back to article Make Isle of Man drugs paradise, says Jagger

Mick Jagger reckons the UK should legalise drugs on the Isle of Man - cos that's where we test new mobile phones. We're guessing the old scrotum-faced warbler is talking about the 3G trials a few years ago. Jagger suggested legalisation of drugs should be tested in one area first. Talking to Larry King to punt a remastered …

COMMENTS

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  1. Ruana
    Stop

    What?

    Did he just imply that the Isle of Man is in England?

    If so, there are a few nationalists who I think would like a word...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Imply?

      I don't think he implied it. I think he said it. Just goes to show how bad drugs are for your brain, his is clearly divorced from reality.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Flame

      Not part of England

      Can we all just get over this silly distinction between what is a part of what. The UK is a nice PC term which hides the fact that England dominates it's subordinate kingdom, Scotland and it owns land in northern Ireland. Wales is just a principality and really only just one up from the Duchy of Cornwall which is also wholly owned by the Queen of England.

      The English are getting just as bad as the rest of them, I heard there was even talk of demands for an English parliament, a retarded idea, we already have one of those in Westminster and it also rules over our conquered lands. Sure, the Scots have a parliament, that's just to keep them quiet and stop them being too annoying. The Welsh have an assembly, just like we all used to have in the morning at school. Any delegated Sovereignty they may have or may think they have comes from their ruler in England.

      1. Old Marcus

        @ AC 08:41 Yeah, we're successful...

        Live with it.

    3. Stevie

      Bah!

      I have to agree. They should do this test in Scotland, England.

  2. Bassey

    Minor issues

    A few minor issues there;

    1. Mick appears to believe the Isle of Man is in the "Channel". Not sure which channel that is. Last I checked, the Isle of Man was in the Irish Sea. Maybe he should cut back on the weed.

    2. The Isle of Man has its own government. Has had a damn sight longer than the UK. Not sure they'd be best pleased at being told what to do by that lot over the water.

    That said, there was an email last year from the Minister from the Dept of Home affairs in which he congratulated the department for it's highly successful drug smuggling initiatives. At the time it was assumed he meant their "anti" drug smuggling initiatives but maybe Mick knowns better.

    He is right about one thing though. O2 tend to test their new models over here (they own Manx Telecom). Siemens also test a lot of their kit here. One of the local schools had a WiFi network long before anyone else. WiMax has been available on the IOM for several years and, yes, I had the pleasure of playing with one of the first eight 3G handsets in the world (not mine - my boss was given one).

  3. LAGMonkey
    FAIL

    they have their own Gov'mnt

    I was under the impression that the reason the Isle got 3G first is because of their ability to make up their own choice when it comes to all matters apart from Defence and Forgin Policy (those being handled in Westminster).

    SOOOO old jagger will need to talk to the Isle of Mann Gov about the legalisation of narcotics and not the UK.

    Unless ive been grossly misslead by the parents.

    Interestingly enough they make space sats on the Isle too!!! (according to wiki)

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Silly old fart!

    ""In England they always try out new mobile phones in the Isle of Man. They've got a captive society. "

    The Isle of Man isn't in England. IIRC it isn't even strictly speaking in Britain or the UK, AFAIR it's a self governing crown dependency. Certainly they have their own government and their own laws, although many come straight from UK law, so it's not even vaguely up to our government to impose this sort of thing on them.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    makes sense

    As the US recognised during the 'prohibition' era, amke any drug illegal (in that case alcohol) and it's rich pickings for criminals.

    Legalise drugs, save most of the money (largely) wasted on enforcement, get income from taxation, introduce quality control of drugs, register sellers (and increased punishments for non-registered), licensed premises.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      rich pickings indeed....

      ....but not just for "criminals". The illegal drugs trade is widely known to be leveraged by the CIA as a clandestine funding source for operations that might not otherwise be sanctioned. And I seriously doubt it's just the CIA. Keeping drugs illegal provides an enormous and readily available source of funds for corrupt governmental interests that can also monitor and influence law enforcement in this area. Prohibition is here to stay.

    2. Dr. Mouse

      Totally agree

      See title

    3. Steve Foster

      "get income from taxation"

      Right now, this is the most compelling argument for legalising most drugs.

      Tobacco duties raise just under £9bn/year for the UK government. If they could get close to that from all other drugs, that'd be £9bn less of tax rises/spending cuts for the rest of the economy.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Pirate

        Don't give them money, have you seen what they do with it?

        A lot of people seem to think that if they say something sensible, such as "legalise drugs", they must somehow balance that by then saying something very stupid like, "tax them".

        There are very few people or organisations as bad at managing money as the government - and despite the rhetoric about the drugs trade funding terrorism, I'm pretty sure that the local chap who sells his excess home grown spends less of the proceeds on high explosives and rifles than HMG.

        Drugs or not, if you want to be a responsible citizen, surely minimizing the amount of cash the government get their hands on is a moral duty.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Really?

      And how could the UK government save money on enforcement in the IoM when the UK government don't fund enforcement in the IoM. You're as fucking addled as Jagger.

  6. Ian Ferguson
    Troll

    No, no, no, all wrong

    Please come and test legal relaxations on LSD and weed here on the Isle of Wight first. We have a long history with them anyway :)

    Troll because it wouldn't get a second glance wandering around here.

  7. smudge

    Spot on, Mick

    Mr Jagger,

    To the best of my knowledge the IoM is not part of the UK (or England).

    I also seem to recall that it has somewhat right-wing views when it comes to things like corporal punishment and homosexual activity. So I don't think it would be the ideal place to experiment with a liberal approach to drugs.

    Stick to cricket and that other thing you are famous for.

  8. irish donkey
    Flame

    ehh What were we talking about again?

    here pass that over here I'm getting confused again....

  9. Ralph B
    Flame

    I can see it now ...

    ... Jeremy Clarkson with The Biggest Spliff ... In The World.

    At least it would stop him worrying about footpaths.

  10. David Evans
    Boffin

    pedants corner

    Yes the IoM isn't part of "England" (or the UK), but Jagger was talking to Americans, so "England" means UK (get over it celtic types, Americans don't care), and I think explaining IoM is a Crown Dependency and not part of the UK proper would probably have blown their minds (lets be honest, most Brits can't get their head around the make up the country). So give the addled old man a break.

    1. Oninoshiko

      Similar things exist and have existed for the US...

      no it wouldn't... well not for anyone familure with US foreign policy

      The US has arrangements of this nature as well. While offically not the case the procatical realities of US-Japan treadies, combine with Article 9 of the Japanese constiution leads to them being a somewhat similer status. (both the US and Japan recognise that attacks on either nation would be detimental to both, but Article 9 does not permit a standing japanese military (the SDF is a branch of the civilian police, and has only recently been used in overseas operations)

      The Phillippines held a similer relationship with the US until the Treaty of Manila in 1946 (which recognised their full independence.

      The Feterated States of Microneia, The Republic of the Marchall Islands, and the Republic of Palau are all members of the Compact of Free Association, under which they are soverign states, but have access to the US FEMA, NWS, USPS, FAA, and FCC programs. Also the US is permitted to operate militarily in from these nations, in exchange for providing military protection.

      So anyone familure with US forigen relations, would be able understand the relationship of the UK and IoM, at least generally.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    pedants corner

    Or should that be "pedant's corner" or rather "pedants' corner". When this problem came up in Private Eye there was so much discussion about adjectives and genitives that they gave up and renamed it "Pedantry Corner".

    1. BlueGreen
      Troll

      I'd go for pedants'

      Pass the hairbrush.

      (on the left hand side, natch)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Shirley...

        ...it all depends on how many pendants there are. If the corner belongs to a single pedant then it would be pedant's corner. If, however, there were lots of pedants, and it seems there are, then it would be pedants' corner. Alternatively the corner may not belong to the pedants themselves, but it may just be where the pedants are to be found. In the latter case pedants corner would be correct.

        1. BlueGreen

          @Shirley

          > In the latter case pedants corner would be correct.

          which would in some sense belong to the pedants therefore making it a posessive plural, thusly Pedants' ?

          My hairbrush to you honourable sir. Well earned. Don't let it go out.

        2. Dave Cradle

          I'm...

          ...sorry to be pedantic, but the area in which this discussion is taking place by no means resembles a corner. :-)

          (NOTE: Please don't reply to this. I have fuck all interest in dragging this out).

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Boffin

      RE: pedants corner

      Maybe it should be "pedants' corner".

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    And may I be the first in this article, and all of its comments...

    .. to refer to him by his correct title, 'Sir Mick' if you please.

    And ask... why is there no Sir Keith Richards?

    1. smudge
      Alert

      because...

      ...he's always said he would refuse it.

      Maybe Jagger's thinking of shipping Keef to the IoM as the drugs experiment.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Troll

      Why not?

      Don't you Brits have laws against conferring knighthoods on zombies?

    3. Stevie

      Bah!

      "Sea Turtles, mate".

  13. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    i lived there

    They have the most draconnian anti drug tolerence in the world. One spliff will get you at least a week free boarding at Victoria Road goal. (i lived around the corner, and would often amuse myslef by singing 'cos i'm free' at the lags hanging out of windows!

    big fail mick.

  14. benito darder oliver
    Joke

    I guess people is loosing the point...

    as they/you are complaining about the geographical skills of Sir Mick Jagger, instead of asking where to get the forms to apply as volunteer.

  15. Ken 16 Silver badge
    Troll

    I thought they already had Speed Trials there?

    Let them have rock and roll and drugs with their cousins too, if they want

  16. kissingthecarpet
    Pirate

    Funny place to try that

    because the IoM has an infamously draconian attitude to drugs, even raiding teenage parties on the off-chance of a spliff being smoked(see Private Eye back issues)

  17. Stevie

    Bah!

    Boozed-up high-speed bikers toking-up?

    I can see no downside to this plan.

  18. netean
    Thumb Up

    great idea

    Sounds a top idea. Then, at last I could find somewhere I could get hold of mephedrone again...

  19. Rattus Rattus

    "historic dope conviction"

    What, he was convicted of being one?

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Jester

    Mick was jesting of course.

    Even so, good of him to suggest messing up part of Britain that he doesn't live in... NOT!

    I.o.M. is not part of the UK, but is part of Britain (British Isles, Crown Dependency).

  21. andy gibson

    Is this the same Mick Jagger

    who said "I'd rather be dead than still sing 'Satisfaction' after I'm 45"?

    I'd rather you were too Mick.

  22. andy gibson
    Coat

    Or maybe...

    he's getting confused in his old age (bless him) and he misheard the recent Clarkson footpath story and "top gear".

  23. Max_Normal

    Not part of England on paper, but...

    Just got back from the Isle of Man and to be honest, although it is definately not in England, it's certainly more english than England is. You should visit there, it's a bit like apearing in your own episode of "Life On Mars".

    While the overall demeanor of the place will remind you of family holidays in the 70's (if you are that old), the police are certainly more 1980's Thatcherite types, and will happily dole out a beanfieldesque beating to anyone attempting drug-based shannanigans I'll be bound.

  24. Elron Hubward

    50,000 Alcoholics clinging to a rock?

    ...hardly fair; at the last count there were an estimated 80,000+. Must have missed the extra 30,000 in the kebab shop queue after closing time obviously

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