Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jan 2014
Source: Barbados Advocate (Barbados)
Copyright: Barbados Advocate 2014
Contact:  http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3499
Author: RuthMoisa Alleyne

NEGATIVE IMPACT OF MARAJUANA LEGALISATION ON STUDENTS MUST BE CONSIDERED

ANY conversation surrounding the legalisation of the drug marijuana
must give serious consideration to the impact in could have on the
educational system of Barbados. This was the expressed view of Roger
Husbands, Director of the Drug Education and Counselling Services
Barbados, who unequivocally stated that it would serve the country
best to keep the herb illegal.

Husbands told The Barbados Advocate recently that the drug, also
referred to as dope, weed or ganja in these parts, had for years been
causing problems at schools.

"Children go to school and sleep under the influence of marijuana.
They can't focus under it's influence. Can you imagine our education
system if we were to legalise it? Who is going to come out from that
system now? Our children are not going to be as educated or a prepared
to take on society," Husbands bluntly stated.

The Drug counsellor also maintain that it was not in our nature to use
anything sparingly, "We Barbadians cannot do that!"

He went on to use the example of how we had given children cell phones
and told them not to use them in schools, yet children were using them
for all sorts of activities, disobeying the rules of the educational
facilities.

"We tell people drink moderately, people are still overdoing it, (it's
all over the world yes) But here we can't do with a little sip or a
little puff of marijuana, especially when there is so much addiction,"
he explained.

Husbands, himself personally familiar with the dark path of the drug,
said that persons did not understand that each person's tolerance
level was different and as such, everybody could not cope with even
"one smoke or two smokes".

"Some would get hooked just from that, then you have the health issues
involved."

He added, in response to those who argued the economic benefit that
legalising the herb could bring, that it could work out costing the
government far more money to treat people when they developed diseases
such as cancer because of smoking.

"It's going to put pressure on our health system", was his suggestion,
further noting the effects on the country's judiciary system that such
a move could bring.

"If you check statistics you will see that a lot of crime is committed
because you use drugs and steal money to go and buy it.

Although it would be freely available, people still would have to buy
it, can you imagine legalising marijuana now where people are having
free access to it and having to pay for it too..."

Husbands, pointing out that we had already we had the abuse of
cigarettes and alcohol on our hands, warned against going the same
route with ganja.

"If we allowed marijuana to go forward we are going to be bring more
dire problems into our society. It should stay where it is. Illegal!"
he argued.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D