JAMAICA Observer online readers have weighed in on a call by international drug policy reform advocate, Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch, for the country to move ahead with decriminalising ganja and not fear about any possible backlash from the United States. Malinowska-Sempruch made the call at this week’s Monday Exchange. She said Jamaica’s sovereignty should be foremost on Government’s mind at its moves to decriminalise the weed for personal use. Here are some edited comments:

tyroneosborne

The last statement is definitely not true. Let us say that those on the side of legalising ganja have won the day and it is only a matter of time that all countries legalise weed. Well, by that time, can you say Jamaica will have fair share? Considering what is happening in Mexico right now, do you think that the Mexicans are not going to want a piece of the ”ganja action”. Assuming that Jamaica has the lion’s share of arable lands for growing ganja, do you not see that the supply of ganja is going to increase quite rapidly?

Without scientific proof, I can go along with the emotional crowd and say Jamaica has a ”special brand of weed”. next to none. Are we sure that certain people will not do genetic engineering of ganja to make some wierd strains?

Sanity

@tyroneosborne: You ask a lot of questions, but I don’t see the relevance to the issue. Jamaica cannot control what happens outside it’s borders and has no rights to benefit from weed than any other country. If Mexico gets in on the action, so be it. If they want to create genetically-modified weed so be it (you are eating genetically-modified food everyday). Jamaica will just have to learn to compete base on its branding. Also, I believe the author mentioned no study has been done in the last paragraph.

K Mon

@Sanity: I can’t see Mexicans moving to Jamaica and settling on Jamaican land.

Neutral Justice

There are the silent psychiatric effect ganja has taken on the Jamaican population. There are thousands of undiagnosed cancer and mental disabilities that is already running amok with the youth in Jamaica. Decriminalisation of the weed will further hurt Jamaicans and will burden the flakey health services. Weed has it’s benefits, but must be controlled by an independent entity. Try having an indepth discussion with a weed head or to make critical decisions under the influence of ganja and you’ll see how unreliable and dysfunctional that can be. I maybe un popular here, but the psychiatric imbalance of ganja will hurt Jamaica. You’ll see.

Sanity

@Neutral Justice: You can’t have a normal conversation with a drunk either. The health concerns are warranted but as with most things, moderation is key.

BLACKHAWK

Any way it is looked at Jamaica will be a lapdog:

1) It is not difficult for the US to control and regulate overseas markets leaving us with only our domestic market.

2) “They” made it criminal until “they” themselves perfected its production.

Suffer fools gladly!

Sanity

@BLACKHAWK: Even if it is limited to our own market there is still money to be made as we have millions of visitors each year. Also, it will reduce the burden on the state to take care of these people in jail.

johnchristian

What this lady seems to be saying is… ‘Jamaica do not be Wimps… strike out and make ur case and implement’. As a country, we have no history of taking bold and imaginative steps… watch us limp towards nothing.

Al

Yea. Im going to run out and smoke weed when its decriminalised. Also, Im going to give my kids weed to smoke… I can wait to throw away my life on the decriminalisation of ganja.

Note: Decriminalisation and legalisation have two different meanings and can not be used interchangeably.

toddler

That “most” jamaicans smoke ganja without any side effects is not true. I have seen what ganja does firsthand to people, so let no one be fooled

Prisoner of Christ

Decriminalisation of marijuana in Jamaica will lure too much unscrupulous, lazy people to the island, plus it will send mix messages to our next generation of youths. We, Jamaicans, cannot control ourselves much less the weed… Jamaicans welcome constructive arguments regarding medical marijuana, but legalisation is dead on arrival.

Yadda

Sovreignity of state, Ma’am? Jamaica sold that out a long time ago and that was signed sealed and delivered in that secret MOU and maybe even later.

Shirley Holness

What is/are the true reasons for the call for decriminalising of ganja? Is it because of its perceived medicinal value? Or the financial benefit that is anticipated? Or is it because it is a holy weed that was first grown on King Salomon’s grave? Or Maybe because it is a harmless drug , better than any alcoholic drink as some people theorise.

woodpecker

Agreed