High potency 'skunk' is a problem for the inexperienced. Because of its prohibition a kid's first experiment with cannabis is likely courtesy of a criminal dealer with super strong cannabis being one of the most appalling aspects of prohibition.
When I was 17 in Australia, 33 years ago, the herbal cannabis available was not as strong. The strongest pot we could get was herbal cannabis, full of seeds, from Thailand 'Thai Stick', often compressed or hashish from Morocco etc. We expected prohibition to end soon because we knew from experience it was safer than alcohol. Try surfing after a few drinks, and repeat the experiment with cannabis was all the peer reviewed evidence I needed. We didn't expect Politicians saying otherwise to perpetuate the 'tough on crime' Cannabis Prohibition Experiment would last long. Cannabis prohibition wasn't a big issue to us because cannabis was not as an important as Vietnam and pending WW3.
But the Cannabis Prohibition Experiment has been unexpectedly and unjustifiably tenacious.
The illicit cannabis market has got more organised. Cannabis reproduces sexually enabling desirable traits like potency and yield to be optimised. Additionally, developments of hydroponics in Holland have resulted in higher yields that standard cannabis these days is mostly 'head' or 'budd', the potent cannabis flower. I started smoking 'leaf' and only 'scored' 'heads' at annual harvest time. Mild cannabis never hurt anyone. If kids these days are going to experiment with drugs they will score cheap Hydroponically Grown, high potency Heads of cannabis.
Let's look at Tea;
Most people drink mild or medium strength tea. If you developed and concentrated that tea over decades and drunk a lot of it, tea would become harmful.
Let’s look at Alcohol;
A kids first experiment with alcohol is likely a beer not several Tequila Slammers. Likewise milder cannabis should be the ‘Beer’ of cannabis.
When cannabis is regulated the standard cannabis will be mild and low potency. Milder pot would be safer for kids to experiment with. The Cannabis Prohibition Experiment has been an unmitigated disaster. Our kids are driven as a result of prohibition into the hands of criminals and may end up in the criminal justice system for doing something, which without prohibition, should be remarkably benign.
The UK Government will ultimately admit mistakes have been made and turn back the clock on the War on Drugs. But the Government must go much further. Ending the Cannabis Prohibition Experiment is only half the job. Every negative impact of cannabis prohibition must be dismantled and shot down like Clay Pigeons.
Firstly; People should be able to grow cannabis for personal use without persecution.
Secondly; Licences need to be issued to growers and retail 'Canabists'. Low potency cannabis should be dirt cheap and available to anyone over 18. Stronger 'Premium' cannabis and concentrates should be relatively expensive. Thereby people’s first experiment with cannabis will be safer... especially if kids.
The Government must get a handle on the failed cannabis prohibition and get it's market back under control to protect our kids from criminal gangs and harm from Moonshine Cannabis. Like it was for the 10,000 years before prohibition.
But this is hardly bad news for the Government. Cannabis is a ‘new’ industry. Good cannabis regulation will be a net benefit to the country and therefore ultimately a vote winner.
Peace in our time. Finally, but the peace needs much work by government to put the Prohibition Genie back in the bottle.