Pubdate: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA) Copyright: 2001 San Jose Mercury News Contact: http://www.sjmercury.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390 Author: Yves Colon, Knight Ridder JAMAICA SHOULD OK MARIJUANA, GROUP URGES 'Ganja' Commission Wants Drug Legalized KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Marijuana is as much a part of Jamaica's culture as reggae and Blue Mountain coffee, and a national group wants it to become just as legitimate. The aptly named National Commission for Ganja -- the Hindi word for marijuana -- recommended last week that the government legalize the private use and possession of small amounts of marijuana. Between 20 percent and 40 percent of the country's 2.6 million people are believed to smoke marijuana, many openly. Not everyone is happy, however. "It is a welcome step, but it is far short for a country where thousands of people use ganja," said Paul Burke, a high-ranking member of the ruling People's National Party. "It's part of the culture." It is by no means certain that Jamaica will change its marijuana laws -- several top government officials have already voiced their emphatic disagreement -- but the commission's suggestion to legalize the substance is part of a growing clamor throughout the hemisphere to ease strictures against it. Restrictions easing More than 100,000 people are expected to attend this weekend's Seattle Hempfest, billed as the largest pot-legalization rally in history. The Hawaii Legislature has approved the medical use of marijuana, and voters in eight states have done the same. The Canadian government last month approved medical use of marijuana. The United States is watching warily to see whether Jamaica's Parliament will adopt the commission's recommendations. Jamaica, a major producer and exporter of marijuana, could risk losing U.S. certification -- and millions of dollars in American foreign aid -- if Washington decides the island is no longer cooperating in the war on drugs. Richard Smyth, the charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica, made clear Washington's longstanding position on the issue. "The U.S. administration does not support the decriminalization of marijuana use," he said. "Whenever Washington reviews the certification issue, they look at a broad range of issues, including interdiction, demand reduction, seizures of drugs, the legal structure and law enforcement efforts in general." Law rarely enforced Possession of marijuana is illegal in Jamaica, but the law is rarely enforced and penalties are light. Members of the Rastafarian religion use it openly as part of their ceremonies. The ganja commission wants to formalize what has amounted to governmental benign neglect. In its report, the commission said that used in small amounts, ganja caused no short-or long-term health effects. Penalizing individuals for small quantities of marijuana is "unjust" and discredits the entire Jamaican legal system, the report said. "Ganja offenses have clogged up the court system for years and diverted the police from the real problems, which are crack and cocaine," said Burke, a member of the National Alliance for Legalization, a lobby group. "That's the real threat of Jamaica." Prime Minister P.J. Patterson set up the commission nine months ago. Its members -- physicians and academics -- traveled around the island, gauging sentiment. The commission said children should be barred from using marijuana and its public use should remain illegal. It also said, however, that the use of marijuana in religious ceremonies should be allowed. R. Keith Stroup, executive director of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, was delighted by the Jamaican commission's recommendations, which he said mirror those from the U.S. Commission on Marijuana back in 1972. Several European countries, Stroup said, already have decriminalized marijuana. "The U.S. is acting as if this commission's recommendation is unique," he said. "It's only the U.S. that has maintained this silly war on drugs." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth