Ya-mon: Jamaica decriminalises marijuana for personal use

Ya-mon: Jamaica decriminalises marijuana for personal use

  • Small amounts (no more than 2oz) will be permitted
  • People will also be allowed to possess drug for religious, scientific and medical reasons
  • Government also hopes relaxation will attract tourists

Jamaica has announced its intention to plan to reform its drugs laws and decriminalise small amounts of marijuana, in a bid to attract more tourists to the island.

The announcement made by Mark Golding, the Justice Minister, said that the cabinet is minded to allow possession of no more than 2 ounces (57 grams) of marijuana a petty offence that would result in a fine but not a criminal arrest.

People will also be allowed to possess the drug for religious, scientific and medical reasons.

‘I wish to stress that the proposed changes to the law are not intended to promote or give a stamp of approval to the use of ganja for recreational purposes,’ Mr Golding said. ‘The objective is to provide a more enlightened approach to dealing with possession of small quantities.’

The move to allow the drug to be used for religious purposes is a major victory for Rastafarians who claim that they smoke the drug because they say it brings them closer to God.

‘It is not only wrong but also foolhardy to continue with a law that makes it illegal to possess ganja and its derivatives for medicinal purposes,’ Mr Golding continued.

Marijuana has been illegal for around 100 years in Jamaica and 300 young men each week receive a criminal record each week for possession of the drug.

Jamaica will be keen to know how the move will go down in the United States.

‘I think it highly unlikely this will get a negative reaction from the Obama administration,’ said Ethan Nadelmann, the director of the nonprofit Drug Policy Alliance, a pro-legalisation group based in New York.

MP Raymond Pryce, who introduced a motion to relax drug laws in the House last year, is confident that Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller ‘will continue to take all appropriate and necessary steps to completely achieve a legitimate ganja sector fully reflective of the religious, cultural and medicinal opportunities which can now be pursued.’

With Mrs Simpson-Miller have a two to one majority and many members of the Opposition keen to see laws relaxed, the changes are almost certain to be passed.

Jamaica is a major exporter of cannabis with more than 37,000 acres devoted to growing the narcotic crop every year.

RASTAFARIANS AND CANNABIS

For Rastafarians, smoking cannabis, commonly referred to as herb, weed, kaya, sinsemilla (Spanish for ‘without seeds’), or ganja (from the Sanskrit word ganjika), is a spiritual act, often accompanied by studying the Bible.

They believe that marijuana is a sacrament that cleans the body and mind, heals the soul, exalts the consciousness, facilitates peacefulness, brings pleasure, and brings them closer to Jah.

They often burn the herb when in need of insight from God.

Uruguay became the first country to make it legal to grow, sell and consume cannabis last year. Details of how the scheme will work are to be unveiled shortly.