[britchard]

Recently I have been thinking a lot about the possibility of cannabis being legalised in the UK, and if I would support it or not. This has led to me contemplating several other views I once strongly believed in, and I can't decide between libertarianism and conservatism.

Part of me thinks that cannabis should be legal for a whole number of reasons. It is hard to argue for it being illegal whilst alcohol is legal, and it also has some medical benefits. Also, who is the government to stop people smoking a plant? That's nanny-stateism on a very high level. But if this were to happen, cannabis smokers would have to be held personally liable for any medical or welfare needs that they have following their smoking.

However there is also a voice at the back of my head that's screaming how the legalisation of cannabis will only lead to more broken homes, the lazy/entitled attitude becoming more prevalent, and part of the descent in to degeneracy. Cannabis also can have bad side effects, and although alcohol is legal, two wrongs don't make a right.

So this conflict only caused me to reconsider several other issues, namely:

• Capitalism- Whilst I completely agree with the notion of capitalism, aren't most people too stupid and blinded to see the damages caused by massive consumerism and me, me, me culture?
• Religion- I am not sure if the government should encourage Christianity or not. It would lead to the rebuilding of the family unit, but should the state tell people what to do?
• Defence- I am with the conservatives on this one. It is (sometimes) right to intervene in foreign countries.
  

Can anyone try to convince me in any of these arguments? I feel like the basis for the conservative argument in most of the topics I have thought about is that the majority of people are too stupid to be allowed to follow what they want to do.