MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica - Jamaica has long bemoaned its reputation as the land of ganja. It has enforced draconian drug laws and spent millions on public education to stem its distinction as a pot mecca. But its role as a major supplier of illicit marijuana to the United States and its international image - led by the likes of Bob Marley, whose Rastafarian faith considers smoking up a religious act - have been too strong to overcome. Now, its leaders smell something else: opportunity. [continues 1343 words]
ISRAEL-BORN BUSINESSMAN Boaz Wachtel has called for the Jamaican Government to follow in the footsteps of Uruguay and legalise ganja, without fear of upsetting Uncle Sam and the United Nations (UN). Wachtel, chairman of Creso Pharma, a medical marijuana company based in Australia, during his opening speech at CanEx at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on Friday, said the United States was crumbling from within and ganja is being medicalised and legalised in parts of the country, while the UN was a frozen archaic body. [continues 430 words]
JAMAICA is to install cannabis kiosks at its airport terminals - so tourists can start using the drug as soon as they touch down. Officials are looking at ways the country can cash in on cannabis, which Jamaica decriminalised last year in the hope of emulating the US where legal sales of the drug raised UKP4billion last year. They plan to offer the drug in arrival halls and seaports. Tourists would be able to register to use marijuana at the kiosks and then pick up the drugs before continuing to their holiday destinations. [continues 142 words]
IT HAS been little over a year since the much-anticipated amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act were passed into law in April 2015 with much attendant fanfare. It is fair comment that a year is a relatively short period to critique and/or proffer any fair assessment of the legal perspective of cannabis as it relates to the current situation without offering a historical perspective on the one hand, and an anticipatory perspective on the other. [continues 1206 words]
I REMEMBER in 2011 when Ras Astor Black built his political campaign around the development of a marijuana industry. His exact words to me in an interview ring clear: "Every country around us have what we have: sun sea and sand. In fact, walk past a lot of our hotels and you smell the same fried chicken dem frying in Miami. What we have that they don't is good ganja. And we need to develop a tourism product around it." [continues 665 words]
THE GOVERNMENT is targeting annual revenue of US$2 billion from the ganja industry when regulations to govern the sector are finally in place. Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Dr Andrew Wheatley told The Sunday Gleaner of the revenue target, indicating that plans are on in earnest to establish the legal ganja industry, with regulations to govern the trade having been sent to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel by the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA). But Barbara Brohl, executive director of the Colorado Department of Revenue, which is responsible for the regulation and oversight of the ganja industry in that American state, is warning that before Jamaica begins to count the dollars from the industry, it needs to establish clearly why the industry is being legalised and gather data on the sector. [continues 640 words]
UNLIKE MARIO Deane, Donnasha Dobson is happily alive and presumably, enjoying good health and, personal freedom. Yet, Ms Dobson's case, reported on in this newspaper a week ago, is one that the police chief, the justice and security ministers, and the Office of the Public Defender ought to have had under review and should do, if they didn't although the latter body might possibly claim that it falls outside its mandate. An important context to this case, ironically, was highlighted last week in the significant public discussion over the proposed regulations to govern the cannabis industry following the legalisation of the industrial-scale growing of marijuana for medicinal and other products. The possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use and the smoking of the drug in public has been decriminalised. [continues 442 words]
THE National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) says it is taking action to stem the prevalence of drug use among young people by educating them. "Our primary responsibility right now is protecting young people from the negative consequences of using [drugs]," Executive Director of the NCDA, Michael Tucker told the Jamaica Observer yesterday. This comes on the heels of reports that students were ingesting marijuana in candies and the recent legislative amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act, which created several opportunities for the use of marijuana in Jamaica because of the decriminalisation of small amounts of the weed. [continues 430 words]
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, says Jamaica intends to lead a charge in the United Nations to effect changes to the international treaties concerning marijuana. The aim is to change the schedule class of marijuana in light of scientific studies that have proven its therapeutic benefits and medicinal value. "We believe that the schedule in which marijuana is now placed, which is one of the highest schedules as a drug, we believe that it should be removed from that schedule and looked at in the light of... the evidence, which has revealed its strong medicinal (value)," Hylton said, while addressing a session of the recently concluded Jamaica Investment Forum (JIF) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James. [continues 237 words]
THE EDITOR, Sir: I don't want to be singled out as the naysayer in this euphoria that is surrounding the decriminalisation of marijuana. It would, however, be remiss of me if I did not sound caution and indicate that the very same ingredients that make it positively potent will be progressively problematic if abused. This is not a view that the plant should not be used and researched and made to benefit Jamaica and Jamaicans; it is a call for care and public education in the use and abuse of this product. [continues 280 words]
(AP) - Marijuana has been pervasive but illegal in Jamaica for decades, but on Tuesday night Parliament gave final legislative approval to an act decriminalizing small amounts of it and establishing a licensing agency to regulate a lawful medical marijuana industry. The amendments pave the way for a "cannabis licensing authority" to be established to deal with regulating the cultivation and distribution of marijuana for medical and scientific purposes. Officials say the island's governor-general will soon sign the measure into law. The act makes possession of up to two ounces of marijuana a petty offense that could result in a ticket but not in a criminal record. Cultivation of five or fewer plants on any premises will be permitted. And tourists who are prescribed medical marijuana abroad will soon be able to apply for permits authorizing them to legally buy small amounts. [end]
EXECUTIVE director of the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), Michael Tucker, has warned that the misinformation circulating among Jamaicans at this time about marijuana could be dangerous. "Misunderstanding and misperception is very dangerous in an environment like this," Tucker told the Jamaica Observer yesterday. "There is no legalisation on the table right now... It's not acceptable or legal for any and everybody to grow or sell marijuana. In fact, it's not even legal to buy it. So there is a lot of misunderstanding about what really is happening... more needs to be said, and people need to know what is really happening," he stated. [continues 492 words]
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Senators today poked more holes in the legislation now being debated in the upper house to decriminalise ganja. The Opposition, although agreeing that the law is a good move, are not the only ones asking for the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill to be tidied up. Government Senator, KD Knight, said limiting the cultivation of marijuana to the Rastafarian community was "unfair", while suggesting that allowing the use of ganja for medicinal purposes, would in essence make it legal, even though legalising ganja is not the aim of the Bill. [continues 298 words]
Regarding Louis Moyston's excellent column in The Agenda of Sunday, February 1, 2015, Jamaica should by no means let the petty concerns of the 'drug war' official, William Brownfield of the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, stall ganja law reform. An obsolete United Nations treaty passed in ignorance back in 1961 that violates human rights conventions is no reason for Jamaica to remain stuck in the past. A far more important US representative is US President Barack Obama. [continues 149 words]
US Not Comfortable With Jamaica's Push to Decriminalise Weed WASHINGTON, DC, USA - The United States Government has signalled some discomfort with Jamaica's move to decriminalise marijuana for specific uses. According to assistant secretary of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), William R Brownfield, there is a possibility that the move could increase inflows of marijuana from Jamaica that now accounts for 80 per cent of ganja illegally smuggled into that country. Brownfield said that, while the US must be tolerant of national policies to combat the illicit trade of ganja, Jamaica must be mindful of international drug treaties to which it is a signatory. [continues 708 words]
THE report 'Ganja worry' (Jamaica Observer, January 29, 2015), presents the thinking of William R Brownfield, assistant secretary of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, on the recent developments of the new ganja regime in Jamaica. He was quick to point out that this change will see increased export of the crop to the United States, and warned of Jamaica's legal obligation to the international treaties. He speaks as if Jamaica is the only country moving towards change. He is obviously oblivious about changes all over the world, including its major ally Israel. The international treaties Jamaica has signed are not written in stone. They were prepared for a world very much different from the present. Their foundations were built on myths and anecdotal evidence. Since 1922, there have been many commissions and research projects providing scientific studies, dispelling those myth and anecdotal evidence. The time has come to reform those treaties. Who will lead the process in Jamaica? [continues 961 words]
THE United States Government says it welcomes discussion and debate on drug policy and that it is up to the people of Jamaica to decide which policies are most appropriate for the country within the realms of international law. Yesterday's declaration came amidst a Jamaica Observer report suggesting that the US is uncomfortable with recent moves to decriminalise ganja for personal use in Jamaica. "We recognise that it is important to examine what works and to discuss the trends and challenges our neighbours are facing. The US and Jamaica have a strong law-enforcement and security partnership. Our law enforcement agencies work together to combat transnational criminal networks and international drug trafficking and the violence they breed," Joshua Polacheck, counsellor for public affairs at the US Embassy Kingston, told the Observer. [continues 130 words]
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - Jamaica's Senate on Friday started debating a bill that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot and establish a licensing agency to regulate a lawful medical marijuana industry on the island where the drug has long been pervasive but prohibited. Justice Minister Mark Golding, who introduced the legislation to the upper house, said it would establish a "cannabis licensing authority" to deal with regulations on cultivation and distribution of marijuana and industrial hemp for medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes. [continues 371 words]
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - According to Jamaica's justice minister, legislation has been drafted to decriminalize marijuana on the island where the drug has been pervasive but prohibited for a century. Mark Golding told reporters that lawmakers should make possession of 2 ounces or less a petty offense before the end of 2014. He also expects decriminalization for religious purposes to be authorized by then, allowing adherents of the homegrown Rastafarian spiritual movement to ritually smoke marijuana, which they consider a "holy herb," without fear of arrest. [continues 286 words]
JAMAICA'S justice minister has said legislation has been drafted to decriminalise marijuana on the Caribbean island where the drug has been pervasive but prohibited for a century. Mark Golding told reporters that parliament should make possession of two ounces or less a petty offence before the end of 2014. He also expects decriminalisation for religious purposes to be authorised by then, allowing adherents of the homegrown Rastafarian spiritual movement to ritually smoke marijuana - which they consider a "holy herb" - without fear of arrest. [continues 417 words]
(AP) - Taking a deep draw on a pipe that glows with burning marijuana, reggae luminary Bunny Wailer gives a satisfied grin through a haze of aromatic smoke in his concrete yard painted in the red, green, gold and black colors identified with his Rastafarian faith. These days the baritone singer from the legendary Wailers, the group he formed in 1963 with late stars Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, has reason to feel good. There is unprecedented traction building in Jamaica to decriminalize pot, meaning the dreadlocked Wailer, 67, and other adherents of Rastafari - a homegrown spiritual movement that considers the drug divine - may soon be able to smoke without fear of arrest. [continues 416 words]
THE EDITOR, Sir: Regarding your thoughtful June 15, 2014 editorial, Jamaica will never realise the full benefits of ganja-inspired tourism until marijuana is fully legal. You have some tough competition. Tourism is booming in the US state of Colorado, where people can buy legal marijuana without fear. Do not miss the ganja boat. United States President Barack Obama is allowing marijuana legalisation to move forward. The next US president may not be so enlightened. ROBERT SHARPE [end]
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Jun 15, CMC - The Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ) has taken issue with the changes proposed by the government in relation to the possession and smoking of marijuana. The MAJ has warned that the relaxation of the laws will lead to more usage and consequently more mental problems among the population. Justice Minister Mark Golding announced the changes last Thursday. Among the changes were that users of small quantities of marijuana will no longer have a criminal record, and smoking of the illegal drug would be de-criminalised under certain conditions. [continues 108 words]
'BULL Chicken' is 61 years old, does any and all kinds of menial, tough, labour intensive jobs and is quite proud that "Mi neva si di inside a prison or jail yet." Like his best friend Georgie, both were barely educated and cannot read. Both began smoking ganja in either their adolescent or early teen years. "Mi did have a uncle who was a bad man," said Georgie. "When my father dig off and left wi, is mi uncle and mi granny raise mi. Mi uncle always a smoke weed and when mi bout 12 him used to gi mi him spliff and tell mi sey it will cool down mi brains." [continues 511 words]
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Opposition Spokesperson on Information Olivia 'Babsy' Grange Thursday expressed her support for the government's decision to decriminalise the use of ganja in small amounts. The decision, according to Grange is "the outcome of a journey undertaken by both political administrations, and a matter of social justice." "It must be emphasized that the JLP Cabinet in 2011 approved the decriminalization of small amounts of ganja and the expunging of such criminal records , and that the relevant Ministry Paper was tabled in Parliament, Grange said in a release. [continues 191 words]
JAMAICA'S decision to decriminalise small quantities of cannabis for personal use has attracted attention here in Britain. The BBC treated the announcement as important news and posted on its website the dramatic headline 'Jamaica Government announces major changes to drug laws'. The Guardian newspaper had the more factual 'Ganja free: Jamaica decriminalises marijuana for personal use'. Comments online were largely favourable, but many referred to the perception that Jamaica had always been relatively tolerant of marijuana use. One comment was: "Even 20 years ago all you had to do to get stoned in Negril was to stick your head out the window and breathe in. Rasta men, both there and in Kingston, used to walk around with their own personal 'cloud' around them long before Apple". [continues 426 words]
The devil, they say, is in the details. In that regard, we await the specifics of the legislative amendments promised by the justice minister, Mark Golding, to decriminalise the use of marijuana, or, as we call it in Jamaica, ganja. Nonetheless, this newspaper supports the proposals that have been approved by the Cabinet, and outlined by Mr. Golding last week, although we believe that even as an initial step, they do not go far enough. In so far as we understand the plan, to be given effect by legislation Mr. Golding says he will table before Parliament goes on its summer recess, the most fundamental undertaking will be the clearing of criminal records of tens of thousands of people in Jamaica, mostly young men who have been convicted for the possession of small amounts of ganja. [continues 427 words]
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. [continues 116 words]
(AP) - Jamaica's government plans to partially decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana in what supporters call a long-overdue rethinking of drug laws. Justice Minister Mark Golding said Thursday that the cabinet was backing a proposal to make possession of no more than 2 ounces of marijuana a petty offense that could result in a fine but not a criminal arrest. The measures are almost certain to clear the legislature. Marijuana has been pervasive but outlawed on the island for a century. [continues 52 words]
Jamaica's government on Thursday announced a major rethinking of its marijuana laws, including plans to partly decriminalize small amounts of marijuana and to allow possession for religious, scientific and medical purposes. Justice Minister Mark Golding said the cabinet was backing a proposal to make possession of no more than two ounces of marijuana a petty offense that would result in a fine but not an arrest. The proposed changes "are not intended to promote or give a stamp of approval" to the use of the drug for recreational purposes, Mr. Golding said, but to provide "a more enlightened approach to dealing with possession of small quantities." The current law prohibiting marijuana remains in effect for now, but lawmakers are likely to amend it. [end]
Ganja Association Urges Country to Capitalize on Crops KINGSTON, JAMAICA This tourist mecca may soon be known as the Colorado of the Caribbean. Given the ready availability of "ganja" as the locals call it, outsiders may assume marijuana is legal in Jamaica, but it's not ... yet. Encouraged by legalized marijuana in Colorado, Washington state and Uruguay - the first country to legalize and regulate the weed - Jamaican farmers and some politicians want to capitalize on what already is a homegrown industry with an international brand. [continues 252 words]
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - Lobbyists urged Jamaica's government Sunday to move within 120 days to decriminalize pot and establish a local medical marijuana industry. The Cannabis Commercial and Medicinal Research Taskforce organized a three-day meeting on marijuana decriminalization with Jamaica's largest university. The conference, which drew speakers from the U.S. and Israel, ended Saturday. On Sunday, the lobbyists issued a 12-point roadmap they want the government to follow. Among other things, they assert that Jamaica should immediately expunge criminal records for all Jamaicans convicted for possessing small amounts of marijuana and amend laws so private, personal use by adults is decriminalized. [continues 132 words]
In a recent National Secondary School Survey of 3,365 students across 38 schools from 11 parishes, it was revealed that alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, and solvents/inhalants continue to be the substances most commonly abused by students in Jamaica, which could lead to serious health issues down the road. The survey showed that students in the 17-year-old age group were widely abusing alcohol, while those in the 15-16-year-old age group were heavily using cigarettes and marijuana. [continues 503 words]
Dear Editor, Regarding Mark Wignall's thoughtful April 27 column, 'Will we miss out on the ganja money?', the clock is ticking, Jamaica, don't miss the ganja boat. United States President Barack Obama is allowing marijuana legalisation to move forward. The next president may not be so enlightened. Jamaica would be wise to legalise ganja now before the US starts using its superpower status to bully other nations once again. It's not just about opportunistic timing, it's the right thing to do. [continues 128 words]
Two years ago, right after the US presidential election, a reader wrote me the following: 'I just read your recent article on the recently concluded US election and one thing stuck out at me beyond anything else. It is the fact that one of the items on the ballots that Americans were asked to decide on was the legalisation of marijuana. Many of the states, even those in the conservative mid-West of the country, voted not only to legalise marijuana for medicinal purposes, but also for personal use. [continues 460 words]
THE EDITOR, Sir: Cannabis is an industry that shows promise in the current job market. It is estimated that job openings in the cannabis industry have grown more than 3,000 per cent since 2005. In the United States, the market for legal marijuana, in which 20 states allow medical marijuana use and Washington and Colorado allow recreational marijuana use, could be worth $2.5 billion by the end of this year, according to the marijuana industry research firm ArcView Group. [continues 266 words]
THE EDITOR, Sir: Would it not simplify matters if the regulations on smoking included tobacco/nicotine and ganja/marijuana/cannabis, especially with the anticipated decriminalisation of weed in Jamaica? Neither tobacco nor ganja is harmless, and I think they should be treated similarly. Mandeville, Manchester [end]
As Canadian Rules Change, Nation Looks to Cash in on Export Market Jamaica has spent plenty of money on marketing and police as it has tried to scrub its reputation as a reefer lover's paradise. But the global legalization movement, and encouragement from at least one Canadian company, has the island nation poised to cash in on its old brand. With American states such as Colorado and Washington now regulating the use of recreational marijuana, and Canada's new Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR), which allow for the licenced import of the drug, coming into force on April 1, other countries are looking to get into the export market. [continues 684 words]
THE EDITOR, Sir: Regarding Aldyth Buck-land's letter on Saturday, March 8, 2014 titled 'Yes, ganja can damage the brain', I should take the good doctor to task with a few pointers. 1. Why don't you print your findings in the New England Journal of Medicine, not the Jamaica Gleaner. Scare-mongering doesn't work on people anymore. 2. I'm quite sure more people are harmed using sugar than those who use marijuana. Have you ever studied that? [continues 115 words]
THE EDITOR, Sir: Marijuana is a gateway drug. Its use has side effects that affect the structure and function of the brain. Yes, marijuana can damage the brain! Dr Daniel Amen has done SPECT brain scans on persons who have abused substances, including marijuana. In one study, he looked at a 57-year-old physician who had abused cannabis for 30 years. This doctor was unable to stop using it because of feelings of anger, irritability, agitation and anxiety when he tried to quit. [continues 282 words]
THE EDITOR, Sir: Why the tiptoeing on the medical marijuana industry? Recently, Senator A.J. Nicholson, QC, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, asserted that legalisation of marijuana was not on the Government's agenda. Are we to understand that the decriminalisation of marijuana for medical purposes is also not on the agenda? Since 2001, there has been much discourse on the legalisation of marijuana, and, recently, the decriminalisation of marijuana for medical purposes has occurred. Apparently, the ubiquitous discussions on the medical-marijuana industry remain piffling. Implicitly, the minister's assertion serves to obfuscate the issue and scuttle the progress made so far, rather than to fast-track appropriate legislation to support the potential industry. [continues 172 words]
THE EDITOR, Sir: Over the last few months, the debate as to whether marijuana should be decriminalised for medicinal purposes has gained traction. Recently, Dr Fenton Ferguson, minister of health, has asserted explicitly that he will endorse the decriminalisation of marijuana for medicinal purposes, an encouraging position. The minister should be commended for his boldness and, hopefully, he will convince his Cabinet colleagues of the economic imperative of the medical marijuana industry. Jamaica needs to act with alacrity in the decriminalisation of marijuana for medical purposes so as to exploit both medical and business opportunities. Recent findings by a Don Anderson poll provide compelling evidence that an overwhelming majority, 55 per cent of those interviewed, strongly called for the Government to intervene and promote the use of marijuana in medicine and ensure that its recreational usage is properly regulated. This survey validates the long-held cherished view that marijuana possesses medicinal properties. [continues 190 words]
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - A prominent Jamaican scientist and entrepreneur is launching a company that aims to capitalize on the growing international market for medical marijuana. Henry Lowe is a researcher who specializes in medicinal chemistry and the chairman of an institute that develops therapeutic and cosmetic products from various plants. Lowe is calling his new venture "Medicanja." He says it will focus on medicinal compounds in marijuana, known locally as "ganja," and will not violate any laws or treaties. Marijuana has been pervasive but prohibited on the Caribbean island since 1913. But increasingly vocal advocates say Jamaica could give its chronically struggling economy a big boost by embracing cannabis-related investing and loosening up drug laws. Lowe asserted Wednesday that Jamaica has potential to become a powerhouse in medical marijuana and health tourism. [end]
The Editor, Sir: We are embarking on passing legislation to legalise marijuana for medical purposes. Why would we need the opinions of ordinary citizens to make a decision in this regard? My opinion, for example, would not be necessary, as I am not an expert in the field of medicine or medical research. Let scientists conduct the necessary studies and experiments to ascertain the true value of marijuana to the medical field. If, at all, there is significant benefit to be gained, by all means, let us proceed in that direction. [continues 108 words]
(AP) - California's Napa and Sonoma valleys have their fancy wine tours, and travelers flock to Scotland to sample the fine single-malt whiskeys. But in Jamaica, farmers are offering a different kind of trip for a different type of connoisseur. Call them "ganja" tours: smoky, mystical - and technically illegal - journeys to some of the Caribbean island's hidden cannabis plantations, where pot tourists can sample such strains as "purple kush" and "pineapple skunk." The tours pass through places like Nine Mile, the tiny hometown of legendary reggae musician and famous pot-lover Bob Marley. Here, in Jamaica's verdant central mountains, dreadlocked men escort curious visitors to a farm where deep-green marijuana plants grow out of the reddish soil. Similar tours are offered just outside the western resort town of Negril, where a marijuana mystique has drawn weed-smoking vacationers for decades. [continues 743 words]
Farmers in Jamaica Are Offering a Different Kind of Travel Experience. (AP) - Call them ganja tours: smoky, mystical - and technically illegal - journeys to some of the island's hidden cannabis plantations. The tours pass through places like Nine Mile, the tiny hometown of the reggae legend and famous pot lover Bob Marley. Here, in Jamaica's verdant central mountains, dreadlocked men escort curious visitors to farms where marijuana plants grow. Similar tours are offered just outside the western resort town of Negril. [continues 90 words]
More politicians need to show some backbone in making an economic case for legalising marijuana. For years, marijuana-legalisation advocates in Jamaica have trotted out argument after argument in support of their cause: Prohibition doesn't stop people from using the drug. Pot's not as harmful as legal substances like alcohol or cigarettes. Deadly street/gang violence stems from marijuana's illegality. The youth disparity in marijuana arrests amounts to jobs discrimination. Marijuana has scientifically proven medicinal benefits. Lives can be ruined by just one minor pot arrest. [continues 494 words]
We are not surprised that there should be some disquiet at Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's proposal for drug testing of student athletes. For the idea, at first glance, can appear intrusive, invasive of privacy and with the potential to leave psychological scars and a long-term blight on the life prospects of a youngster who might be branded a drug cheat. The better option, the critics will argue, is to educate students, generally those engaged in competitive sport, about the danger of drug use, and the consequences when caught with performance enhancers. [continues 465 words]
Regarding Dr Andre Haughton's June 19 op-ed, the global drug war is largely a war on marijuana. If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of Anglo-cultural norms, ganja would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful, but criminal records are inappropriate as health interventions are ineffective as deterrents. Consider the experience of the former land of the free and current world record holder in citizens incarcerated. Here in the United States, police searches on public transit, drug-sniffing dogs in schools, and random drug testing have led to a loss of civil liberties, while failing to prevent marijuana use. The United States has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legal. [continues 72 words]
Dr Andre Haughton Where is the world headed? INVESTORS WORLDWIDE are seeking to maximise earnings by investing in markets with the most lucrative projected earnings. Last Friday, a group of Wall Street investors seeking to invest in legal marijuana ventures, including that for medicinal purposes, compared the current upsurge in the marijuana industry to the technology boom of the 1990s. According to researchers in Washington, a fully functioning marijuana industry could earn the state little over US$1 billion per year. [continues 801 words]
Inside Jamaica
