news & politics:discussion

[cellar]

31 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Cool, are we going to criminalise alcohol?

Feel like that's a bit of a unnecessary response - I think I made it clear that I just think there needs to be something done about the situation. I don't think there is "no actual reason" behind it, as you put it.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Just say No to N2O.

The slogan makes itself. You have to laugh

 

[cellar]

36 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Cool, are we going to criminalise alcohol?

Also my statement was clearly following on from the point before it, ie. That its perceived as harmless, when it isn't. There's a lot of information around about the damage that alcohol can do, I don't think there is the same level of information around about the dangers of nos. 

I also literally stated that maybe an information campaign would be better. So yeah, nice knee-jerk response.

[steviewevie]

16 minutes ago, stuie said:

Let’s see the stats to back up those claims then? As far as I know, it’s approx one death per year from around a million users. 

But… it’s a good headline for Tory voters who don’t have a clue. 

Meanwhile everyone carries on smoking and drinking? Bonkers.

 

 

yeah, it is stupid. Basically a new fun drug the kids are enjoying so must ban it while we drink ourselves silly. People need honest info about any risks though...same with everything.

But, I wish they wouldn't litter, with the cannisters, but also in general...the horrible little f**kers. Stick them in the army I reckon.

[stuie]

17 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

The thing I quoted said it can kill.  You confirm it can kill.  Looks like the stats are spot on.
 

A new report from the Office for National Statistics reveals that these substances are not completely benign. Between 2001 and 2020, 716 people in England and Wales died as a result of using volatile substances.

While the annual rate of death has remained stable at 36 people a year, what is striking is the rise in the average age of fatalities, from 28 years old in 2001 to 46 in 2020. The majority (78%) of these are male.

https://theconversation.com/death-from-nitrous-oxide-and-other-volatile-substances-latest-official-data-176183

Other volatile substances.

Wait until you find out how many people alcohol kills! 

[Rufus Gwertigan]

3 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

 

But, I wish they wouldn't litter, with the cannisters, but also in general...the horrible little f**kers. Stick them in the army I reckon.

I hear the Russians are recruiting foreigners. All the fun of the army with travel

[Rufus Gwertigan]

1 minute ago, Barry Fish said:

And free vodka! 

And learn a new language 

[stuie]

1 minute ago, Barry Fish said:

The alcohol / cig comparison comparison is old and predictable. 

Maybe start a campaign ?

Banning this stuff is right...   alcohols lack of a ban doesn't really change that.

I can see that you exactly the type of person that the tories are trying to appeal to with this nonsense policy which will do absolutely nothing apart from get kids criminal records and f**k up their futures. 

[squirrelarmy]

11 minutes ago, Rufus Gwertigan said:

Just say No to N2O.

The slogan makes itself. You have to laugh

 

Just outlaw consumption of all oxygen and nitrogen. That will shut everyone up. 

[steviewevie]

3 minutes ago, stuie said:

I can see that you exactly the type of person that the tories are trying to appeal to with this nonsense policy which will do absolutely nothing apart from get kids criminal records and f**k up their futures. 

he's a boring contrarian troll.

[Neil]

2 hours ago, Barry Fish said:

Council is responsible for pay bands.

it wasn' pay bands it was bonus's - bonus's for the blokes, nowt for the women.

[Nobody Interesting]

39 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

The thing I quoted said it can kill.  You confirm it can kill.  Looks like the stats are spot on.
 

A new report from the Office for National Statistics reveals that these substances are not completely benign. Between 2001 and 2020, 716 people in England and Wales died as a result of using volatile substances.

While the annual rate of death has remained stable at 36 people a year, what is striking is the rise in the average age of fatalities, from 28 years old in 2001 to 46 in 2020. The majority (78%) of these are male.

https://theconversation.com/death-from-nitrous-oxide-and-other-volatile-substances-latest-official-data-176183

Breathing polluted air can kill - so any scheme to give us clean air to breath therefore has to be good................... or do we ban breathing polluted air with a 2 year jail sentence for those that do?

We cannot just ban everything that can kill us as that means pretty much everything needs to be banned.

Where is the 'common sense' level at which things need to be illegal rather than just a Conservative 'law and order' headline that will never actually be policed as there are not enough to do it.

[steviewevie]

2 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:

Breathing polluted air can kill - so any scheme to give us clean air to breath therefore has to be good................... or do we ban breathing polluted air with a 2 year jail sentence for those that do?

We cannot just ban everything that can kill us as that means pretty much everything needs to be banned.

Where is the 'common sense' level at which things need to be illegal rather than just a Conservative 'law and order' headline that will never actually be policed as there are not enough to do it.

yeah, ban cars.

[Nobody Interesting]

31 minutes ago, Rufus Gwertigan said:

Just say No to N2O.

The slogan makes itself. You have to laugh

 

or No's to NOS

[kaosmark2]

32 minutes ago, cellar said:

Also my statement was clearly following on from the point before it, ie. That its perceived as harmless, when it isn't. There's a lot of information around about the damage that alcohol can do, I don't think there is the same level of information around about the dangers of nos. 

I also literally stated that maybe an information campaign would be better. So yeah, nice knee-jerk response.

The thing is, the government's response is knee jerk, and all based around the war on drugs - which is entirely designed around criminalising groups the Reagan adminstration didn't like - and is carried on today for largely the same reason.

Criminalisation isn't a proportionate, effective, or reasonable response for most drugs (including alcohol), but it's important to keep making the comparison.

[Neil]

25 minutes ago, Rufus Gwertigan said:

I hear the Russians are recruiting foreigners. All the fun of the army with travel

i was born and brought up in aldershot, an army town with strong links to the likes of the Angolan mercenaries in the 1970s,i was living in a big old house that was bedsits, with a few ex squaddies in other rooms, my mate was a family friend with the guy who'd arranged those 1970s mercenaries. one of the ex-squaddies (army cook) said  he wanted to be a mercenary. so my mate said he'd make enquiries for him, then we got another mate who was a great salesman (good chat) and chauffeured a limo to pose as the mercenary boss to meet with this guy, who was told to get himself on a flight to jo'berg and he'd be met at the other end. he bought the plane  ticket and  we never saw him again.

[Nobody Interesting]

3 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

Well apparently we can...  

You can drive change through fines, convictions and taxes.  Seems we use them all to "ban" or control what is bad for us.

Im fine with it.

The thing is modern society rather proves what you say does not work.

Drug use at record levels as is anti-social behaviour and shoplifting are at record levels despite all the new laws, taxes, convictions etc.

The evidence is clear, the current system does not work. If it did we would not be having this discussion.

[kaosmark2]

Just now, Nobody Interesting said:

The thing is modern society rather proves what you say does not work.

Drug use at record levels as is anti-social behaviour and shoplifting are at record levels despite all the new laws, taxes, convictions etc.

The evidence is clear, the current system does not work. If it did we would not be having this discussion.

Exactly. This is just adding another thing into the system - instead of fixing littering by providing more bins and bin collections.

[Nobody Interesting]

Shapp's off to a flyer in his new job.

 

[Nobody Interesting]

1 minute ago, kaosmark2 said:

Exactly. This is just adding another thing into the system - instead of fixing littering by providing more bins and bin collections.

and those things have been cut due to cuts from central government.

[Nobody Interesting]

Just now, Barry Fish said:

Sure it "works"...

The taxes raised from alcohol raises the price and it certainly as an impact on how much I buy some weeks.  It also raises the money to fund the health problems that come out of a bad diet.

I have never taken drugs mainly because they are illegal.

So sure it "works"...  It just doesn't work to the nth degree where no one does it.

If it works then please explain why drug use is at record levels?

The fines, convictions and taxes etc are there to stop/reduce it........... but use is at record levels. How is that 'working'?

[Neil]

3 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:

If it works then please explain why drug use is at record levels?

i have to rely on some illegal drugs for the times like today where my useless doc hasn't signed off my meds, so i'm in a lot of pain.

thank gawd for my fantastic wife who kicks the doc's arse into gear.

[kaosmark2]

4 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:

If it works then please explain why drug use is at record levels?

The fines, convictions and taxes etc are there to stop/reduce it........... but use is at record levels. How is that 'working'?

Because in the minds of certain segments of the population, only people like them exist.

What is notable is that the really dangerous drugs - eg. heroin - aren't rising anywhere near as fast as a lot of the criminalised non-addictive recreational drugs. I think the hardest drug that has serious usage rises is Spice.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

14 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:

Shapp's off to a flyer in his new job.

 

Probably got confused with a helicarrier

https://images.app.goo.gl/aDrzu76kCSHsB1M39

[Guest]

So Sunak had an abysmal PMQs, in response to the concrete crises in schools he twice mentioned Starmer wanting longer lockdowns and pretty much tried to brush it under the carpet.