# FILE NAME: 00001213.soc
# TITLE: Should the law on cannabis be relaxed? [035c3126913102b1ed496008fd0ee1e7]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 3
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - 'We believe that the law on cannabis should be relaxed. This is because cannabis is much less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes. It can be used to treat medical conditions such as chronic pain. Cannabis is also widely used socially and does not cause serious problems to individuals and society when used in moderation. Currently the illegality of cannabis has created a market for the black market which often leads to serious crime.' As we can see, although all participants are well-meaning and reasonable, it was only by debating the issues that a consensus view was reached and a compromise position arrived at.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - In general, the group was in favour of relaxing the law on cannabis. This was for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was felt that the current laws on cannabis were too strict and that the law should reflect the fact that cannabis is a relatively harmless drug. Secondly, it was felt that the current laws on cannabis were ineffective and that cannabis was widely available and used. Thirdly, it was felt that cannabis could have medical benefits and that the current laws were preventing research into this. However, it was also felt that cannabis should not be legalised completely as this could lead to cannabis being more widely available and more widely used. It was felt that this could lead to cannabis being more harmful and that it could lead to people using cannabis who would not otherwise have done so. It was felt that cannabis should be legalised for medical use but that it should not be legalised for recreational use.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - In general, the group was in favour of relaxing the law on cannabis.  However, we felt that the law should not be relaxed in relation to driving under the influence of cannabis as this is a danger to other road users.  Also, we felt that cannabis should not be made freely available to children and young people as this could lead to the development of mental health problems.  We also felt that cannabis should not be made freely available to people with a history of mental health problems.  The law should be relaxed in relation to people using cannabis for medical purposes.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - Although cannabis is a non-addictive substance with a low-risk of long-term health problems and can be used in the treatment of some mental health conditions, we believe that there are more effective medical treatments for these conditions that don’t come with the risks that cannabis use carries. The health risks associated with cannabis use are also not as great as other commonly used drugs (e.g. alcohol).
2: 1,2,3,4
2: 2,1,3,4
1: 3,4,2,1