Jamaican Government re-visits issue of 'freeing up di weed'

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By: Jaide

marijuana11.jpgJamaica's Deputy Prime Minister, Kenneth Baugh said at the beginning of this month, that a seven-member government commission, charged with researching possible changes to the country's laws that deem marijuana illegal, is now preparing to report to the Prime Minister on the matter.

Reported as once more considering the legalization of marijuana by the Associated Press, the Jamaican Government re-visits an issue that was put on hold back in 2003.

A government commission recommended the legalization of marijuana in small amounts for personal use back then, but this was never acted on, since legislators then said it might infringe on US relations, and could result in Jamaica losing their US anti-drug certification.

While their neighbours to the north in Canada openly grant medical marijuana to those citizens in need of relief from pain, nausea and other ailments, the US upholds the threat of economic sanctions on countries who lose their anti-drug certification.

Rastafarians in Jamaica have long lobbied for the legalization of marijuana, a substance they recognize as having many advantageous uses. Beside the fact that its derivatives have become key components in prescribed drugs and manufactured items, marijuana is for Rastafarians, a substance that affords them greater closeness [in meditation] to the divine.

There are close to 1 million Rastafarians in the world and most of them live in Jamaica that has a population of 2.6 million.

  • If weed becomes entirely legalized in plant type and ready to accept commercialization -- a stance largely supported through the National Organization for those Reform regarding Marijuana guidelines (NORML) -- just one notoriously vile group of manufacturers is normally uniquely poised more advanced than any various to manage the emerging market: major Tobacco. Having truly established the disinterest while in the public health and wellbeing generations ago through shady promotional of smokes, the ideal Big tobacco becoming the nation's pot dealer should daunt anyone favoring legalization and even regulation.

  • dylan

    tell me. why do we want this to be in the hands

    of the government. aka straight edge people.

    given no talent, no experiance with the herb.

    do we want it in stores?

    do we want it on shelves?

    do we want it to be taxed,

    or watered down, or sterilized, or enhanced?

    i dont. i dont want to have my weed

    handed to me by some pimple faced straight edge

    dork behind a counter. that is puposterous.

    i am dumbfounded to hear of true stoners wanting their pot legalized. huh. it shows the sheep

    from the man.

    to get weed from the same place as cigs.

    what were cigs before the government?

    tobacco. now, rather, its a little tobacco,

    and somehow 250 other chemicals that arent neccesary.

    how do thoes get in there, without question?

    the government. how does it stay like that?

    the government. why doesnt that change?

    the government. they say were the government..

    but untill the machine is gone. there will always

    be machinists, keeping the system working, running.

    i say, keep pot illegal..

    id rather fight, for what is right.

    not throw down my arms because they made an

    arrangement.. because most of the peope in my

    country frown upon it, because most people

    (cops) wanna take it away. well the cops are wrong.

    the system has failed.

    and i wont stop fighting.

    if you guys wanna bail out on me.

    then god help you. in whatever way he can.

    but the thing is, is that you gotta keep fighting.

    or else, all thats good in this world will fade to black. again and again and again.

    c'mon friends.

    brothers, sisters,

    aquaintances and prophets,

    lets live.

    jamaica, do not follow our path to self destruction.

    north america..

    is doomed.

    the machine, is taking over.

    soon, we will all be machinists

    running our own life.

    but i dont wanna run my life.

    i want whatever creator, to

    make me what i must be, to understand.



  • Ameriguy

    As an American who has been to Jamaica a few times and loves the people and culture, if you guys legalize it, it won't matter what sanctions the US gov't. throws at you; your tourism rates will go up at least 10,000% and your country's economic problems will be solved over nite. Jamaica will become one of the richest per capita nations in the Western Hemisphere. Low di herb!

  • Anthony Sinclair

    RIGHT YAH NOW A MEDITATE MAN A MEDITATE......EYES BLOOD RED AND A HAIL DI KING......SUH YUH KNO WEH MI SEH NOW.......LEGALIZE DI HERBS AND LETS BURN IT TO JAH JAH.

    REPPIN JAMAICA ERDAY IN THIS MAF**KA.....MI SEH T.G. STAND UP.

  • TeeLew

    "FREE UP THE HERB"

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