Why the United Kingdom ought to think about decriminalizing cannabis in the same way as Germany did

A new piece of legislation that decriminalizes cannabis has been passed by the central government of Germany. A person who is over the age of 18 is permitted to possess up to 25 grams of cannabis for personal use and to cultivate up to three plants in their own homes under this regulation. In addition, beginning in July 2024, inhabitants of Germany will have the opportunity to become members of cannabis social clubs or growers organizations that are not-for-profit and in which plants are grown in large quantities for the benefit of members.

The government of the United Kingdom, on the other hand, continues to uphold the prohibition of cannabis, in contrast to the majority of Western nations, such as Malta, Canada, and several states in the United States, which have gradually made cannabis more accessible in recent years. Concerns about the potential adverse effects on mental health that are connected with cannabis use are cited by the government of the United Kingdom as a rationale for its support of prohibition. Cannabis and the state of one’s mind

The association between cannabis and mental health issues, such as psychosis, has been the subject of a significant amount of research. However, because doing such research would be unethical, there has been no attempt to demonstrate a causal link between the two. Cannabis, on the other hand, has been shown to contribute significantly to the development of psychosis. Based on the research, it appears that certain individuals may be more susceptible to developing psychosis as a result of their use of cannabis than others.

Even though these health risks are experienced by several organizations in Germany, this has not prevented legislative reform from occurring. Providing information regarding the potency of cannabis as well as any potential impurities will be a part of the German cannabis clubs’ commitment to quality control as part of their overall philosophy.

The research reveals that there is a dose-response relationship, which is an association between the amount ingested and the incidence of effect, between the intensity and frequency of cannabis use and the likelihood of developing disorders such as psychosis. This is an important finding since it confirms the hypothesis that there is a connection between the two. Psychosis is a relatively uncommon occurrence among cannabis users, especially when compared to the overall population of people who use the drug. According to the findings of one study, more than 10,000 men and 29,000 women between the ages of 20 and 24 would need to be avoided from smoking cannabis in order to prevent the development of psychosis in a single individual.

Therefore, the risk that cannabis poses to one’s mental health is not particularly high. Tobacco and alcohol are regulated, but they are hazardous. While cannabis is not subject to regulation in the UK, alcohol is. The limits that were placed on its use have been reduced in recent years, despite the fact that they still exist. In the same way that cannabis poses risks to mental health, drinking alcohol also poses risks to one’s mental health.

As a result of heavy alcohol consumption, there is a significant chance of acquiring depression; approximately one in two people will experience depression. The dangers that alcohol poses to a person’s mental health are, therefore, greater than those that are posed by cannabis, despite the fact that alcohol is regulated or legal.