LEGALIZING CANNABIS IN NORWAY?
A philosophical consideraton
As the discussion about legalizing Cannabis in Norway is taken up on a regular basis, I thought I could share my points of view in this matter. Just for fun, if not for anything else. This is not an attempt in writing a scientific paper, and no information I give in this article is based on research, unless otherwise stated. What I am saying is based on things I have read, mostly in scientific articles and newspapers, and heard from people interested in that discussion. But I haven't checked for information systematically, or gone through any kind of evidence systematically, and can thereby not guarantee that the information I give is correct.
When you look at countries like the Netherlands, that has "legalized" cannabis use several years ago, you can easily see that it doesn't have the effect that people against legalization of cannabis in Norway claim it will have if we legalize it in Norway. Cannabis use is legalized in the Netherlands in the sense that you won't get punished if you buy or use any form for cannabis. It's more a controlled legalizing though, or rather a decriminalization. Even though you can't get convicted for use, it's still a limit on how much you can carry on yourself (max. 30 grams), and how many cannabis plants you can have (9). So the limitation on cannabis use is greater than for instance with substances like alcohol.
According to information you get in the media, and also in research articles, it actually seems to work very good in the Netherlands. Especially compared to countries like Norway, that has a very rigid and strict view on any kind of drug. There is for instance sold more heroin at Plata in Oslo during a year, than in the whole of Amsterdam. If you then consider the different number of inhabitants in Oslo compared to Amsterdam, you can easily see that that's a big difference. Per 1997 there were 494.793 inhabitants in Oslo, while there were 1.091.300 in Amsterdam per 1993. I don't think that Oslo has grown closer to Amsterdam in inhabitants during the last years, considering that the civilization is growing all over the world, also in the Netherlands. If it really is so that cannabis use itself is leading to more abuse of stronger drugs, then I wonder why it isn't like that all over the world. The fact is that during the last years the use of stronger drugs has increased less in the Netherlands than it has in any other country.
But does that mean that we should legalize cannabis in Norway? No, I don't think so. I don't think legalizing cannabis use in Norway would lead to the same thing as it has in the Netherlands. I think one of the reasons that cannabis use in the Netherlands hasn't lead to more abuse of stronger drugs, is a matter of attitudes and insight, and not dependent on cannabis itself. In the Netherlands they learn very early at school about drugs and the different effects. They also learn that there is quite a big difference between cannabis and other drugs. They don't learn that cannabis is harmless, but they learn that it is less harmfull than other drugs. In Norway cannabis is often looked upon as being one of the most dangerous drugs, since that leads to stronger drugs so easily. At least that is very much the impression you get from how it is taught at school.
Yes, it used to be so that most people started with cannabis before they went on to stronger stuff, like heroin, cocaine or amphetamine. But if we claim that the cannabis is the reason for that, then we forget that we always have to consider if there might be a third variable that counts for the variance. Especially considering the times now, when it's easier to get drugs like XTC than cannabis. THAT is something that should be worrying! And I want to state specifically here that I don't think legalization of cannabis is the right thing to do here, that won't change people's attitudes, but it might lead to the opposite.
One of the things should be done though, is to start repairing the damage it has lead to to portray cannabis as the big bad boss of them all. Yes, cannabis IS dangerous, but stick to the serious cannabis research and tell the real dangers, and don't try to make it look like something it's not. That won't have the effect we want, it will only be a "WOLFE WOLFE" scream to achieve attention. And attention you get, but I can't say you can learn anyone right from wrong that way.
Young people will always seem to be protesting against the adult generation. It has always been like that, and the chance that it will continue is quite big, I think. Doing the opposite of what they are told, rioting towards rigid rules... and some will choose the wrong track, there is no way we can make sure that that will never happen. Alcohol is a substance that is frequently used, and abused, in Norway, and especially among young people. It has been easy to get for example moonshine when you needed it, sometimes with an alcohol level over 90%. And if you don't have that, you can always get some legal stuff. Some young people will try hash, or marijuana, and realize that the effect is not as heavy as with excessive drinking. If they then don't have proper information on what hash is, they might start wondering how the other illegal drugs can be so bad when this one wasn't as they were told? In addition, they have now passed the limit of doing something illegal, and something they can get a decent fine for! They have already passed that limit, so the limit to other drugs is not that big anymore. In addition, their attitude towards hash might have changed from thinking it is very dangerous to thinking it can't be dangerous.
Is that the effect we want?
In the Netherlands the youth can try cannabis, do something that is dangerous and exciting, and not fully legal, but they will know that cannabis is not the same as crack. They have the opportunity to demonstrate against their parents, protest against laws and rules, without being viewed as a criminal. Maybe that makes it easier to stop at that point?
I think the Norwegian society would have benefited more if they concentrated about getting the right information out, to start early, and work with prevention. So far it's very clear that all the preventing work that has been done so far hasn't had the effect it was supposed to have. As a result, a lot of money is put in to getting rid of all the drugs that is in Norway and prevent any more from coming in. Making it harder to be a drug addict, stronger punishments, hitting down on everything. Which is an impossible idea. If we think that we can actually prevent people from using drugs by trying to eliminate the possibility of getting in touch with it, then I think we are quite optimistic. That would require a police state, and I don't think even that would be enough. There will always be someone who gets something into the country, and it will always be possible to abuse something. We had the same attitude towards moonshine. Make it impossible to get, get rid of it. Take all the sellers, make them SUFFER. I don't have the idea that the youth in Norway has been drinking less since those actions were taken. In fact, I have heard rumours that it's worse than ever... What also happened was that a lot of bad moonshine was on the market for a while. Moonshine that contained chemicals to make it look stronger, or rat poison (of what reason I can't understand), or really bad quality moonshine where the smell is camouflated with Gin essence.
If we can't learn from other countries' methods, why can't we then try to learn of our own mistakes?
Youth, and even kids, are drinking more than ever, and people look at that and think we have to do something about it, still. It hasn't changed since the police did all they could to get rid of the moonshine. We also see a growing use of stronger drugs, and so they are trying to get rid of all the drugs too. I can't see how they are going to make that, and I can't see how that would have the wanted effect. I actually find it a bit scary, because if I consider the development the last years, what will it be like the next years?
I read in the newspapers that the Police is now concentrating about getting rid of as much hash and amphetamine as possible. In itself it would be ideal if we could get rid of all drugs and that would lead to less abuse, but I don't think the real world is so easy. So what I think when I read that is... what will they use instead? And isn't it anyone considering that? Maybe it's not so important... but what is important in this case then?
The 4th of May 2002 we had a "legalize cannabis" demonstration in the city I live. That startet a rage of protests from people who are fighting against drugs. I find both groups just as extreme in their opinions, and just as wrong in their opinions, at least at some aspects. I don't think its a good point when you state that we should legalize cannabis because it is less dangerous than alcohol. Yes, cannabis doesn't give you much more brain damage than alcohol, it makes you less aggressive, and yes, you can't die of an overdose of marijuana while you can die of an overdose of alcohol. That doesn't mean that cannabis isn't damaging at all, and doesn't justify legalization. That is a statement you can use if you want to make alcohol illegal. But to give cannabis the blame for more heavy drug abuse doesn't make sense either. Take away cannabis, and you will still have drug abusers.
And when one of the demonstrators comments that everyone should try cannabis to get the effect of opening their minds for new ways of seeing things, then I think she is irresponsible. The fact that you might have had a good experience of using it, doesn't mean that everyone will have that. And maybe you should consider the fact that cannabis use isn't only positive, especially not for people who have some kind of mental problem before they start using it (like depression or social phobia). I don't even think you have a point in a discussion about legalization if you state that people should smoke it to "develop" themselves, to "relax" more, or to open up for new experiences. That is dangerous to say in a crowd! Not everyone will understand what you mean here, and it won't have the same effect for everyone. Not everyone will be able to control it, or to see other dangers with it.
I definately don't think that legalization is the right way to go, I don't think that would be the solution to the problem. But I think one important aspect is to tell the truth about cannabis, and the effects, positive as well as negative. I also think we should kill the myth that cannabis use leads to for instance heroin addiction. Most people who smoke hash also smoke cigarettes, does that mean that cigarettes lead to hash use? Same thing with alcohol. Most alcoholics are also smoking tobacco, but which one is leading to the other in this matter, if there is any connection at all?
Another thing I think we should get rid of is the stigmatization of the drug addict as a criminal. Drug addicts are sick people, they can't help their situation. By the time they have come so far that they can't function anymore without the drug, it's pointless to punish them. They can't help it anymore, they are a victim, they have a disease. We can justify punishing drug addicts for the fact that they cost the society a lot of money. Well, yes, drug addicts are a problem for the society, but there's a lot of other people who are just as big a problem as drug addicts, should we punish them too? Alcoholics for instance, cost society quite a lot. But since drinking alcohol isn't illegal, they can't be punished for that. They can only be punished for acts they do when they do something wrong. They even live longer than drug addicts, and have just as big damages as drug addicts. And what about people who don't take proper care of themselves in other ways? People who are extremely obese, people who smoke 60 cigarettes a day? Many people will probably think that the fact that these people haven't done something illegal makes it pointless to compare them with drug addicts. Well, yes, in a way it is pointless, but it's also pointless to punish people because they are a burden for the society. You can't just choose one group of people and say "hey, you're a burden to society, we want to put you in jail", and then think that it will make everything better for the society as a whole.
Focus more on what you can do for the youth before it comes so far that they want to test out drugs or alcohol, and give them the knowledge and insight they need to handle the temptation. Make them know what to expect, and how to keep control over their own actions. Be realistic in actions taken to prevent drug addiction, and remember that sometimes you have to take two steps back before you can take one more ahead. And sometimes what seems to be working opposite of what you want, is actually helping you on your way. Legalizing hash won't change anything if we don't change attitudes and seek the correct information, at least not for the better. But trying to erase it and spreading uncorrect propaganda is not the right way either. We already have proof of that, it's time now to consider other options. Making drug use less of a crime, but raising the punishment for selling drugs would probably give the police more time and money to concentrate on the big guys in this game. Especially if they focus more on those who sell drugs without using it themselves, which I would consider the worst crime of all. Ruining others life as a means of getting rich is dreadful, if not cruel. There is no way I could understand people who do that, but I can understand the junkie who sells to support his own use. He is only trying to cope with his own life, an ability that he more or less has lost other means for.
I agree, we should fight drugs and drug abuse, but I don't think we should loose our heads in the discussion around it. Use intelligence and responsibilty, and instead of being afraid of making new mistakes, get rid of the old ones.
"If I had to choose what substance my kids would try as teenagers, I would choose hash. I am scared of what I have learned from seeing teenagers abusing alcohol. And what I fear most of all is that they will encounter XTC in their seeking for experience, simply because that is one of the best accessed drugs at the moment"
If you want to read a scientific article about the matter, you can click
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