Pubdate: Sat, 25 Aug 2012
Source: Daily Observer, The (Antigua)
Copyright: 2012 Observer Publications
Contact: http://www.antiguaobserver.com/?page_id=41738
Website: http://www.antiguaobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5270
Author: Alicia Simon
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?179 (Nadelmann, Ethan)

ADVOCATE SAYS NO BACKLASH FOR DECRIMINALISING "HERB"

St. John's Antigua- An internationally recognized drug policy reform 
advocate has said Antigua & Barbuda need not fear the wrath of the 
United States if government chooses to decriminalise small amounts of 
marijuana.

"What it boils down to is that any country, even a small country like 
Antigua, can decriminalise and end the criminalisation of (cannabis) 
possession unilaterally, with virtually no negative feedback from 
other countries," Ethan Nadelmann, founder and executive director of 
the Drug Policy Alliance in New York said in an exclusive interview 
with OBSERVER Media.

He added, "It is seen as a domestic matter and has no implications 
from other countries."

The matter was once again sparked when Belize took its exploration 
into the prospect of decriminalising the drug to the next level last 
week, enlisting the Chamber of Commerce.

In a release from the Belizean Chamber Wednesday, members said they 
were "receptive to supporting the initiative." However, it 
recommended that the 10-gram limit be decreased to 5 grams. Nadelmann 
believes the Belizean effort is "modest", but it was a pragmatic 
response to "the reality of cannabis in the country."

Nadelmann said that evidence suggests the decriminalisation of the 
herb does not result in either an increase or decrease in the numbers 
of consumers and can mean increased revenues to government.

"It is a measure that can reduce the pressures on the criminal 
justice system, they can reduce incarceration; they can reduce the 
hypocrisy that is integral to marijuana laws in most country."

He added, "Also, it turns out to be more of a source of revenue in 
terms of collecting fines for marijuana possession, rather than 
having the government and the taxpayers spend the money of locking people up."

However, the executive director said that no country in the Caribbean 
"or almost anywhere" could adopt a policy of full legalisation on its 
own -- a move that Uruguay has recently attempting to enact.

"I think that the only thing that would be risky is if a small 
Caribbean nation would say what Uruguay is saying right now. Which 
is, we want to try to treat marijuana like alcohol, we want to 
legally regulate it and tax it."

This approach, according to Nadelmann, will result in a "negative 
reaction from the United States." He also urged regional governments 
to work cooperatively rather than unilaterally.

He proposed a three-pronged approach to the issue by decriminalising 
marijuana for religious use, medical use and small amounts of the 
drug for personal use.

"I think those are all initiatives that any government, including 
Antigua, can take with minimal negative response from outside of its borders."

The decriminalisation of a specific activity -- such as the 
possession of cannabis -- would remove it from the scope of the 
criminal courts, but would still be illegal. Users caught with the 
drug would not be prosecuted, but an alternative penalty, like a 
fine, would be levied instead.
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