Jamaica considers legalising cannabis

[Pondlife]

http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.a...oryName=464243

Jamaica considers legalising cannabis
2nd March 2008, 4:32 WST

Jamaica is considering the legalisation of marijuana, a drug revered by members of the island's large Rastafarian population who say smoking it is part of their religion.

A seven-member government commission has been researching possible changes to the Caribbean nation's anti-drug laws, which some police complain are clogging courts and jails with marijuana-related cases, a government official said.

"We have discussed it, and we are preparing a report to present to the prime minister," said Deputy Prime Minister Kenneth Baugh.

In 2003, a government commission recommended legalising marijuana in small amounts for personal use.

But lawmakers never acted, saying legalisation might entail loss of their country's US anti-drug certification. Countries that lose it face economic sanctions.

A US State Department report on Friday said Jamaica is the largest producer of marijuana in the Caribbean and a major hub for drugs bound for the US.

Members of the Rastafarian movement, which emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s out of anger over the oppression of blacks, have long lobbied for the legalisation of the drug that they say brings them closer to the divine.

There are an estimated 700,000 Rastafarians in the world, most of them among Jamaica's 2.6 million people.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	thanks for sharing
	Awesome article :)

[Alfa]

I heard something about a good chance for legalisation in Jamaica. I wonder what the US will do to stop it.

[purplehaze]

^ha.. We will tax them lmao. I thought smoking in Jamaica wasn't a big no no. In fact i saw a tourist video on youtube were the guide stops at bob marleys smoking stone and smokes a huge spliff.

Maybe I have the wrong idea.

I wish I could lead the U.S. alot of shit would change.
Like for one, regarding other countries policies and laws we would mind our own fucking business and stay our ass on our side of the line and worry about how we run shit here instead of worrying about other countries dirty laundry.

[PingoTango]

Originally Posted by purplehaze

^ha.. We will tax them lmao. I thought smoking in Jamaica wasn't a big no no. In fact i saw a tourist video on youtube were the guide stops at bob marleys smoking stone and smokes a huge spliff.

Maybe I have the wrong idea.

I wish I could lead the U.S. alot of shit would change.
Like for one, regarding other countries policies and laws we would mind our own fucking business and stay our ass on our side of the line and worry about how we run shit here instead of worrying about other countries dirty laundry.

That's something of misconception I think (never been to JA myself, though), but it's worth bearing in mind that whilst they are the island's most famous and instantly recognisable inhabitants, Rastafarians actually occupy a minority position in Jamaica, which is a largely Protestant country. Because of this, I think the world really would sit up and take notice if cannabis were legalised there.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Great points :)

[Senor Gribson]

Originally Posted by purplehaze

^ha.. We will tax them lmao. I thought smoking in Jamaica wasn't a big no no. In fact i saw a tourist video on youtube were the guide stops at bob marleys smoking stone and smokes a huge spliff.

from what i've heard, cannabis laws are enforced more strongly in jamaica than in the states! although in countries like jamaica where tourism is a huge industry, police are supposed to stay away from tourists as much as possible to avoid any international incidents that may affect tourism. this is probably why jamaica seems so lax about marijuana laws to most people.

[phillylocal]

they might as well make cannibis legal in Jam-Rock...they're not doing much to enforce it...from what i've seen.

I was in Negril last spring (late may-early june), and my buddy was with me grabbing some bud from the dealer who always sat near the rocks. Not more than 5 minutes after we had left, and were sitting about 200feet away on the beach rolling up a "skliff" (they call them that there...), the Jamaican Police came and arrested the dealer. The police reached right into the knook in the tree (where he had his stuff), and pulled out a huge bag...almost a half pound, and took him away in cuffs.

I went up to my security guard there, and asked what the deal was...and he said no big deal; the guy gets arrested 3 times a week.

All that is needed is a little bribe BEFORE SWIY gets taken to the station...works every time...one of my buddies other dealers there explained the whole process to him (mainly because he was getting the wonderful white stuff).

Plus they have to use their military forces to destroy all the fields in the "Bush" as well...one of SWIMS tour guides took him there for a peek and a smoke...very fun.

Reputation Comments on this post:

thanks for sharing that info

[phillylocal]

ABOVE POST WAS NOT WRITTEN as a HOW TO GET OUT OF TROUBLE GUIDE....more so hopefully it illustrates the corrupt nature of the police in Jamaica, and the lax protocalls they have towards Cannibis...

[juanathan]

there's no reason NOT to legalize it. i can't see it affecting the crime rate since it's already pretty high, plus it will do wonders for the tourism industry just like it did for holland, which will boost their economy, which will improve the poverty rate and give some of the poorest jamaicans farming jobs.

[Nature Boy]

The key here is the US anti-drug certification that would result in economic sanctions. Unfortunately, the sentiments of the population are largely irrelevant. I would be genuinely surprised if any nation pioneered legalised cannabis. This is probably something that will eventually happen on regional, non-national levels and will take several decades at the very least.

[Pondlife]

Originally Posted by Nature Boy

The key here is the US anti-drug certification that would result in economic sanctions.

Does anyone know more about this "anti-drug certificate", and what economic sanctions could result from its withdrawal?

[phillylocal]

OR, would it be possible to overcome these economic sanctions with the mass production and commercialization of hemp products? (maybe the US would just throw down an embargo..haha???....no but seriously)

[0utrider]

doesn holland face any sanctions (even though its officially not legal there?) ? or the czech republic?

[phillylocal]

ahhhh (I've heard this debated many times on forums...), from what I can tell, Marijuana is illegal in Czech Republic. Apparently there has been a lot of mis-information spread around the inter-webs about this, but many posters from CzechR, have confirmed that it is illegal there....(they could be lying that they were from Czech though).

[0utrider]

hmm maybe its illegal but there was a bill of decriminalization for personal use afaik

[Nature Boy]

Originally Posted by outriderx

doesn holland face any sanctions (even though its officially not legal there?) ? or the czech republic?

Originally Posted by phillylocal

ahhhh (I've heard this debated many times on forums...), from what I can tell, Marijuana is illegal in Czech Republic. Apparently there has been a lot of mis-information spread around the inter-webs about this, but many posters from CzechR, have confirmed that it is illegal there....(they could be lying that they were from Czech though).

Originally Posted by outriderx

hmm maybe its illegal but there was a bill of decriminalization for personal use afaik

It's decriminalised instead of legalised for a reason. I think it's mainly because of UN sanctions if anything. You can get away with decriminalisation but giving the green light to full legalisation is controversial, as if promoting the drug. Realistically, plain decriminalisation only solves half the problem because the black market still has no competition although the Dutch system is effective in that it gathers up tax revenue and its widespread availability reduces black market activity. That's about as legal as it's going to get until international laws are changed. I think it's something that can be challenged however. A pragmatic solution would require eventual legalisation due to all the bureaucratic fumbling and revenue lost keeping it illegal.

[phillylocal]

Ah. Clever point. I will do some research and try to find something definitive.

[Sippin40oz]

I think cannabis is a bit of a grey area in jamaica... I think Rastas mostly get away with it stating that its their religion! Ive been to Jamaica and ive seen rastas smoking weed openly in some of the little shanty towns so cant be enforced that much.

Going back to an earlier post i think the bribe thing works more then u would think. My friend is jamaican and has told me many stories of being pulled over being too drunk to walk not alone be driving! ) all he used to do is slip them some money and he was on his way no probs!!!! Its a shame our police are so honest/stupid!

[juanathan]

i would speculate that barack obama might circumvent any sanctions against a country like jamaica that is willing to try something "new" and "fresh"

[zera]

Originally Posted by juanathan

i would speculate that barack obama might circumvent any sanctions against a country like jamaica that is willing to try something "new" and "fresh"

Why, what has Barack Obama ever done to show that he is willing to indulge decriminalization a single bit. Barack Obama has been shown to be a coward when it comes to the drug war just as much as nearly every other fucking two-bit politician hack in this hysterical nation.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/124769.html