Voice of London

On October 17th Canada became the second country after Uruguay to legalise the possession and use of cannabis.

Customers were standing in queues for hours and many retailers sold out on the first day. More than £387,000 were spent on the first day in Nova Scotia, one of the smallest provinces in Canada.

As a result, Thailand, where marijuana was always strictly prohibited, decided to consider this legislation. 72% of Thais supported the idea to legalise cannabis for medical use.

As of November 1st, doctors in the UK will be allowed to prescribe cannabis to patients. Steve Rolles, a drug policy expert, claimed that the UK would legalise recreational marijuana in five years. He thinks that it is better to put the government in control of the cannabis supply than gangsters.

What are the advantages of cannabis?

• It is believed to help stop cancer from spreading in the early stages or to slow it down.
• Marijuana may be able to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and help reduce epileptic seizures.
• People who suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, chronic pain and depression also can use cannabis as it can help with all these issues.
• The feelings of euphoria, relaxation and sensitivity.

What are the disadvantages of cannabis?

• Weed can cause depression, mental problems and forms of memory loss.
• A person can start to feel anxiety and paranoia. Cannabis could be a reason for testicular cancer and respiratory disease.
• But the terrifying effects of weed are hallucinations, trouble concentrating and a decreased ability to perform tasks. This can lead to dangerous situations, like car crashes.

Researchers from Dalhousie University found that people are almost two times more likely to cause a transport accident if they consume cannabis within three hours of driving.

Words: Victoria Naumova | Subbing: Victoria Locke