In fact, just about nothing changed, except that I have noticed teenagers seem less interested than ever in cannabis.

I was in Uruguay when cannabis for recreational use was legalized. The result was that downtown Montevideo was drenched in the smell of smoke, sometimes enough to make a passerby start coughing. Generally the smell of cannabis products doesn't bother me, but I know that many people find it rank and would prefer to avoid it.

I did think it was odd that while some countries are gradually attempting to wipe out tobacco smoking in public – you can smoke somewhere theoretically, but not in the park, on your balcony in a block of flats, or (if children could be present) in your own home or car – a change had been made in Uruguay that only increased the amount of public smoking.

That's an interesting - and to me unsurprising - side effect. Weed is such a generally low-key anodyne that is basically tantamount to alcohol in effect.

Take away the mystique of its illegality and it suddenly becomes a lot less interesting to teenagers.

I can attest to one thing though. Thanks to that legalization if I ride my bike on lakeshore trail sometime on a nice still evening I can't literally breathe in spots so high is the concentration.

I am all for legalization though. Just fucking limit this smoking to some less public spots.

Nor has the UN or it’s blind followers even sent a strongly worded letter.