Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS in the UK have backed a report that states that regulating the cannabis market could raise up to £1 billion in taxes for the Exchequer.
An expert panel set up by the party looked at a number of measures – such as setting up small scale cannabis clubs for personal use, legalising the sale of cannabis for over-18s and licensing specialist shops for the sales.
According to the BBC, the party has come out to say that criminalising cannabis is a “waste of police time”.
Making cannabis available to buy
It also calls for cannabis to be made available to buy over the counter in plain packaging, with a health warning, similar to what exists on cigarette packaging. It also calls for home cultivation of the drug and personal use to be allowed.
However, the expert panel rejected the opening of cannabis cafes, like those found in Amsterdam.
It’s suggested that all of the new measures should be monitored by a new regulator who would oversee the market.
The political party, who used to be in coalition with the Conservatives, failed to get the current UK drug laws reviewed under their tenure in office.
However, The Guardian reports the Lib Dem leader Tim Farron stating:
Prohibition of cannabis has failed. We need a new, smarter approach and I welcome this report. It is a waste of police time to go after young people using cannabis and ludicrous to saddle them with criminal convictions that can damage their future careers. A legal market would allow us to have more control over what is sold, and raise a considerable amount in taxation.
A number of states in the US have already decriminalised or legalised the drug and more are considering it.
Legalising sales
In Colorado, for example, adults aged 21 or older can legally possess one ounce (28 grammes) of marijuana. Last year the state sold $996 million worth (about €876 million) of recreational and medical cannabis.
It’s also a policy that has been talked about on these shores. Ahead of the election, TheJournal.ie asked the political parties where they stood on the issue.
Some were in favour of the decriminalisation of possession of small quantities for both personal and medicinal use, while other parties cited health concerns of cannabis drug use as a reason not to tamper with existing legislation.
What do you think?
Mini-poll: Should cannabis be legalised in Ireland?
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
I don’t understand how anyone can listen to Sheeran.
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: but you would get quite far down the road if you could. His music is symptomatic of the times. It may be unimaginative, bland but this is what it is meant to. How did we get to this stage? How were people’s expectations about songs and music in general so successfully lowered? And why?
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: And you listen to?
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: with their ears I would imagine kid
@Ananya Sharma: just because lots of people like something, doesn’t mean it’s good. Nazis were popular in Germany at one point
‘Four of the five were male’. Hmm I wonder what that statement aims to achieve
@sb: That you should listen to music based on the gender of the artist rather than your own personal taste.
@Manbackonboard: ‘women need equal rights in the music industry’!!!!!
It’s fairly mad to think that in another decade very few of these artists will be known at all. I doubt very much that many people will be listening to Billie Eilish or Post Malone in ten years time. There’ll be someone new
@John Lally: People still listen to Chris Brown and Macklemore. There thirst for dogshite music is relentless
Wherever about the rest, Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish’s must have some machine behind them, because their music is appalling.
If you are interested in the popularity of all music artists over the course of the past 50 years, watch this. It’s mesmerizing. There are also a few artists that will surprise you.
https://youtu.be/a3w8I8boc_I
@Peter Cavey: very interesting. I enjoyed that. For me that video shows 2000 – 2001 was where music fell off the cliff and lost all credibility when the likes of lilwayne, jayz and effin Britney spears joined “the hall of fame” Previous to that it was all the greats swapping in and out over 2 or 3 decades. After 2000 it became has beens. “Musicians” who came burned our ears and have ultimately and thankfully disappeared.
@Peter Cavey: Yeah interesting that. Hard to believe U2 barely got a look in, just near the bottom 1988/89
Surely Declan Nerney must have been neat the top?
Just goes to show…….You can’t trust ‘People’
Awful lot of music taste shaming going on in here by a bunch of auld lads who still think Status Quo should be number 1. Personally I feel Bohemian Rhapsody is the greatest song of all time though so…
@Whatever: regarding Bohemian Rhapsody: this video is absolutely brilliant. A chap listening for the first time. His reactions are just incredible.
https://youtu.be/npn027raQBo
have your say