Smoking Can*b**s in public

[Smarty]

I wouldn't take anything the Royal College of Psychiatrists takes as gospel- they are mainly guessing just like everyone else

are you serious? So exactly who would you suggest we listen to then? The unverified and anonymous posters on here?!?! Call me old fashioned, but I'll put my money on highly qualified medical experts......

I went to the moon once......so don't listen to NASA when they say it's not made of cheese because i know it is.

[Mr.Tease]

I wouldn't take anything the Royal College of Psychiatrists takes as gospel- they are mainly guessing just like everyone else

are you serious? So exactly who would you suggest we listen to then? The unverified and anonymous posters on here?!?! Call me old fashioned, but I'll put my money on highly qualified medical experts......

I went to the moon once......so don't listen to NASA when they say it's not made of cheese because i know it is.

[ImGilo]

Or maybe just one simply doing their job?

If your stupid enough to be caught by the plod then its entirely your own fault.

Your wristband isn't magic. Laws still exist.

[Smarty]

Go look at the history of mental health and the actions if so called experts- do you honestly think that just because someone is a self professed expert they are never wrong and know everything? There is so much disagreement and unknown stuff in mental health, anyone who is claiming to know everything is simply being arrogant.

It's a crap chute when it comes to diagnosis (which in turn are socially invented constructs) and treatment- you'll find people with mental health issues get conflicting diagnosis and prescriptions- a lot of it is guess work.

[Mr.Tease]

ha - I love that! Psychiatrists are self professed experts...

I don't think I need to say anything else really......

[storm]

Not true. Security will steal a person's weed from them, whilst pretending to be confiscating it.

[Yesiamaduck]

Look basically right don't light up in tents (the smoking ban is enforced very strictly at glastonbury and if you're smoking a joint in the middle of a tent or around a tent they'll probably be more strict than usual) and try and avoid openly smoking on the pathways. In the middle of an outdoor crowd ala the Pyramid Stage/West Holts/ Other Stage /The Park you're unlikely to be nabbed. I have no idea what the smoking rules are at the glade but I think the is only one wall so it's legal to smoke there (if memory serves). Smoking in your campsite is unlikely to cause any problem as is smoking in the outdoor areas of Shangri-la. Prepare to be questioned about it though, just because (from experience) I've never been called to task over smoking weed in public doesn't mean it can happen and it will happen if you're stupid about it.

People who light a J in sayyy the John Peel or Circus stage are just asking to have their supply confiscated and based on what I've heard smoking weed in the Silver Hayes area is a big no no.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Yesiamaduck

[frostypaw]

As for you being able to bet that alcohol and other things are 'always' a factor: no. Just no. Sometimes they are of course, but there's a fair few hardcore weed smokers who only imbibe their desired herb, and are suffering from lots of paranoia, psychosis and irrationality when they do. Who are then fine after a couple of weeks being THC free. I've seen it lots and lots of times.

[balti-pie]

Frostypaw - both are true. Lots of people have non-permanent problems that can clear up, and a smaller proportion have long lasting issues that don't and won't clear up. I've not 'changed prognoses'.

As for the assertion that I just plain don't like cannabis, I used to smoke it on occasion. I stopped. I don't have anything against it at all, it is what it is. You are of the position that it's fine, I'm of the position that it can be very bad news for some people. I'd just like for people to be aware that it's not the magic wonder substance some people paint it as.

I quite agree that alcohol problems hugely outweigh the cost and social impact of cannabis, I don't think anyone could argue otherwise.

You've got your opinion, and I respect that. I do think there's room for people to disagree with it on a forum though, without you resorting to ruing my apparent 'lack of knowledge' when I'd say it's more of a case of analysing our own personal experiences differently.

I've enjoyed this debate though, it's made me question what I think which is a good thing!

[frostypaw]

I'm of the position that it can be very bad news for some people. I'd just like for people to be aware that it's not the magic wonder substance some people paint it as.

[balti-pie]

It's also an excellent muscle relaxant and painkiller for people with MS and various other conditions (particularly osteo stuff)

[gerardfenton18]

I think that's where our differences lie - to me the 0.00001% who react badly is negligible, but to someone treating them it's highly significant

I don't mean to slam down opinion but you presented it so clear cut it just wasn't accurate and that worries me massively in these times of legal highs. I'd rather someone used weed than any of it's legal alternatives any day - weed is illegal for a reason but it's not a good one and as various states are showing legalisation is driving down crime and stopping young folk being criminalised for life over very little indeed.

If you must try weed at the festival and it freaks you out don't worry - millions have had the same experience and been fine, it's just freakier in crowds and it might not be for you

[eFestivals]

So you would disagree with advice from the Royal College of Psychiatrists then? They state that there is now sufficient evidence to show that cannabis use increases the chances of developing mental health issues.

whether or not what you say is true, it's always worth bearing in mind that if the Royal College of Psychiatrists can't label people as needing their services, they disappear in a puff of smoke.

They work no differently to the health and safety sector - they *HAVE TO* identify new risks, or they become obsolete.

----

Now, from where i'm sat 30+ years ago - before the days of "super strength skunk" - I know a few people who were then aged around 20 who developed mental conditions alongside their drug taking.... but I also know of more of around that age who developed mental conditions without ever taking an illicit drug.

And in the years since, when "super strength skunk" has been available and has been smoked daily for over a decade by that same (now aging) group of people, not a single one of them has developed any mental issues. Fancy that.

But the Royal College of the often-made-up Psychiatrists say there's an increased risk? Jobs for the boys, jobs for the boys.

Edited June 16, 2014 by eFestivals

[Smarty]

You know - you're almost sounding paranoid......psychiatrists, doctors, psychologists, ....they're just making this stuff up!

Let me to and put this in really simple terms......am I saying that EVERYONE who smokes is will suffer some sort of mental health problem? NO OF COURSE NOT.

What I am saying is that it's wrong to write posts that reinforce this fallacy that there is absolutely no risk....its fine......knock yourself out. You wouldn't advise someone to start smoking, or binge drink would you? The simple truth is - whilst there is no "absolute" proof of what the long terms effects of cannabis are, there is sufficient concern from experts (you'd probably call them government spin doctors) to warrant caution.

You know - in 1966 a poll was taken amongst US doctors and found that only one third thought tobacco posed a health threat. That was less than 50 years ago..........

So by all means smoke it yourself if that's what it takes to get you where you want to be, but please don't espouse this nonsense that it's not without risk.....because that's just a smudge on the reality of it.

[frostypaw]

I don't think anyone's saying there's zero risk, but that it's bloody tiny compared to how it's portrayed and policed.

VAST amounts are consumed by the nation every day - there's no need to exaggerate the risks to underline a political agenda - there's enough sensationalist news sources to do that already. For decades weed has been the wet feet those who fancy a paddle have experienced and thanks to a demented anti drug political agenda now those new kids are ending up in A&E from legal highs or ruining their bodies with Ketamine.

Big fucking win. I can't wait until a few years from now when the doom mongers will have a slew of American states ruining their arguments not just those wonky talking Europeans they find so easy to dismiss.

[Mr.Tease]

You know - you're almost sounding paranoid......psychiatrists, doctors, psychologists, ....they're just making this stuff up!

.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Mr.Tease

[eFestivals]

What I am saying is that it's wrong to write posts that reinforce this fallacy that there is absolutely no risk....its fine......knock yourself out.

except that's nothing of what I did.

It's to the benefit of the mental health services world to over-state the problem, and the very nature of self-interest means that they will over-state the problem.

The little research that's been done into this area gets to show that they do over-state the problem.

Guess what? There's as much of a proven link between alcohol consumption and psychosis, but where are the people posting to warn not to consume alcohol?

There's advantages that some collect on by creating an unnecessary moral panic. It's reefer madness all over again.