Why I Started a Government Petition to Ban Alcohol (and then had a beer to celebrate it going live)
By Chris Shaw
August the 26th and I awaken to find an e-mail sitting in my inbox from the Government. At first I was a little worried. I try and stay out of the Government’s way as much as possible, but I read on and realised they finally responded to the “Make the production, sale and use of cannabis legal” petition that I signed weeks ago and, to be honest, I was very, very annoyed.
Official Government response to over 200,000 UK residents calling for cannabis to be legalised.
I understand the Government’s response. Getting drug policy right in this country won’t get you votes from middle England, where the Tories and Labour have been fighting it out since the 90’s. If anything the Government’s response will help them with that base. Even though a 2013 Ipsos MORI poll suggests that 53% of the UK population support either legalisation or decriminalization of cannabis, we still have a lot of anti-cannabis hysteria in 21st century Britain, mainly thanks to right-wing news organizations and a lack of public figures that call for more liberal laws on drugs.
Another reason is because of big money interests. Do you think big pharmaceutical companies would be happy with a freely available medicine for many ailments to become free to use for anyone? And big booze companies that own the intoxicant market? No they would be livid. It’s not like politicians don’t know what the right thing to do when it comes to drugs laws. David Cameron, as a member of the home affairs select committee on drug misuse, said back in 2002 ‘I ask the Labour Government not to return to retribution and war on drugs, that has been tried and we all know that it does not work.’
Another reason why I understood the response (and let’s keep it real here guys) is that cannabis is a mind altering intoxicate, which can cause adverse effects and health issues in some people. Every substance has different effects on different people, but that’s all a reason for legalization; and none of the health or social issues associated with cannabis are as bad than the ones associated with alcohol.
So when I read the response to the cannabis petition I had a little think … all of their talking points where the same ones they used in America in the 1920’s to push through probation of alcohol. So what if you were replace the word cannabis and swapped it with alcohol? Would it still make sense? I did it and, guess what, it made perfect sense! So I then decided that I would take this straight to the Government in form of a petition to ban alcohol and make it a Class A drug
Please sign and see what the Government has to say – https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/106811
Now hardly anybody reading this is likely to believe banning alcohol would be a good idea, most of all me. It would bring violence and organised crime to our streets. People would flaunt the laws and start making dodgy batches of booze in their baths with anti-freeze and other such dangerous additives, which people would happily put up with just to get their fix and children will be freely available to start buying alcohol due to fact that no one will care about an ID. Do any of these talking points seem familiar to you?
The point of this petition is not to get alcohol banned for the same reasons we say cannabis shouldn’t be banned. It’s to point out government hypocrisy. The same hypocrisy we’ve been putting up with for years. If the government is happy to say drink responsibly, then why can’t we smoke responsibly?
Weed is 114 times less deadly than alcohol – http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/weed-is-114-times-less-deadly-than-alcohol-study-finds-10066496.html
So please sign my petition. We only need 10,000 signatures to get a response from the Government and that’s all we need to show people they do not really care about our health, but rather their interests and with this petition we can point this out to the wider public and help our cause.
In case you missed it, you can sign online here – https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/106811… remember this is about highlighting Government hypocrisy over cannabis laws, not seriously proposing the introduction of alcohol prohibition in the UK and to see what they say in view of their response to the cannabis petition.
Weed Man 420 
I would like it controlled more if not banned… Alcohol is lethal
I had that idea this morning you beat me to it lol
I hope this gets the signatures needed quickly!
Alcohol has had huge negative impacts on my life. Even if I’m not drinking myself, other people drinking disrupt my life
Wot really gets to me that weed is less harmful then booze, but because the government drink that’s OK for them. They need 2 do what the USA have done and legalise it and crack down on hard drugs but thay will not coz the government are a joke thay will go to war where army men and women are killed, but that’s OK with Cameron he is a big joke!
Nice one 🙂
I made an appeal on my MSVideoDiary page on facebook about this, I hope it helps!
here’s the link if you’re interested.. https://www.facebook.com/MsVideoDiary/posts/972053279508341
You hit the nail on the head. Everything you say is so true. I know the affects of smoking cannabis, the harmful side and the pleasurable side. I’ve also lived with alcohol controlling my family’s lives and I’ve seen the devistation it brings, out of the 2 i know which one I’d rather have legized which would be cannabis all the way. Alcohol is intoxicating to the point where you don’t have full control over mind and body where as consuming cannabis, your still sound of mind and control. Legalize 420!!!!!
Signed the petition and shared it, as well as sharing the link to this page.
Let’s see what happens! (Although, let’s face it, they’ll respond with a load of bullshit like they did to the other petition, which I was also angry about after reading the email, by the way)
Boom shakklaaa boom boom, problem solved.
Signed your petition. How the hell these clowns can STILL keep trotting out the same old bullshit about weed being harmful despite all the evidence which they continue to ignore is beyond belief. There have been numerous scientific studies made by someof the most influential medical and educational establishments of weed and other naturally growing plants which prove their harmlessness as well as medicinal use, yet these moronic bellends, who we allow to control us, still insist they are bad for our health and wellbeing. All that being said though, is it any wonder these crooks want to keep weed illegal when a rather large number of these ignorant fools sit on the boards of the huge pharmaceutical companies, distilleries and breweries?
Yep, I also had this idea, just didn’t follow through – Good on you… Signed and shared!
This really put a smile on my face
Top marks, dude!
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It’s all about money isn’t it. As always.
Brilliant idea,.. a bit of reverse psychology should stir pot, [excuse the pun] the old way of begging even grovelling to get this injustice of Cannabis illegality overturned has clearly not and never will work in the old format, it’s been futile and long over due, frustrating is an understatement to say the least, but nothing is ever going to get reversed until, ALL who actually want to see justice done, get up sit up stand up for your rights, and don’t give up the fight…. from all walks of life and cultures, where all in this together United we stand Divided we will always be chasing a never ending dream… true story
Great article man! It’s a shame that our government are so ignorant on the subject. I remember my highlight of the debate in parliament on weed legalisation was when an MP opposing the idea was asked why weed should be illegal when alcohol, a more dangerous drug, is perfectly legal. Only for the guy to respond “Well I don’t believe there is any evidence to support the claim that alcohol is more dangerous” (or something like that). Completely ridiculous!