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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Varche on 04 August 2017, 23:01:25

Title: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Varche on 04 August 2017, 23:01:25
I read an interesting article in a Spanish newspaper about cannabis.

Morocco is the worlds leading producer.

Europe gets most of its needs coming in through Spain.

Last year the police seized 235 tons worth about half a billion, maybe a fifth of the trade.

They are fighting a losing battle as the drug families are prepared to use violence. When the stuff lands they have a convoy of three vehicles. First one is heavy to crash through any roadblock, second has the drugs and third is used to stop any pursuit. Main points of entry are between Cadiz and Gibraltar.

The ribs they use have 3 or 4 powerful motors and can outrun anything the police have.

The part I found most interesting was 1 in 200 containers have drugs in them a millon plus go through La Linea port each year. I have always thought more targetted searches of containers would be helpful. I dare say not enough manpower.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 04 August 2017, 23:38:54
Legalise it and charge duty...

Tax revenue pays for controls...
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 05 August 2017, 01:06:36
Before advocating legalisation, I would recommend some serious research into the enormous damage it can do to the mental health of users.
Ive seen it up close and very personal, its heartbreaking and terrifying.
Personally, I wish the authorities would actually recommence battle on the war on drugs, instead of paying lip service to it, after having surrendered decades ago.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 05 August 2017, 06:39:00
Legislation = control... Be it with regard to strength/quality/price/taxation/supply.

Part of the problem is that there is currently zero protection for the most vulnerable users. These people are most susceptible to being pushed onto far worse substances by self serving dealers, who themselves are under pressure to supply as much product as they can.

Regulation would remove alot of the issues around drug dealing and it's effects.

To be clear, I am in no way condoning or advocating drug use on any level, and have also seen what even occasional cannabis use can do to otherwise normal, decent people. Don't even get me started on coke and the like...
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: 2boxerdogs on 05 August 2017, 09:20:33
Hate dealers & drugs , the dealers are scum & should be dealt with as such, legalisation is not the answer by any means.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 05 August 2017, 11:51:03
Reintroduction of the death penalty for dealers would be a good start.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 05 August 2017, 11:57:59
Before advocating legalisation, I would recommend some serious research into the enormous damage it can do to the mental health of users.
Ive seen it up close and very personal, its heartbreaking and terrifying.
Personally, I wish the authorities would actually recommence battle on the war on drugs, instead of paying lip service to it, after having surrendered decades ago.

Fortunately for the general public alcohol and baccy have proved to be 100% safe. The government would ban them if there were any unpleasant consequences from their use. :)
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 05 August 2017, 12:02:12
Legislation = control... Be it with regard to strength/quality/price/taxation/supply.

Part of the problem is that there is currently zero protection for the most vulnerable users. These people are most susceptible to being pushed onto far worse substances by self serving dealers, who themselves are under pressure to supply as much product as they can.

Regulation would remove alot of the issues around drug dealing and it's effects.

To be clear, I am in no way condoning or advocating drug use on any level, and have also seen what even occasional cannabis use can do to otherwise normal, decent people. Don't even get me started on coke and the like...

I agree with Al.

Clearly we can't stop the use of illegal narcotics. Even with ten times as many people trying to stop it.

The government should see this as an opportunity rather than a problem.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 05 August 2017, 13:27:24
Legalisation of cannabis seems to be the general direction governments are taking and in some US states it is already legal and Canada will legalise it soon.

I think a better option would be to allow people to grow their own at home in limited quantities and crack down hard on the commercial growers and dealers, and I seem to remember that when I lived in Australia 20 years ago, it was legal in South Australia to have 2 'pot' plants at home.  :-\
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 05 August 2017, 13:43:18
Legalisation of cannabis seems to be the general direction governments are taking and in some US states it is already legal and Canada will legalise it soon.

I think a better option would be to allow people to grow their own at home in limited quantities and crack down hard on the commercial growers and dealers, and I seem to remember that when I lived in Australia 20 years ago, it was legal in South Australia to have 2 'pot' plants at home.  :-\

A Geranium in a pot is not the same as 'wacky baccy'.

I'm not sure how to smoke geranium. :D
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: neil74 on 05 August 2017, 14:22:22
Its all well and good to say legalise this that and everything but most people don't have to put up with the drugged up tossers who think they are the hardest things since time began. and when a half a dozen or two of there mates/customers/general arseholes turn up it tends to limit what you would like to do to them. and don't get me started on councils police etc they just don't give a dam unless of course its the users themselves that are god forbid being picked on...
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 05 August 2017, 16:09:38
I was recently speaking to someone who spent a few years in Australia. They commented on their impression of Australian youth as being a pretty worthless lot, as they grow their own weed and spend all day sitting around smoking it.
Doesn't sound like a very successful experiment.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 05 August 2017, 16:12:32
If it stops petty crime from happening then, socially it can't be a failure... A generation of stones might be an unintended consequence though.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 05 August 2017, 16:13:38
I was recently speaking to someone who spent a few years in Australia. They commented on their impression of Australian youth as being a pretty worthless lot, as they grow their own weed and spend all day sitting around smoking it.
Doesn't sound like a very successful experiment.

We've all done that. ;)
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 05 August 2017, 17:24:46
Well, not all of us ;)
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 05 August 2017, 17:51:23
I was recently speaking to someone who spent a few years in Australia. They commented on their impression of Australian youth as being a pretty worthless lot, as they grow their own weed and spend all day sitting around smoking it.
Doesn't sound like a very successful experiment.

In the late 1990's when I was there, the dole was about double of what you'd get here in the UK and at the time Australia was a fairly cheap place to live.  So it was fairly common for youngsters to 'drop out' and go and live near the beach, spending their time smoking weed, drinking beer, surfing and having sex.  ::)

The upside of all this Aussie depravity was that there was loads of casual work about, so you could pitch up somewhere find a job and get your head down for a few weeks to save some money, before going off somewhere to blow it on some hedonistic adventures!  :y
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 05 August 2017, 18:30:14
I was recently speaking to someone who spent a few years in Australia. They commented on their impression of Australian youth as being a pretty worthless lot, as they grow their own weed and spend all day sitting around smoking it.
Doesn't sound like a very successful experiment.

In the late 1990's when I was there, the dole was about double of what you'd get here in the UK and at the time Australia was a fairly cheap place to live.  So it was fairly common for youngsters to 'drop out' and go and live near the beach, spending their time smoking weed, drinking beer, surfing and having sex.  ::)

The upside of all this Aussie depravity was that there was loads of casual work about, so you could pitch up somewhere find a job and get your head down for a few weeks to save some money, before going off somewhere to blow it on some hedonistic adventures!  :y

What a terrible life. :D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Mister Rog on 05 August 2017, 18:48:11
I was recently speaking to someone who spent a few years in Australia. They commented on their impression of Australian youth as being a pretty worthless lot, as they grow their own weed and spend all day sitting around smoking it.
Doesn't sound like a very successful experiment.

In the late 1990's when I was there, the dole was about double of what you'd get here in the UK and at the time Australia was a fairly cheap place to live.  So it was fairly common for youngsters to 'drop out' and go and live near the beach, spending their time smoking weed, drinking beer, surfing and having sex.  ::)

The upside of all this Aussie depravity was that there was loads of casual work about, so you could pitch up somewhere find a job and get your head down for a few weeks to save some money, before going off somewhere to blow it on some hedonistic adventures!  :y

What a terrible life. :D ;D ;D ;D

It certainly looks like I missed out big time by being born a too early.

Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: TheBoy on 06 August 2017, 11:30:04
Would their ribs outrun torpedos?  Would their convoys survive RPG devices?

The governements need to shoot the do-gooders, and start to take control.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Varche on 06 August 2017, 11:37:49
Easier said than done. Although the police are armed they have a shed load of paperwork if they fire.

I read elsewhere that 40 grand "buys" police to look the other way or be elsewhere. That I can believe.

A few years ago the drug runners had a 30 foot one man Sub confiscated. They used it to rendevous with with ships out at sea and then go up one of the rias ( like Fjords) in NW Spain. Funniest thing was the drug barons built it down near Malaga and then transported it by road.
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 06 August 2017, 12:01:35
Would their ribs outrun torpedos?  Would their convoys survive RPG devices?

The governements need to shoot the do-gooders, and start to take control.

Amen to that. We seem to make the simplest of problems overly complicated these days for some reason.  :)
Title: Re: Cannabis into Europe
Post by: Mister Rog on 06 August 2017, 16:45:46
Would their ribs outrun torpedos?  Would their convoys survive RPG devices?

The governements need to shoot the do-gooders, and start to take control.

Amen to that. We seem to make the simplest of problems overly complicated these days for some reason.  :)

Many down here would love to see drug smuggling in Spain stopped, it would mean more customers for their home grown stuff !   :o