Westmoreland ganja farmers petition Prime Minister for freedom to grow and trade marijuana

Ras Iyah (left) and Harvard professor Charles Nesson

WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – The Westmoreland Hemp & Ganja Farmers Association is petitioning Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller to free the parish of Westmoreland from the ganja Laws in the form of an authoritative “non-enforcement declaration” from the Cabinet that will allow the Westmoreland Hemp & Ganja Farmers Association to grow and trade within the parish free from prosecution.

The full text of the petition:

NON-ENFORCEMENT DECLARATION

Issuance of a prospective declaration of non-enforcement of ganja laws in Westmoreland Parish will allow the Westmoreland Hemp and Ganja Farmers Association to exemplify for all the parishes of Jamaica the responsible integration of cannabis culture into Jamaican society. Westmoreland has kept alive the cultivation of ganja despite harsh enforcement of unjust laws against it. Westmoreland claims the honour of leading Jamaica now in transition to an open and legal ganja economy.

To achieve this objective, the Westmoreland indigenous herb producers, in collaboration with the signatories of this petition, propose to host and participate in the following multi-faceted events to be held in Negril, in May, 2015.

1) An academic conference on legalization strategies within Jamaica and amendment of the international drug conventions to exempt ganja from the schedule of dangerous drugs.

2) A cultural festival including music performances, a film festival, and workshops relating to the cultivation and marketing of Westmoreland herbs.

3) A Cannabis Cup competition to choose the finest of Westmoreland organic, sun grown ganja.

Westmoreland needs the cooperation of the government in the form of an authoritative “non-enforcement declaration” from the Justice Minister and the Cabinet that will allow the Westmoreland Hemp & Ganja Farmers Association to grow and trade within the parish free from prosecution, and, under this legal non-enforcement umbrella, to join with all whose imagination is fired by the prospect of offering events to take place in Westmoreland in May.

These events will bring a host of visitors and economic benefits to the Parish, its farmers and its people at all levels. They will highlight Jamaica’s potential to lead in the responsible cultivation and marketing of one of Jamaica’s premier crops. The month of May in Westmoreland will showcase Jamaica’s premier artisanal products and the extraordinary creative culture of Jamaica.

We recommend immediate executive action.

Respectfully submitted,

Ras IyahV

Triston Thompson

Paul Burke

Delano Seiveright

Fern and Charles Nesson (Professor, Harvard Law)