Secondly, I don't like they way they say "admitted", as though it is something she needs to hold her hands up. I think it is irrelevant to anything she has said publicly, and I agree with Dame Runciman when she says asking about it is "remakably intrusive".Dame Ruth Runciman has never publicly admitted that she has a family member whose life has been affected by drugs, despite her liberal stance on cannabis.
But on the day the Government formally starts a review which could upgrade cannabis to a class B drug, the Standard can reveal that a relative has fought drug addiction for years.
She actually believes drug possession should not be an imprisonable offense. It's a subtle difference and most people would probably figure out her actual position but it bugs me. I don't know if it is an attempt to deliberately mislead, or just bad journalism.Runciman, who believes no users of illegal drugs should be imprisoned, insists that ...
I cannot see how Dame Runciman's opinions on one drug could be compromised by her experiences with another entirely different drug. It's like saying my opinion on crack cocaine has been influenced by my alcoholic father.
Totally irresponsible, methinks.
I seem to be alone, apart from my beloved in being out of step with modern culture - smoking splifs. Alas I have to admit that I smoke the occasional demonised illegal fag (I know I shouldn't) and even worse, than that I have been known, occasionaly to indulge in strong alcohol, serious stuff indeed.
Alas the splif eludes me, always has, always will.
- Drew., Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway.
Yes Richard grow up, a mature person would never be honest when asked a question by a journalist.Well this should stop young people smoking cannabis and doing coke and E. Far from being a trend setter it's well known that when oldies like Branson do drugs it's no longer cool.
So grow up Richard. You're in your 60's now for goodness sake.
- Stephanie James, London, England
stop broadcasting thenWhy is everyone jumping on this owning-up-to-drugs bandwagon? Is it to appear cool? Or is it to gain some street cred? It's a complete mystery to me. I indulged in the odd spliff in my youth (not that long ago, thankfully), but I have no overwhelming urge to broadcast it to all and sundry.
- David, Brighton
It doesn't seem right, telling one of the world's most successful businessmen that some of us have got to work, you know.Maybe this is ok and you have plenty of money; some people have to get up the next morning and then go to work. This is not a good example Branson has been less than wise...
- Mike May, Egham
His conclusion is extremeThey [people that say alcohol is worse than cannabis] also ignore the fact that people do not get bopped on the head in the street and robbed because a mugger desperately needs money to buy his fix of dry sherry: but they do get bopped because someone wants to get the cash to buy some drugs.
They ignore, too, the link between using cannabis and going on to use something harder. Many of us have drunk alcohol for years without feeling the slightest urge to use illegal drugs as a result.
The feedback is negative by a vast majorityI have mentioned here before that the Chinese way, of taking out convicted drug dealers and shooting them, has something to commend it. Sadly, that won't happen: instead we shall have drugs gangs going around shooting each other, as happens now in our cities all the time.
He should go back to the Mail where this sort of thing would be well received.Will Lewis, I believe you are editor. Please read this article and review the comments below it.
The credablity of your newspaper has been damaged because you alowed such an atrocious article to be published.
I started reading this newspaper fairly recently. I love the online content. I was never a Telegrah readers before.
If I ever read any article that is filled with such apalling journalistic standards and ignorant views then I wll never read this newspaper again...
Shame on you Mr Lewis for letting this be published... It is your responsibility...
Posted by Garry White on July 28, 2007 5:26 PM
You don't get letters like that in the Mail...Skunk too strong? Use less! We drink pints of lager, but shots of whisky, for a reason. The hysteria around stronger strains of cannabis is a scare tactic. Buy a smaller bong, man.
Chris May
Hebden Bridge, West Yorks
I just picked this part out, despite reading the whole article and seeing so many judgemental and shit-stirring rants. The part with this quote that annoys me is that many of the DM reading types seem to think that when they read a story about a granny who was mugged in order to buy money for drugs, or a shop that was raided to pay for drugs, they immediately think of it when the cannabis discussion arises. From my experience, and from reading reliable news sources, I believe that stoners do not go out and rob people to get a fix. If a crime is drug-related, it is usually people with crack or heroin addictions that are stealing to pay for a fix. Also, he doesn't explicitly use the word 'cannabis' but instead "but they do get bopped because someone wants to get the cash to buy some drugs" - almost admitting the fact that he is spuriously concocting his argument.They [people that say alcohol is worse than cannabis] also ignore the fact that people do not get bopped on the head in the street and robbed because a mugger desperately needs money to buy his fix of dry sherry: but they do get bopped because someone wants to get the cash to buy some drugs.
- By davidjay