In article ,
Guy Fawkes wrote:

Actually, no, sorry. The prejudice against and demonisation of
cannabis started something like a century ago, and I have absolutely
no idea why. It used to be part of the British Pharmacopeia, but
has been significantly more restricted than morphine, heroin and
cocaine for a century. It's very odd.

Its not that odd Nick. The powers that be understand only too well
how easy it is to cultivate cannabis on a DIY basis, and should it
be legalised the trade in far more dangerous drugs such as alcohol
and tobacco would pretty much be finished overnight!

That's not my point, and is doubtful anyway. For most of that
century, it has been legal for doctors to prescribe a huge range
of drugs, including most of the ones used recreationally, but not
cannabis. The claim was that it had no medicinal purpose, despite
known facts to the contrary and it having been in the pharmacopeia
at one time.

The most extreme example of the prejudice was when the evidence for
its efficacy in MS started to emerge, and some very well-respected
medical researchers applied for a permit to see if the claims were
founded in fact. Their application was flatly rejected on the
grounds that there was no proven benefit, therefore research into
whether it had any benefit could not be permitted.

It's not harmless, but almost all of the cannabis-related harm is
caused by the fact that it is treated like heroin, morphine and
cocaine. That has been concluded by innumerable official reports,
senior police officers and many others.

Anyway, enough is enough on this sordid politics, which I shall
never understand.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.