Survey: 67% Support Legalising Use Of Cannabis
According to a recent survey, 67% of local residents expressed some level of support for legalising recreational cannabis use in Bermuda.
A spokesperson for TRA’s Bermuda Omnibus survey said, “Following the full legalisation of cannabis across Canada, and the growing number of US states who have relaxed cannabis restrictions, Bermuda residents were asked the extent to which they support or oppose legalising cannabis for recreational use in Bermuda.
“Two thirds overall express some level of support [67%], including three in ten who completely support legalisation [29%]. Three in ten are opposed to legal recreational cannabis to some degree [30%].
“Support for legalisation is largely consistent across the island and its demographic subgroups, though residents of Sandys/Southampton [57% support/38% oppose] and those aged 55 years and older [52% support/43% oppose] are relatively less supportive of legalisation.
“These results are part of TRA’s Bermuda Omnibus, a syndicated quarterly survey of public opinion in Bermuda, and are based on a telephone sample of 400 adults [18 years of age or older], conducted from December 11 and December 18, 2018. Overall results accurate to within ± 4.9 percentage points, 95 out of 100 times.”
Fine. But and when users encounter physical or mental health problems as a result of this risky recreational activity don’t expect the rest of us to pay for your treatment. You’re on your own.
You clearly don’t know enough about weed. Alcohol and Tabacco are 1000x more likely to cause damage but I do t hear you complaining about that
So if it’s risk free you should have nothing to worry about. Don’t expect others to pay when it affects health. It’s all on you.
Make sure when your time comes, if you are suffering from any ailment which cannabis can treat, that you inform your lawyer, pharmacist and doctor and tattoo explicit instructions on your chest that in no circumstance are you to receive any life saving measures by way of cannabis or any derivative thereof. You can get the pharmaceutical drugs you worship ( and I suspect may be currently addicted to) and I guess we will all pay for the plethora of side effect induced medical problems which you will undoubtably develop.
There’s a difference between medical use and widespread recreational use. You idiots love confusing the two.
I believe their judgement may be ‘clouded’. Pun intended.
There is a difference between using it for medical purposes and using it for recreation.
Huge frikkin difference.
So when you use it for recreation, do it at your own risk. Don’t ask the rest of us to pay for it,
Just give up with the anti-herb hysteria, you have lost the battle you little pathetic, ganjaphobic moron. Try going after commercially refined and processed (crap) foods, cancer sticks, coffin varnish and over, or unnecessarily, prescribed drugs, all which sicken and kill millions worldwide annually, all of which WE ALL have to pay for.
No. You want to use “ganga”, you’re telling everyone it’s a safe thing to do. So you take the risk. Not me. You pay for the consequences, not me. If it makes people sick, you pay, not me.
If it’s as safe as you say, why are you calling people names? Something wrong with you?
We pay for the poor choices that causes people who drink to get sick. How do you feel about that?
WE have to function as a society accepting the reasonable risks taken by each other. We do not however have to accept the additional financial risks of recklessly taking recreational drugs with completely unknown consequences. If you do that, you’re on your own.
So you think drinking alcohol is an acceptable risk, when it has been shown to cause numerous health issues? I call that cherry picking, just like you did with the article Sage produced. How does the whole “you are on your own” thing work anyway? I don’t want to pay for health issues related to recreational alcohol drinking. How can I opt out like you think you can?
Tell that to uncle Bob Marley you fool.
Bermuda doesn’t have universal healthcare? How would you pay for any of the ailments on the island?
So you want to take risks and make other peo0le pay for it. Got it.
Riding a bike is a risk, but people still do it.
Riding a bike is an understandable risk. Taking cannabis is not. No one knows the long term effects. So if you do that, you’re on your own.
How about drinking alcohol?
Cannabis is medicine, without the dangerous side-effects of pharmaceuticals.
According to many biblical scholars, “kaneh-bosen” was/is Cannabis (Marijuana).
Most of the diseases mentioned as being healed miraculously after anointing are, curiously, the same ones that cannabis can heal today. Things like epilepsy, leprosy, and “crooked limbs” (an obvious reference to multiple sclerosis).
Who has an issue with medicinal herb ? No-one that I know of . Just don’t try to conflate recreational use with medicinal . Two completely different issues. And I AM for reform before anyone else wants to accuse me of being some sort of small minded individual.
Can you keep the two issues separate ? ?
Any use medicinal or otherwise is none of your,or governments, business.
Too bad you can’t take the same stance on other’s choice to drink responsibly.
It is if you expect me to pay for the financial consequences of people who get sick or have accidents because of it. Then it becomes my business.
Sorry but that is pure bollocks.
Clown…we do now .
#Question :: If you have no health insurance, there won’t be medical treatment for any ailments, risky or otherwise!
Hey “government” time to respect the will of the people and de-schedule cannabis, returning it to its rightful and legitimate place amongst all the other plants. No more excuses.
I want to have an opium field
Legalize all plants
I wholeheartedly am against the legalisation of Weed. Smokers get on the bus and as the old folk would say, “They humm”, sometimes people have to open windows to be able to breath. Smokers also get on the bus and the smell is so strong a bus driver many times has asked that whoever has the weed to please put it away and many riders appreciate her stand.
Go to a sporting event or a concert, if you turn around all you see is the plume of smoke and then the smell hits you.
You want to smoke, keep it in your home and change your clothes when you leave, Need to catch public transport but feel the need to smoke take a slow walk and hope to get a ride
The same argument can be made about cigarettes or people who don’t shower after exercising.
I am 100% for it being legal but there should be a law against public use, just like alcohol.
A very sensible reply that meets with my full agreement.
So you agree cannabis use carries some risk then. And you want other people to pay if it makes you sick. Or if you get in an accident caused by cannabis use.
So it isn’t “safe” then is it.
You are a pretty sensitive warrior .
because she is not a warrior at all.
But I am willing to bet he/she drinks like a fish.
Where was I when they did this survey? I’m all in. The Government would be silly to miss out on the money business opportunities and health benefits related to Cannabis
I won’t dispute it has pain-relieving effects and can relax people who might otherwise be over-excited or ‘hyper’, but let’s not kid ourselves- Inhaling the smoke from burning plants is not healthy for the human body!!
And that is what many “pro” weed people fail to grasp. Yes weed has medical benefits and i am wholeheartedly in support of legalization. Smoking it in any way is bad for u period. Its smoke and it kills u when inhaled. Weve come so far with how we can get the effects without smoking it tho so the pros outweigh the cons in my opinion. This country desperately needs money and this innitiative would put a decent dent in our debt. The problem is our “conservative” populous. They r so against anything new because some old guy at the epitome of racial turmoil some decades ago, said that it was bad with nothing to back up his claim, but everyone latched onto it as truth. This plant helps people. With proper rules and regulations it would be no different than alcohol. We will always have abusers tho. So up the penalties for breaking the rules.
Wrong.
1. It does NOT kill you when inhaled, never has and never will.
2. Cannabis owes this nation NOTHING, greedy politricksters created this debt and cannabis users should NOT be responsible to bail the rest of you out.
3. It is far different than and should not be treated on par with alcohol which kills many people, causes “wet brain” and is known to fuel violence, sexual assaults, multiple road deaths amongst many other very bad well known negatives..
4. The only regulation should be for use amongst under 18′s, no corporate or ganjaphobe/prohibitionist involvement and safety testing for medicinal supplied to the ailing.
5. Government is persecuting otherwise law-abiding citizens and along with ending ALL government involvement, restorative justice in the form of absolute dismissal of past charges, renumeration and a sincere apology.
6. Anti-herb conspirators should be tried for treason and imprisoned at hard labour for life.
*Wrong.
1. It does NOT kill you when inhaled, never has and never will.*
OK , I’ll take this one first , Mr Expert on all things herb . Please educate us as to why smoked cannabis is not considered as tobacco ? Let’s pretend that ‘tobacco’ as such had never been commercialized but instead we’ve been smoking herb for centuries. Are you telling us that there would NEVER have been any cancer related deaths from it ? Yes , or no will be fine .
Why , when I jokingly told my GP that I was going take up recreational herb because it’s good for you and cures everything, he told me that smoking PERIOD is dangerous ? Of course you’re going to now tell me that this Dr in a small practice on a rock in the middle of the Atlantic is in bed with big pharma. That’s a standard go to it seems ..lol
I’ll hold off on the others for a bit including the ridiculous #6 as I’m sure others will cut in.
Thank u toodle. As i said. The pro weeders just dont want to admit it. And before u attack again sage. Not sure how u think inhaling smoke isnt bad for u but ok lol. I am pro weed. I intake myself. But fully acknowledge that “Smoking” ie. lighting it on fire is NOT good for u lol. Go ahead and try to find credible data to the contrary. Proper scientific data, not some pothead activist who just wants to get high. Its smoke dude. It IS bad for u lol. People like u, who advocate the way u do, do no favors for the cause. Educate yourself a bit more. U seem to grasp what needs to be done but we all gotta be honest. INHALING ANY SMOKE (not vapor) is terrible for your lungs. Period
Google Donald Tashkin’s research on cannabis and lung cancer for me, please. Ganja smoke does NOT lead to cancer, COPD or emphysema, it alleviates asthma and bronchitis. If you drive a car you are pumping the atmosphere full of all kinds of toxins which have an adverse effect on humans animals and the environment, mostly eveyone does it and they don’t care about the effects.
Again, you’re talking bollocks.
Ok so going by his research and thank u for the eye opener because i wasnt even aware of this kind of study, it still proves the point that smoke is bad. His study’s participants had them pegged as “average” smokers who only indulged 2-3 times a month. That is not the average smoker here. Not even close lol. Heavy to modrate users saw lung function decrease even. And thats straight out of his mouth. Here it is even……”Marijuana may have beneficial effects on pain control, appetite, mood, and management of other chronic symptoms. Our findings suggest that occasional use of marijuana for these or other purposes may not be associated with adverse consequences on pulmonary function. It is more difficult to estimate the potential effects of regular heavy use, because this pattern of use is relatively rare in our study sample; however, our findings do suggest an accelerated decline in pulmonary function with heavy use and a resulting need for caution and moderation when marijuana use is considered.”
Thats how i determined it anyway.
Lung function decrease is not cancer or even COPD, did you miss the part where he said the study was initiated to confirm cannabis caused cancer but was proven wrong, and the fact that cannabis even has a “protective effect”? The reason you never heard of this research is because you buy the scare tactics used by prohibitionists. There are plenty more.
Seriously?! Lmao. I never said even one thing about cancer. Not once. Lol. The bottom line is that it DECREASES LUNG FUNCTION. Ie its not healthy to inhale the smoke. You r the only one talking about cancer. So he proved himself that “smoking” it is in fact bad for u
Dude did u even read the part where i said i partake regularly? Id smoke u under a table bro. Im fully in support of legalization period. Free it up tomorrow even and id be a happy camper. Im just not afraid to admit that “smoking it the way i do WILL decrease lung function lol
The Tashkin paper said they could not find a direct link between cannabis and increased rates of cancer. That was all.
It did NOT say it doesn’t cause COPD or emphysema. It also did NOT say it alleviates asthma and bronchitis. It did however say that it may have increased the likelihood of bronchitis.
Hardly a resounding endorsement of the safety of cannabis for widespread long term recreational use.
Thank you for impartial and reasoned response Anbu. Like I keep saying , I’m all for reform but the bs from ppl like sage is not helping people who are staunchly against or on the fence. I appreciate your honesty.
Please detail what bs I spread and disprove it. You praise Anbu, who claimed cannabis smoke “kills u when inhaled” which is bonafide BS, and I proved him wrong. No one needs to convince you or those staunchly against, because the majority want cannabis to be legal, you are in a minority, get used to it.
You did not prove me wrong lmao. The guy u told me to look up proved “you” wrong. It decreases lung function. Fact! Straight outta his mouth. Again. U r the only one on about cancer lol. But go ahead. Keep believing that inhaling smoke isnt bad for u. Hahaha. Wow. If u take the blinders off u would realize that we r in fact both proponents of the same cause. U r just spreading misinformation. Read the guys study again. It decreases lung function. In other words, you dont breathe as well if u smoke it.
So in your world a “decrease in lung function” equates to ” it kills you when inhaled”? I have never claimed there are no effects at all but of all forms of smoke it is among the least harmful and the effects are negligible especially in comparison to the legal alternative. You are spreading BS claiming cannabis smoke kills.
In sage’s world ‘decrease in lung function’ means ‘it cures bronchitis!’
Wow sage…… Lol just wow. U cant really be that thick can u? U know we need to breathe to live right? A decrease in lung function will result in a shorter life lol. So again. Yes. Inhaling smoke, any smoke including cannabis it seems. Can result in death. Or at least dying earlier. Maybe we should just agree to disagree as it seems to be going in circles lol. Or better yet, u win how about that? Feel better now?
You’re talking bollocks again. What caused that, I wonder?
Tell you what….why don’t you ask the Canadian government why they legalized recreational use of cannabis if the long term health effects were so detrimental that you refuse to help pay for anyone who gets sick from its use?
Canada has universal socialized health care. It would make no sense at all to legalise a dangerous substance like weed….right?
Now the next time you line up at KFC and notice an overweight person who orders up a bucket of fried chicken be aware, you help pay for all their treatment for diabetes, heart disease etc etc. Are you ok with that?
So you have no answer other than you want to do what foreigners do.
Hey, go ahead. Knock yourself out. But the financial consequences are going to be on you, the recreational drug users. There is no reason why the rest of us should pay your healthcare when this stuff harms you,
if it’s risk free, like you all say it is, you have nothing to worry about.
The problem is that we all know it is not risk free.
Actually it is you who has no answer to mine, and others, questions about alcohol. You simply dodge the question.
As to what “foreigners” do, based on your use of language with terms like “bollocks” I suspect you are a foreigner to this island. Canada is a huge country that has legalized weed. They have armies of doctors and scientists that studied the question and came up with an answer.
You have done nothing here except provide your own opinion. We all know what opinions are like, we all have them. Stop coming off like a know it all. You don’t.
No, I’m not a foreigner. I use the term to pi ss off you racists. It works doesn’t it.
There are no studies showing that cannabis is safe for widespread long term recreational use. That is just a fact of it. So if you want to use it, go ahead, but don’t expect the rest of us to pay for the consequences. You’re on your own.
I’m glad that the term ‘recreational’ has finally been clearly bought into the discussion as it’s seemed for a long time , too long , that there has been confusion between medical (which I have no doubt that anyone is against) and recreational , which is a totally different thing .
Bring it on , tax it and regulate it just like booze ! Plant or not it’s still a mind altering substance and I don’t want to be on the roads with anyone DUI .
You have no doubt that anyone is against medical use of cannabis but sick people are denied access, travelers with legitimate prescriptions are manhandled, intimidated and scolded over their medication, one poor lady, who even declared what she had, got 30 days in prison. If it is legal and you can just grow it, how are taxes necessary? What taxes do the local breweries pay? Furthermore booze kills a lot of people and leads to all kinds of violent and abhorrent behaviors whereas cannabis does not. If you don’t want to be on the roads with anyone DUI how come you don’t question how three nights of roadside sobriety checkpoints in 6 parishes can only net one offender, shouldn’t you be demanding they post up outside the many bars, nightclubs and restaurants where scores of people take a chance every single day?
We are not stupid people. we all know that alcohol kills more people than all other drugs combined. LEAGALIZE IT. It’s not a drug. It’s a plant.
‘Full legalization of cannabis across Canada’ is a phrase that is quite misleading because there are still restrictions regarding its use. It is legal to smoke cannabis in private residences, but still illegal to smoke cannabis in most public places in most Canadian cities, including hotel rooms.
Just legalise it.
Please.
it cant be just legalized because big companies will come in a take all the profit out of the country. we will just be importing like anything else. we need to get the local people to a point where they can compete with the big companies because right now there are no laws stopping companies from coming in a over powering the locals.
they will be supplying our visitors instead of us.
before it is legalized we need a lab or two in Bermuda that can do local testing for packaging labels. we also need the gov or what ever local establishment to have the medical supply in working order so that ground work is already set up for when the big companies from to step in.
if we legalized it right now Bermuda would not get the gain we want from. local things need to be setup first. the rest of the world already has a head start on us as far as research
We need our OWN weed like Bermy Gombey weed or Bermuda Triangle weed so we can grow it locally and market and sell both locally and internationally! Cmon Bermuda get behind this!
yes this is what we need but we don’t have any history because everything is imported. So a solution would be to partner with someone to sell us a good strain that we can call our own. it has to have affects that fit in well with the natural vibe of Bermuda. than we have our music super starts promote it in some songs. The name would also key. Bermuda Triangle has a lot of selling power on the internet because it is mysterious exotic and untamed.
something like Bermuda Triangle Mist. but before all of this we need to make sure the laws are in order so are visitors can enjoy it.
we need to pick up the pace though.
Sure. Legalize it. But, first ensure there’s a test that can be administered on site when there is a road accident. And testing will be required for bus drivers (when they work) and ferry operators. And don’t forget construction sites too. Then there’s the mini bus operators and taxi drivers. Because no one wants anyone operating a vehicle off their heads, right?
I bet all the christians want weed to stay illegal so they can sip there “jesus juice”, and drive down the road and crash into someone… smh to toodle loo you small minded individual… when driving high you are more conscious of everything.. checking your seat belt mirrors..speed limit.. when alcohol makes you do the opposite so FOH with that… alcohol and tobacco kill how much a year!??! How much does weed kill!?!?!
Just as many.
Do the research instead of making an asinine statement.
Too funny . I am against booze DUI or ANYTHING DUI which also includes herb. Are you aware of RTA stats since herb has been ‘legalized’ in the US? Are you aware of the massive crackdown in Florida against DUI of herb ? If it was so safe then what’s that all about ? Are they making tings up ?
Look , as I’ve said many times before I’m all for reform but please , please stop with the misinformation and lies that people drive better while high and herb has never hurt anyone .
You want to toke ? Fine , I’ve got no problem with that at all , just stay off the damn roads and accept the fact that you’re impaired .
Florida is a terrible state to uses against anything. Theyve always been dead set against weed since they found out what it was lol. How u think trump won? Lol
Yeah I’m sure you would be fine with airline pilots having weed while flying. Or eye surgeons. Because of them being “more concious of everything”.
When was the last time an airline “pilot” actually flew a plane? Its all computerized now lol. Sorry, couldnt resist.
Do you remember the Japanese pilot caught last november just before take-off 10 times over the limit for pilots, yes, that’s right, your pilots are allowed to have alcohol in their system while flying a plane, of course.
Just like we all are do a certain percentage. It is what it is. There is a way to test whether u have indulged in weed. Whilst only indicating ive uve partaken in the last 12 hrs or so. That was like 10 yrs ago i might add. (Im sure theyve made it more accurate by now) and all it took was a swab of my cheek. Results were done in minutes
So does having “indulged in weed” within 12 hrs provide definitive proof of impairment?
Nope. Not even a little bit. Wasnt the point i was teying to make. Never me tioned impairment actually. Sheesh, u sure do like to put words in peoples mouths. But if they have in fact improved on the test they usued when i was in tech school back in 2005, then it prop is possible to test for impairment. BUT, if your workplace has an anti drug policy, the test would deff prove u smoke it lol. Thats all. People always harp on its hard to test for impairment, if they have improved on the technology they were using, it “may” in fact be possible now.
we need to legalize stem-cell research too while we are at it.
Weed islands favorite candy
Is money the reason?
Missed the boat. Lost the tourism already. Next.
I’m all for legalising. As long as they limit or ban public use and make sure the public are fully aware of the risk they are taking. Weed is great but if your family has poor mental health history you can easily develop something such as schizophrenia.
There is remarkably little research into the effects of longterm widespread recreational use of cannabis. So the risks are not quatifiable. Anyone using it should take the risk themselves.
You mean there is remarkably little research to substantiate your fear mongering. As for taking risks, don’t lose any sleep over it, it’s none of your business. Are you campaigning against anything that is actually harmful?
You’re the one spouting nonsense about how smoking marijuana “alleviates asthma and bronchitis”. Pure unadulterated nonsense.
Use it if you want, but don’t expect other people to pay for your care when you get sick. You’re on your own.