The Spice Of Life, Or Death? - Part 2

A Very Big Difference: 'Drugs' is a very general and broad term and, although you wouldn't necessarily know it, unless you make a point of educating yourself, just as with pharmaceutical prescription drugs, there is a very big difference between all of them. Effect, addictive potential, related problems, side-effects, harmfulness, quality and toxicity all vary immensely, and although alcohol is one of the worst and most problematic drugs, somehow, we don't think of that as a drug. Mainly because our politicians tell us that alcohol is ok, whilst at the same time telling us that it is just, right and proper, to persecute people for using cannabis and other substances. There is obviously a degree of hypocrisy here and people simply cannot have respect for those who are basically ignorant and hypocritical at the same time. In many ways, natural cannabis (hash, resin, or grass), as nature intended, is the complete opposite of alcohol. It is a social drug, peaceful, thought provoking, inspirational, creative, doesn't make people loud or confrontational and you can't overdose and die from it. You're not likely to go home and beat up the wife, it doesn't put a strain on the emergency services and doesn't leave you with a nasty hangover. It also has significant medicinal benefits and a morally therapeutic effect, encouraging right thinking from wrong. What's not to like? If you came here from another planet, out of the two, you would think that alcohol would be the illegal drug and not cannabis. So why are we where we are?

Absolute Pain! Although society says it's ok and openly encourages people to drink, you still need to use your common sense. Alcohol is a poison, it's troublesome, and it kills. As we know, too much alcohol turns people into morons. Ask the police. They have to deal with it all the time. They say alcohol is responsible for nearly half of all crime and it costs the country phenomenal amounts of money. The custody suite is always busy with drunk and disorderly idiots at the weekend and alcohol significantly ties up police resources, as well as those of the other emergency services. CH 5's Traffic Cops (S13E12) reports, "Alcohol-related incidents, take up over half of police time". One police officer on CH 4's Night Coppers (S1E7) said, "If you took booze out of the equation, I think I'd probably be out of a job." Alcohol is responsible for an inordinate amount of abuse, domestic abuse, vandalism and other trouble and people who are too drunk are generally an absolute pain in the arse!

Absolutely No Problem! There is absolutely no chance of anyone becoming enlightened whilst drinking alcohol. But that's fine. Unenlightened people don't question the establishment. They don't march for peace and nuclear disarmament. They don't want to wear flowers in their hair or drop out and listen to Pink Floyd. They're not really into goodwill and they won't be conscientious objectors if there's a war because they usually like a good fight and want to cause trouble anyway. And even though they may be hung over, they'll be there for work the next morning to earn money to buy their beers, and that keeps the wheels turning for the rich, stokes the economy and brings in significant amounts for the taxman. NOW we know where the politicians are coming from! Of course, the Houses of Parliament has its own bar facilities. Yes, we know those in charge like a good drink, generally speaking, and that's alright; no one troubles them about that. Nevertheless, CH5's Police: Night Shift 999 (S3E3), actually shows how the total police resources, that is every officer from the whole county, was tied up, when a 'State Zero' was called, in Eastgate St, Gloucester, dealing with drunken people being kicked out of the various night clubs. So alcohol is certainly not without its problems. It is, therefore, hardly fair to be penalizing people who prefer to enjoy natural cannabis instead, when they're minding they're own business and causing absolutely no problem to anyone else!

Ramifications & Consequences: In all fairness, the cannabis dilemma should have been sorted out decades ago, but it wasn't. In fact, it should never have been an issue in the first place. Who on Earth do we think we are? The trouble is, when politicians and leaders don't do the right thing, or conversely, when they do the wrong thing, the ramifications and consequences can be very serious, and this is another one such example. There is no doubt that the persecution of people for lifestyle choice causes resentment and ill-will, as well as a complete disrespect for the police and the law. It undermines the law in areas that DO need to be addressed, and diverts significant resources that could be targeted towards REAL crime. It also upsets a lot of people, contravenes human rights, the will of God (that is everyone's right to freewill, personal freedom and personal choice as long as harming no other), and tars perfectly decent human beings with a criminal brush. Surely, we can't feel proud of being part of an oppressive authoritarian society that behaves just like the Nazis or the Taliban, can we?

There's More: Although all of these negative points should be enough to worry about on their own, there's more. Now, instead of natural cannabis, as nature intended, we have genetically strained skunk. The homegrown, cannabis equivalent of moonshine. Produced in homemade, do-it-yourself setups, just like moonshine, as a result of the same prohibition environment, which coincidently, didn't work the first time around either. Again, just like moonshine, skunk is far too potent for average use, and it's also psychologically damaging to young people, due to an inbred unnatural imbalance of the psychoactive ingredients. Great!!! Who is to blame? Who do we have to thank? Who do you think? Yes, the management. Our know-it-all, authoritarian politicians! And it gets worse! Not only do we now have skunk to contend with, we also have the manmade, so-called, legal highs. Chemical shit and the like that people have concocted to try and get around the law, because at the time, it was perfectly legal to do this. To try and keep up, the politicians eventually changed the law regarding legal highs - after being bitten on the arse. But again, it's all just a bit too late. Now, alongside the overly strong and smelly old skunk, we have another especially dangerous, hideous, cheap and highly addictive drug, which has become a serious problem on the streets and even in our prisons. Yes, in our prisons! Spice!

Nothing Nice About Spice! Spice, also known as mamba, is a cocktail of laboratory chemicals, supposedly meant to imitate cannabis. These manmade chemicals are then applied to plant-based material of one form or another, so it can be smoked. Originally, like all so-called 'legal' highs, it was manufactured, marketed and sold as a form of synthetic cannabis for people who wanted to smoke cannabis but didn't want to be tarred as 'criminals' by our retarded laws. But of course, spice is nothing like natural cannabis! In fact, any plant material can be coated with dubious and dangerous chemicals and then sold as spice. One chap on CH5's Police Interceptors (S20E13), said that unscrupulous people were using alloy wheel cleaner, fly spray, cockroach killer and rat poison to knock up this 'drug'. It doesn't even have to be a plant-based material that is impregnated. People impregnate paper and even children's drawings in the spice chemicals to smuggle the 'drug' into prisons, where it can then be torn up, shredded and smoked. People who know will tell you that spice is a disgusting drug and it is also, unfortunately, very addictive. There's nothing nice about that kind of spice! Of late, it's even being turning up in vapes, and getting kids addicted to it!

The Spice Of Death! Spice turns people into zombies and crazies. People collapse and lie where they've fallen in a comatose state. You can't even talk to them, as they're completely unresponsive and incapable. A friend of mine who tried it once to see what it was like, said it was a horrible experience. He had just a few puffs on a spice joint and it paralysed him for 20 minutes. He was unable to move and just had to sit there and ride it out. Goodness knows what the long-term damage can be, that's if it doesn't kill you first, because it does that too and it's killed a significant number of people already. It is the spice of death. Again, we have our politicians to thank for this. By ignoring what is right, they have simply made things worse. And for some strange reason, THEY think that telling people they mustn't do something is sufficient to stop them doing it. Of course, most people know this really isn't the case. Especially if they don't believe in what you're saying! Yes, you can fine them, beat them, lock them up, bump them off, and we see all of that from various disgraceful regimes, as we look around this sad world. However, no amount of oppression and aggression can change what is right! Right will always be right, and just because the people in charge say it is not, doesn't make it so. If you don't win hearts, you're wasting your time! A lesson we still need to learn!

Go To Part 3 >>
Crosstalk by Taz: February 2023