Police seized a whopping 757kg of cannabis and 5,888 marijuana plants in the first 10 months of 2017, a surge of 238 per cent over the previous year.

The number of arrests over the same period shot up 45 per cent to 228. About 90 per cent of the suspects were using cannabis at home or at friends’ places, the Narcotics Bureau said.

US backtracks on legalised marijuana policy, causing confusion and affecting stocks

Is marijuana really a big, bad dangerous drug that will ruin lives and destroy society?

Scientific studies have shown it’s actually the least harmful when compared with alcohol or tobacco – the most widely accepted and celebrated drugs that are easily the biggest killers.

Here’s the inconvenient truth that people just don’t get: alcohol kills you, cigarettes send you to an early grave, but no one has actually died of using marijuana.

The historical use of the plant for medication dates back thousands of years across cultures. Modern-day scientific research has found strong evidence that it can be used to treat symptoms of chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, nausea from chemotherapy, and anxiety.

There is also evidence it can help tackle post-traumatic stress and sleep disorders as well as Parkinson’s symptoms, while advocates claim it’s good for anything from depression and dementia mood problems to epilepsy and curbing cancer.

“Cannabis use is now so widespread that [keeping it illegal] makes people think the law is an ass,” Justice Kaplan said.

“There is clearly a growing demand for the drug and a lot of money to be made from it. So if someone is going to supply it, why should it be criminals? Why not have the government supply it? That way its use could be much more easily controlled, its use restricted and its users educated and separated from criminal elements.”

Justice Godfrey added: “Since human beings are allowed to smoke themselves to death with cigarettes they ought to be allowed to smoke marijuana in the privacy of their own homes.”

That was back in 1994. It’s 2018 now and their words of wisdom have fallen by the wayside. All we have left are fringe groups like Legalise Medical Marijuana, fighting a losing battle to change medieval mindsets.

What’s the deal with cannabis in Hong Kong?

“We would like to see a society where a government goes after criminals who bring harm to others, such as those who commit murders, manslaughter, theft and other similar crimes,” founder Laurence Pak told the Post earlier. “It is time for Hong Kong to not stay behind.”

I think I’d better stop before my message is completely misconstrued and I’m accused of advocating drug abuse.

I’m just saying maybe it’s time to get off our high horse and embrace enlightenment.

Yonden Lhatoo is the chief news editor at the Post