Talking points: Should cannabis be legalised in Hong Kong?

Chan Pui Kwan, 12, Pope Paul VI College

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No. People who support the legalisation of cannabis argue that some people need the drug for medical reasons, such as to treat epilepsy. However, I think cannabis does more harm than good to young people. If the drug is legalised, youths may think cannabis is not so harmful to them. If they were interested, they could easily try it out, but the problem is it’s easy to get hooked. Some young people believe smoking cannabis can help them escape their problems without considering the long-term detrimental effects on their health. Young people are vulnerable to the harmful effects of drugs. To protect the pillars of our future society, the government should not legalise cannabis in Hong Kong.

Jody Ho, 16, Queen Elizabeth School

I have to say no. Right now, cannabis is illegal in Hong Kong, but there are still many people and adults who using the drug. Imagine how many people would be using cannabis if it were legal! I think it would definitely lead to more people taking the drug. This is why I think it should remain illegal.

Warwick Lai, 16, Fung Kai Liu Man Shek Tong Secondary School

I think it should for the following reasons: even though cannabis can be very harmful to your health when abused, it’s also a very useful medicine. If used responsibly, it can treat a lot of illnesses such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy. I think as long as citizens don’t abuse the drug and are careful not to get addicted, I think legalising it would be fine.

Hazel Fung, 12, Pope Paul VI College

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I think cannabis should be made legal in Hong Kong because many people could use the drug for medical treatment. The problem is cannabis is addictive and people need to be wary of this when they use it. If the drug is legalised, it hope it would benefit a lot of people with diseases that can be treated with medical cannabis.

Oorvi Goyal, 12, HKMA David Li Kwok Po College

I don’t think it should. Cannabis, like a lot of other drugs, cannabis is hazardous to our health. It can also be very expensive if we become addicted to it. A lot of people say they feel more relaxed when they use the drug, but I think it does more harm than good. If we keep using it, that could seriously affect our mental and physical health. You should do more exercise to relax instead.

Wong Wing-gi, 14, STFA Leung Kau Kui College

Absolutely not. As we know, cannabis is a drug and it is not good for our health. Although it is said to give people a certain amount of joy when they are under stress or feeling sad, it can be very harmful to their mental health. The most terrible thing is that people easily become addicted to the drug. I think that if cannabis was legalised in Hong Kong, the city would no longer be a nice place.

Carol Chen,12, Pope Paul VI College

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Cannabis should be legalised for medical purposes in Hong Kong, but not for recreational purposes. Many Hongkongers might need the drug to relieve their stress from social issues such as the high cost of living.

Shirley Hon, 17, Fung Kai No. 1 Secondary School

I strongly suggest that we don’t legalise cannabis in Hong Kong. As we know, cannabis has a great deal of short-term and long-term side effects, including a weakened immune system, depression, loss of focus, and so on. It is likely to have a negative impact on a person’s everyday life.

Joey Chan Ka-wai, 18, Hong Kong Weaving Mills Association Chu Shek Lun Secondary School

In our next Talking Points, we’ll discuss:

We are now accepting your answers  for this topic. To take part, email your answer with your name,  age, and school, along with a nice, clear selfie (make sure  it’s not blurry), to [email protected] by lunchtime on Monday.  Don’t forget to include “Talking Points” in the subject line.