end, bottle of rum a night. Anyway, I did drink drive quite a few times. Where I live, it's nearly taken for granted, and most see it as harmless to have a couple after work and drive the short distance home. Looking back, I was very lucky to not have crashed or worse. Completely distracted, blurry vision, swaying head, heavy arms and legs, all on top of a strong can-do attitude. I don't consider it even remotely safe. Cannabis, I have driven a few times while stoned. Now, people hear stoned and think of the couch puppy zoned out of it. That's not always the case. The few times I have driven stoned, reflecting on it, I believe it's far safer than drink driving. Not that it's safe at all, but imo, for me, safer. I drove slower, but not slow. I felt more aware because I was aware of being under the influence. It didn't give me the confidence alcohol did. I even turned off distractions, like the radio. I don't believe my reactions were affected, but thankfully it was never tested. But it's still not safe. I don't recommend it and haven't done it for years, and with the above-mentioned tests I'm even less likely to ever chance it again.

It should be legalised at this stage. I started smoking proper about 5 years ago. Bad place after bad life decisions, not many choices and stuck in a situation that won't improve for the foreseeable. Cannabis has helped me through that, and made me re-evaluate my priorities. To me, cannabis now is no different to people who need coffee. I don't smoke until I'm done for the day, but as I work nights that's usually around 11pm and I'm awake until 8, so I am a heavy user as a result. Literally nothing to do in the country and night time, so luckily my pastime is gaming and suits my current life. I'm very accustomed to cannabis now, so much that I no longer get "stoned". It's been years since I was near whitey territory, and the last time I was there I was able to ride the wave (and it was amazing as a result!). If it was legalised, I would save thousands a year and be able to control my own product, as with the likes of the Spider Farmer products, growing is extremely simple. The yield of 2-4 plants would keep me going for a few months and save me a lot of money, which I would then spend back in the economy, buying stuff to make night time entertaining!

But, that's me. I'm very different to most people now. It doesn't interfere with my life or anyone elses. I want it legalised so I can have proper choice, a quality guarantee and maybe, finally, giving up smoking for good (I only smoke tobacco in my spliffs now, and my lungs are very happy about it). And my time as a Garda, nearly 10 years, I never, NEVER arrested someone who was just stoned. I reckon 80% plus of people I arrested had alcohol taken. Cannabis users, on the whole, don't cause trouble. I don't include those who smoke a joint but also drank or took other drugs. Straight up cannabis users don't do crime (outside of buying/growing something that's illegal). Would be no harm to further reduce the number of people drinking by giving them a choice.

Agree with all of this:

• Weed is my biggest expense, on a par with rent, would love to be able to grow some or even just buy regulated stuff for cheaper.
• Same driving experience; heightened awareness of everything, driving much slower than usual, wouldn't make a habit of it but cannot be considered close to drink driving.
• I'm a qualified accountant that smokes everyday, "dead heads" and the likes are just lazy stereotypes around weed from ignorant people with little insight.
• I also only smoke tobacco because of weed and would love to give it up if weed was cheap enough to smoke blunts.

Good to hear your experience as a Garda, I wonder what the overall force would think about legalisation/decriminlisation, they must waste a lot of time on weed.

Was it so he could be on heroin?

I don't think anyone wants to see stoned driving, but it will be more prevalent if it's legalised. Humans do stupid things. I did in a past part of my life, there are people who are probably having similar or relatable experiences with it right now and will (hopefully) have my view when they're my age. But just like drink driving is still a thing, it will never be completely eradicated. I'd also imagine those that do drive stoned are currently doing it anyway, regardless of legality. And even if legalised, the penalties won't be changed.

And I couldn't pass a field sobriety test that relied on me doing stupid things like walking toe to toe without falling over, my balance sometimes doesn't be the best since I got vertigo a good few years ago, and concentrating makes it worse!

We do learn lessons from our mistakes, but that's not one hopes to learn a lesson from!

Anyway, if it is legalised, I can't see myself driving further than the local shop as I'll have everything I need at home!

Just out of curiosity, how much is it to buy grass in Dublin?

Last time I bought it would have about 30 years ago in London. You could get a 10 spot of hashish, enough for about 10 joints, for £10. (Beware of the liquorice scammers!)

A bag of grass that would last you a month, think it was an ounce (or was it a quarter?), was £100.

I remember the price never changed in the 15/20 years I was buying it. Inflation only affects legal goods seemingly.

Thanks for that. So if it was a quarter ounce I was buying for £100 then the price hasn’t really changed in over 30 years so the drug cartels, to beat inflation, have to sell more of it, or kill the opposition to take over their trade.

Once you legalise it, then you’ll probably see Pascal increasing the tax on it every year. You’ll have an army of pen pushers, all looking to tick boxes at every opportunity to Justify their existence, that will affect the price also. The cost of Medical cannabis in Ireland, imported from wherever, is €5000 per month I believe. 99% of that price will be down to pen pushers and tax.

So maybe legalisation isn’t the answer.

Decriminalisation however, means ordinary joe soap, in Ireland, can then grow their own supply for a maximum of about €30 per ounce, without the fear of prosecution.

I know which one I’d prefer. 😋

Let my people grow