An article in the Star (http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=293832) claims:

SHEFFIELD has a staggering 3,000 crack and heroin addicts desperate for a fix at any one time.

The so-called "chaotic" addicts are among 15,000 drug users and are blamed by police for the majority of robberies, raids, street crime, break-ins and thefts. The figures [are] produced by Sheffield's Drug Action Team last year and highighted by South Yorkshire Police .

They are released at a time when Sheffield Council revealed that its street ambassadors have collected 887 discarded syringes in just 10 weeks this year from the city centre alone.


I didn't realise things were this bad. Perhaps I'm naive.

What can be done?

Originally posted by "Andy"

An article in the Star (http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=293832) claims:

SHEFFIELD has a staggering 3,000 crack and heroin addicts desperate for a fix at any one time.

The so-called "chaotic" addicts are among 15,000 drug users and are blamed by police for the majority of robberies, raids, street crime, break-ins and thefts. The figures [are] produced by Sheffield's Drug Action Team last year and highighted by South Yorkshire Police .

They are released at a time when Sheffield Council revealed that its street ambassadors have collected 887 discarded syringes in just 10 weeks this year from the city centre alone.


I didn't realise things were this bad. Perhaps I'm naive.

What can be done?

Well, firstly by having a proper crackdown in Drug crime and I don't just mean raid a few clubs having given them pryor notice.

I agree - and then they need to make sure the drug dealers are properly punished (ie put in prison where they can't inflict their evil trade on anyone).

Still - the article does answer another question that's been asked several times - we've found out what the City Ambassadors do...

I work in Exchange Street below the Market Tavern which is a very well known haven for drug traffickers where discarded needles littering the gutters and alley nearby are visible at times. A stabbing and reported shooting took place on Tuesday 11th March attracted a very large police presence and a massive raid took place at this pub on Wed 12th March with a large number of police entering the pub and sealing off Exchange Street to traffic. It is time something was done to close down this 'outlet' and protect the people who work in the immediate area. :!:

As part of my Utopian Plan on my website, the police would be given special powers to destroy them all.
We could then use their bodies to make Soylent Green. Or something...

Legalise all drugs.

The drugs in themselves are rarely particularly harmful, it is the societal attitude, stigmatisation and illegality of the substances that contibutes most to their harmful effects.

People have sought to change their conciousness since humans first appeared on the scene, using all and any means possible, not just drugs.

Whilst drugs are illegal, they fall 'outside the system' which means that no-one really knows who is taking how much of what and what the effects are. Plus the country is haemorrhaging money onto the black market which in turn funds organised crime and international terror.

It is time to take control of the drugs issue, and to look beyond simply trying to treat the symptoms (drug use).

There is a serious attempt to lobby for these changes, but we are working against a body of recieved wisdom that has its basis in fear, not fact.

Originally posted by "Phanerothyme"

Legalise all drugs.

I kind of agree... but to be more specific, I think we should license all(?) drugs... i.e. like we license booze: so only certain shops can sell the stuff. That way you can still deal with the black market, etc...

Its not just large areas like Sheffield which are affected though ! I live in a small community and work in a pharmacy which operates a needle exchange scheme and a methodone programme . I am sick of the abuse that we face and the constant harrasment . I have been involved in a scary situation where I was cornered by a drug addict brandishing a scissors . I wish I could suggest an answer but I would be naive to think its that simple . But I do think that it is time that the government got tough . Our local inspector made a very contreversial staement to the press saying if it was up to him he have them all shot for the crime sprees they create .

Drugs are illegal, just like murder. If the penalty is harsh enough, then people won't do it. We need to have stiffer punishments for users and dealers.

Originally posted by "alchresearch"

Drugs are illegal, just like murder. If the penalty is harsh enough, then people won't do it. We need to have stiffer punishments for users and dealers.
I don't agree with that, because if you're addicted to herorin for example then you're going to go to any length to get your hands on it no matter what the consiquence.

Originally posted by "alchresearch"

Drugs are illegal, just like murder. If the penalty is harsh enough, then people won't do it. We need to have stiffer punishments for users and dealers.

Naturally you are not attempting to equate drugs with murder. Maybe the crime of speeding would be more appropriate.

By increasing the penalties for drug use, you increase the risk to the dealers, force the street price up, increase the amount of theft and associated crime needed to support a habit, and you increase the amount of grief for everyone.

Unless you plan to execute all drug users (about 10% of the population), then you mean sending them to prison, one of the best places in the world to acquire a habit.

But then again prohibition worked in the US in the 20s. Oh no, wait, my mistake, it was a dismal failure.

Phanerothyme, I totally agree with your postings, there is a great LACK of information reaching the public at large.
People are basing their judgements on their fear of drugs, therefore the obvious solution to legalise and attempt to regulate/licence drugs does seem very radical to the majority (am I right in saying "the majority"??)

The drugs which cause most problems of crime and healthcare funding are, of course, cigarettes and alcohol. It seems the aforementioned majority are too busy with these two problems to be concerned with seriously considering the actual (lack of) health and social risks associated with the currently illegal drugs.

By the way, I quite legally alter the way my mind and body works on a regular basis... by including coffee, chocolate and bird's eye chilli peppers in my weekly shop... and using them of course, just buying them didn't give me enough of a buzz.

Now where is the harm in allowing me to buy the necessary seeds and equipment to enable me to grow herbs that I could put to personal benefit?
I am told that a law passed in the last century to allow the development of synthetic nylons in preference to the world's biggest secret natural wonder plant has led to the misinformed state we now find ourselves.

It seems kind of frustrating that occasional media interest in "the truth" about currently illegal drugs tends to do little to change the opinion of that (same) majority.

Yes, let's legalise drugs, the govt can then place heavy tax levies on them, like they do alcohol and tobacco, so more money can be pumped back into the ensuing healthcare, policing etc !!!!

One of the difficulties encountered in steps towards regulating and legalizing the main recreational drug, cannabis, is the fact that it can be grown. Weed, man. Why buy from your neighbourhood Amsterdam-style coffeeshop when for a modest investment, you could harvest a crop to rival their quality?

It would be very difficult to tax something that can be grown at home. Actually it would not be possible. This has been cited as being probably the main reason the government are at a standstill whenever the legalization argument pops up.

If you can't tax it, then there is no control.

Cannabis could be legalised, growing it, buying it, smoking it !
What about the higher classes of drugs though ?

I'm am interested to know what people think about Ecstasy. I don't know anything about taking drugs as I have never took one in my life but people who I know have taken Esctasy always argue to me that it's causes less deaths than booze and doesn't cause half as much trouble. I find this hard to believe because numbers wise Ecstasy uses in the minority compared to booze. It always seems ot be in the news that someone has been killed with Ecstasy and often it's just a single tablet...

The difficulty with street drugs, such as ecstasy, heroin, cocaine etc, is that is is nearlyimpossible for the user to determine what it is they are taking.

Composition, purity and adulterants all affect the effect of the drug and because they remain illegal, there is no way of ensuring the purity or quality of the drug in question.

Ecstasy is a phenomenally safe drug in the short term (in comparison with, say, paracetamol or lariam. However, it is a drug that causes a rise in blood pressure, heartbeat etc, as well as temporarily retarding kidney function. These side effects in combination with susceptible individuals can cause tragedies.

Leah Betts died from drinking too much water when her kidneys were not doing their job, due to an ectsasy tablet she took - a victim both of the drug and of misinformation.

Legalisation and licenced trade would do much to obviate any tragic occurences, since drugs could be sold with full counselling and possibly even a cursory medical and med history check.

Ecstasy manufacturers are not pharmaceutical companies, they are young organic chemists with connections to organised crime. They make tablets that contain all sorts of things, MDMA, MDA, TMA-1, Ketamine, Heroin, Caffeine, Pseudoephedrine. The user has no idea what is in their tablet, and is ill prepared for the effects. This is another cause of 'ectsasy deaths'. The substance itself, MDMA, which is sometimes even found in ecstasy pills, is mildly toxic, but not very harmful in and of itself (in a typical 100mg dose).

There are literally hundreds of phenethylamine drugs, like ectsasy - all with different (or no) effects. Some are a great deal less toxic to the liver and brain, but yet again, research into this topic is cut off due to the illegality of all phenethylamines, whether they have been invented or not (that's right, the UK and US governments have criminalised non-existent drugs (like Cake!) simply on the basis that they might be 'hallucinogenic'. the fact that they provide a medical armoury in the treatment of mental problems and psychiatry is seemingly unimportant)

Ecstasy does cause less deaths than booze or cigarettes because far fewer people pop pills than smoke or drink. But even if you look at the adjusted figures (i.e deaths & injuries per 1000 users), ectsasy is still less dangerous than paracetamol.

The dangers from ectsasy seem to be medium term and psychological, with frequent users reporting depression, and other psychological problems. This aspect of ecstasy use has not been fully researched, largely due to its illegality.

But alcohol is the one drug that this country really has a problem with.

As for trying to sell cannabis in, say, packs of 20 'spliffs', as an earlier poster pointed out, since growing cannabis is so easy, most people would opt for that route, rather than buying some heavily taxed product manufactured by existing tobacco companies.

I think the model for home brew beer is a good one. You can go to the cafe and purchase small amounts for smoking on or off the premises. You can go to an 'off-licence' and purchase amounts for smoking elsewhere, or you can grow your own. Lots of people will go to cafes and off licences to get their weed, because they have just run out and their crop won't be ready for another six weeks.

I think we're deviating from the original point. It is generally recognised that cannabis is acceptable in todays society and it is just a matter of time before it is legalised.

In terms of the physically addictive drugs such as crack cocaine and heroin which, as stated in the original post, fuel the majority of street crime, burglaries and raids in the area. Legalisation is obviously not the answer. Making these drugs even more accessible than they already are would be the beginning of the end. These drugs have the potential to turn 'normal' tonnages into irrational thinking single-minded criminals. What needs to be implemented is a standard drug policy across the country, along with the infiltration of the criminal gangs higher up the ladder who are bringing these life crushing drugs into the country. It is a very difficult situation, although I do not have the answer, I feel we should move away from the 'lock them up and throw away the key' policy that some local authorities take and move towards treating these sorts of addictions the same way we treat the mentally ill, as this is effectively what they are.

Sorry to ramble on!

Tom :D

Originally posted by "Michael_W"

Cannabis could be legalised, growing it, buying it, smoking it !
What about the higher classes of drugs though ?

Dunno if this is worth another thread or what so I posted it here.

Does Cannbis make you thick? The general idea of my friends is that persistant use can make you 'slow', for lack of a better word.

If this is true, what amount do you reckon it would take for someone to be affected?

Thanks.

This event maybe of interest....

"July Cafe Scientifique

Monday 12 July 2004
7.00pm, Showroom Cinema, Paternoster Row, Sheffield

'Ecstasy: What's all the Fuss?'
Professor Pete Redgrave, Department of Psychology, University
of Sheffield

There is accumulating evidence in the neuroscience literature that
the recreational drug ecstasy may have toxic effects on parts of the
brain. There is currently much debate on whether such effects are
likely to apply also to humans, if so, how long they may last, and
whether each weekend young people in the clubs are putting their
hands up to be the guinea pigs.

Cafe Scientifique is a public forum for debating science."

Nomme

I find it strange that the Niche in town is well known to be full of drugs yet all they do is stand armed police out side it!!! If its a known hot spot why dont they do away with it.

Supose theirs the fact that where will all the druggies/dealers go then???

Does Cannbis make you thick? The general idea of my friends is that persistant use can make you 'slow', for lack of a better word.

The short answer is yes. Long term use (more or less daily for months at a time) does make you slower. It basically saps your motivation, makes you lethargic. Much less motivated to do things and get on with your life. Oh, and it knackers your short term memory. Sorry, nearly forgot that one. None of these things is permenent, and most people have to smoke a lot regulrly to get these effects.

Since Blunkett de-classified cannabis, The drug situation has worsened. He would never admit this though. There are more dealers in cannabis now than ever, These dealers also sell LSD TABS, WIZZ etc. Most of the stuff that they sell is dirty with additives ie. Warfarin. Now we have more kids 12 / 13 years old smoking this rubbish. I see them every day. Even in the corner of a certain school yard. Many of these kids are turning paranoid, Some are mixing dope with booze. It is becoming epidemic and no-one seems to care. I know. I care for my nephew, He has a good job, A good home ( Mine ). He does not go short of anything. I have tried all ways to stop him smoking dope. He has become a nightmare to look after. He is paranoid, He is nasty and arrogant to me. I feel as if I should out him, But I cannot do this. I have tried to get help, To no avail. I have had dealers dealt with ? ?. I go through a lot of misery, I am not a well man myself. I see first hand what unclean dope does. I would shoot every dealer, But, At the moment this is being done by them to each other. I am sick to the teeth of do-gooders that encourage dope smoking by saying it does not do any harm. I am sick of all those that want to legalise this sick stuff. Maybe if you lived with the affects of the bad side of drugs. Then you may think different..

No-one here is denying that drugs cause damage. I would simply refute the notion that prohibition is a sensible way of dealing with it precisely because it does all end up in the hands of people whose crimes are not limited to dealing drugs.

We don't often hear reports of doctors or pharmacists gunning each other down in the street.

Ok where do I start, firstly as I’ve already said in a thread, I smoke cannabis on a more than regular basis, well everyday!

I’ve taken quite a lot of drugs in the past 4 years of drug taking, to people who ask I am always truthful, I aint gona hide the fact because in my eyes drugs have made me a much better person that what I could have been & I’ve learnt sooo much more about myself that I would have never found out if it went for certain drugs. I’ve done ecstasy, I’m not stupid, I know the health risks & when I first started taking drugs I did (& still do) as much research on them as I could especialy XTC, & this is the problem with young people today. They do no research & take the drug ‘blindfolded’ & far from saving young people from harm, much of the so-called drugs education has confused users by trying to scare them, rather than explain the dangers and how to avoid them. MDMA does not cause any harm to the body or brain if taken sparingly, EG once a month not every weekend!

You cannot die from taking XTC, it is not MDMA that kills you or the added extras which could be anything brick dust for example. You die on XTC by drinking too little or too much, the body depends on water while on this substance & leah betts made repeated trips to the bathroom to drink water. Then when her mum (stepmum?) who was a nurse & school drug advisor found her foming from the mouth in the bathroom, then again forced water down her neck to try & counteract the drug. Doctors & advisors now advise that XTC users (including myself) fill a two litre bottle with water & add two teaspoons of salt for every litre, or drink isotonic sports drinks, or diluite pop, if taken in excessive amounts these could lead to swelling in the body tissues but would not cause swelling of the brain because they would maintain plasma sodium levels.

XTC has very many positives that non users don’t know & cant relate too. Just as LSD unlocks doors in your mind, XTC helps you to understand who you are, what you want & where you want to go with your life. I wouldn’t be doing what I am today if I had never taken the drug, & if I had never taken it, then I suspect I would still be doing what I was before I too the drug, which was jumping from job to job!

Originally posted by oxbeast
The short answer is yes. Long term use (more or less daily for months at a time) does make you slower. It basically saps your motivation, makes you lethargic. Much less motivated to do things and get on with your life. Oh, and it knackers your short term memory. Sorry, nearly forgot that one. None of these things is permenent, and most people have to smoke a lot regulrly to get these effects.

smoking cannabis does not knacker your short term memory (as you put it). many people think this, that smoking cannabis is going to make you thick, stupid & forgetful because this is a scare tactic used in drug education in schools, I can remember everything as normal, I’m no less forgetful than I was before I started smoking cannabis. You are more forgetful while stoned but as soon as you have slept everything is back to normal, although you may have forgot how you got to bed that night!

Originally posted by Rodgers
Since Blunkett de-classified cannabis, The drug situation has worsened. He would never admit this though. There are more dealers in cannabis now than ever, These dealers also sell LSD TABS, WIZZ etc. Most of the stuff that they sell is dirty with additives ie. Warfarin. Now we have more kids 12 / 13 years old smoking this rubbish. I see them every day. Even in the corner of a certain school yard. Many of these kids are turning paranoid, Some are mixing dope with booze. It is becoming epidemic and no-one seems to care. I know. I care for my nephew, He has a good job, A good home ( Mine ). He does not go short of anything. I have tried all ways to stop him smoking dope. He has become a nightmare to look after. He is paranoid, He is nasty and arrogant to me. I feel as if I should out him, But I cannot do this. I have tried to get help, To no avail. I have had dealers dealt with ? ?. I go through a lot of misery, I am not a well man myself. I see first hand what unclean dope does. I would shoot every dealer, But, At the moment this is being done by them to each other. I am sick to the teeth of do-gooders that encourage dope smoking by saying it does not do any harm. I am sick of all those that want to legalise this sick stuff. Maybe if you lived with the affects of the bad side of drugs. Then you may think different..

I’m sorry but if your nephew treats you this bad, & is paranoid that much then he is on something much stronger than dope. I’ve been using cannabis the longest I’ve used any drug, since I was 12y/o. what do you mean by unclean dope, do you mean resin? Cannabis does not make you a nasty person, dosent make you paranoid, or aragant, it may make you lathargic & tired & a little paranoid (not to the extent your saying, only harder drugs do that & you have to be a regular user to make you that paranoid).

Cannabis does do more good than harm, allowing cannabis to be smoked at football matches reduces the amount of violence as your too stoned & cant be bothered as Euro 04 proved. As it would if allowed to be smoked in bars & clubs on a Saturday night, it would reduce alcohol related fights in town. Then I hear you say health risk, yes cannabis is a health risk if smoked, causing tar on the lungs just as regular smoking, so why not vapourise it, eat it or drink it?! non of those pose any health risks! Alcohol causes more health risk than cannabis & causes 1000’s more deaths per year! some people go for a drink after work to wind down or relax, i smoke a couple of joints! You arnt gona stop your nephew from smoking, the more you push him to stop the more he is gona rebel & smoke dope, simple really. The more you tell a child to stop doing something the more they do it!

The dope dealers that you know, the ones that sell LSD, if this is true, send em my way as I think its very unlikely that they sell this drug as is extreamly rare to get hold of now & has been for 4 years or so!