La legalizzazione della cannabis potrebbe valere 9,5 miliardi di sterline all’anno per il Regno Unito

It could be. I’m sure they’ve done some maths. The reason that it won’t be is written into the very question itself. If a product is available freely both legally and semi-legally, but one distribution channel has “9.5bn” pounds of tax in it, well, I don’t think they will collect all of that.

Not happening any time soon. The majority of our politicians are not interested in evidence-based drug policy. The hepatotoxic, neurotoxic, psychoactive substance ethanol, which fuels the enzooification of high-streets up and down the country every weekend and is implicated in a large chunk of violent (particularly domestic) crime is so lightly regulated it’s not illegal to offer your 6-year-old a beer.

But booze is the drug of choice (along with Columbian marching powder) of the ruling elite.

Legalise it only in one city that needs a tourism boom. So Wolverhampton or Milton Keynes. That way you can see how it goes and roll out further schemes.

Will never happen. Our current crop of politicians, across all parties, are cowards with respect to legalisation. Nobody wants to touch it despite public opinion being broadly in favour.

Unpopular but I hope this never happens. Wouldn’t be great with more people (esp in poorer parts) always high and off their heads.

I live near a poor town and these homeless people are causing trouble, drunk and approaching random people in the streets but at least they don’t smell like weed. I don’t think legalising it would help their situation, just more mind altering substances for them to waste their money on.

Not to mention everywhere you go stinking like weed all the time.

No thanks, we already have enough druggies that stink out the place with this stuff.

There’s nothing more off-putting then walking down the street or chilling in your back garden and getting a huge woft of this shite up your nose. We don’t need more of that.

Mad thing is it is legal, if you’ve got a bit of money to throw around you can get a private prescription for a long list of illnesses that can be debilitating. But honestly some are easy to fake.

There are hoops but after that you’ve got a get out of jail free card for carrying it around, being found in possession etc. Only thing you can’t do (quite correctly) is drive impaired on it.

instead it’s worth 9.5 billion to government cronies.

Legalizing cannabis is desperately needed.

At this point, I don’t see a difference between cannabis prohibitionists and deeply rooted racism, you’re basically self-reporting you’re scum.

So I spend about 300 a month on the stuff.

Since it’s illegal I give 300 in cash to some guy who does god knows what with that money.

All I know is that money is now gone and is unclean. It used to be clean, taxed money. But now it is in the drawer of some less than reputable person.

Had it been legal, that 300 would go to a business. Part would be VAT, part would go to rent (taxed), wages (taxed), utilities (taxed) and product (taxed).

This is on top of the logistics and agriculture network that would grow the product and transport it. Creating many taxable jobs, some of which would be high skill.

I am one man who spends over 3k a year on it and it just disappears into the void once I’ve handed it over. How many others are like me?

It’s ludicrous that it isn’t legal yet. There is no argument that can be brought forward that will make me think £9bn a year isn’t worth it.

And tbh I reckon it’s well higher than 9bn. I mean how much conclusion can you base on activity that is largely illegal to get that figure.