Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jun 2014
Source: Jamaica Gleaner, The (Jamaica)
Copyright: 2014 The Gleaner Company Limited
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Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/493

GOV'T SHOULD RECONSIDER GANJA CULTIVATION LAWS - DR LOWE

Dr Henry Lowe, the founder and chief scientist with a local medicinal 
ganja research company, is optimistic that the Government will soon 
consider laws to govern the cultivation of the weed.

Yesterday, the Justice Minister Senator Mark Golding announced that 
the Government would be changing the law so that it is no longer a 
criminal offence to possess ganja weighing two ounces or less.

Instead offenders would be issued with a ticket payable outside of the courts.

The minister said the laws against the cultivation of the weed would 
remain in place.

However, Lowe says the matter of the cultivation of ganja for 
medicinal purposes has to be reconsidered.

In announcing the intention of the Government to decriminalise the 
use of small amounts of ganja, the Justice Minister yesterday said 
the Dangerous Drugs Act is to be amended to remove the smoking of 
marijuana as an offence.

He said the provision for criminalisation of the possession of pipes 
and other items used in connection with the smoking of ganja will 
also be removed.

Golding said possession of ganja for religious or therapeutic 
purposes as prescribed by a registered medical practitioner or for 
scientific research by an accredited tertiary institution will also 
be decriminalised.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom