Legalising drugs in Australia

Another day and another social dilemma;

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/marijuana-use-fell-after-decriminalisation-in-wa-under-gallop-government/story-e6frfku0-1226317934748

It would appear that there is some debate as to whether the legalisation of cannabis will reduce or increase the rate of users.  It was a fairly uneventful article until I read this little line:




"Mr Lenton said the rise in cannabis usage figures between 2007 and 2010 could be explained by a statistical anomaly, after the telephone component of the survey was removed, increasing the number of positive responses."


The words "statistical anomaly" in most cases can be replaced with the sentence: "I am making an excuse because the evidence has proved I am wrong"

Give me a break people, Are they really trying to get me to believe that approx. 23% of WA marijuana users suddenly decided to stop smoking simply because it was now legal to grow your own? I mean nothing else changed, it would even have be easier to get hold of cheaper right?

Anyone with two or more synapse can see that the only change in the statistics was a dip after 3 years, this could have been caused by just about anything. To apply half arsed assumptions like they have to a phone based survey about potential drug addictions is ignorant at best. It could also be possible that during the survey of 2007 they just so happened to miss all the houses with occupants who smoke.

Now I don't claim to have the answers, but then that is why I feel superior to these guys that insist legalising drugs will reduce the number of people using. It's like arguing that if you made Coke free then people will stop drinking it.

Still shaking my head over this one.