Diaspora Speaks » Producing hemp could help Jamaica : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Producing hemp could help Jamaica

This is an amended version of an article that I wrote in April 2008 and presented to members of the government and opposition at the Diaspora Conference.

I have been thinking about ways to address some of the challenges our
beautiful country faces. One idea that I propose is based on what Canada has managed to do by legalizing and regulating a hemp industry.

Hemp is often confused with marijuana, both members of the Cannabis family of plants, but distant cousins. Hemp is one of the most useful plants, the seed of which are used to produce healthy food, nutraceuticals, and bodycare products and the stalk is starting to be processed into high performance fibre products, such as paper, textiles, biocomposites and building materials.

Canada has been growing industrial hemp seed since 1998 and a vibrant,
regulated industry has developed, supplying domestic and international
markets, the USA being the single largest importer of hemp from Canada. Jamaica’s climate has proven to be ideal for the cultivation of Cannabis and should be a comparative advantage in comparison to the Canadian climate. Hemp is a fast-growing, year-round crop that leads to the production of environmentally friendly products.

Jamaica has a better climate than Canada, more days of sunshine, massive amounts of available land, cheaper labour and close proximity to the USA.

There are obviously many Jamaican farmers who grow ganja in order to
survive so they possess the required knowledge to grow hemp and this new industry would allow them to become part of the formal economy. This new industry is positive for the Jamaican economy in a number of other ways:

1. Employment – This industry creates jobs on farms, the distribution chain and the marketing chain. Companies founded to market the crop internationally will also generate jobs. The Democratic Presidential candidates in the USA have recently been talking about “green collar”jobs, jobs in renewable industries. A hemp industry in Jamaica creates green collar jobs for Jamaicans.

2. Tax revenue – Licensing fees and income tax on companies and employees will generate real tax revenue for the Government. Jamaica has a severe problem collecting taxes and this industry helps to increase taxes collected from businesses and individuals.

3. Export growth – Jamaica suffers from a trade deficit, importing more than it exports. This trade imbalance is not desirable and a vibrant hemp industry will provide a new export crop that generates foreign exchange and reduces our deficit.

4. Economic growth – Jamaica can either reduce spending or grow the economy in order to climb out of the hole it is currently in. The latest budget increases spending (partly because of inflation of course) and while the Government will do its best to reduce expenditures by divesting some assets, growing the economy is still the best option. Growth is fuelled by productivity and industries.

Canada licensed about 3,259 hectares (8.050 acres) of hemp production in 2008.

The USA has weighed in on calls to legalize ganja in Jamaica but I have yet to see a hemp proposal put forth. Under Canadian regulations, hemp is classified as having less than 0.3% THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, making it unsuitable for drug and therapeutic purposes. If Canada could manage to facilitate a hemp industry, surely Jamaica should face no objection from the USA.

I am asking the Government of Jamaica to undertake a serious study of
the potential for a hemp industry in Jamaica based on Canada’s system.

Posted by
David Mullings

Tags: budget, Canada, cannabis, companies, debt, deficit, Disapora, employment, ganja, health, hemp, Jamaica, marijuana, taxes, USA

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11 Responses to “Producing hemp could help Jamaica”

BOB says:

January 11, 2010 at 7:00 pm

MR MULLINGS THIS IS A GREAT IDEA..

THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW , WE WONT HAVE ANY LEADERS THEY ALL WILL BE CULTIVATING THE WEED.LOL. WE ARE A PEOPLE OF PROCRASTINATORS!…WE ALWAYS WAIT UNTIL OTHERS TAKE THE BEST PART THEN WE GET WHATS LEFT… i SPOKE ABOUT OIL IN JAMAICA. AND SOME MAY LAUGH AT ME .. BUT I KNOW FOR SURE THAT JAMAICA HAVE OIL… EVEN IF WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER THE US MARKET.. WE COULD SELL IT TO CANADIAN PRODUCER WHO IN TERN SELL IT TO THE USA.

I BET IF THE USA SAID TO JAMAICA WE WILL SUPPLY YOU WITH ALL THE ARMS YOU WANT TO KILL YOUR OWN PEOPLE .. OUR LEADERS WOULD JUMP AT IT FASTER THAN THE BREEZE COULD CARRY THE WORD…
J Simmonds says:

January 12, 2010 at 8:19 am

I urge the Government to look into this option as I agree with David Mullings re hemp growing. I live in the UK and use it as a food source and it is highly recommended for its balance in nutrition. Its many uses in food are varied from either using the whole seed to the shelled ones. instead of taking suplementary medicines – this is a natural alternative. Importing to the UK could be quite successful.
Clarence says:

January 12, 2010 at 11:51 am

Nice David. We intelligent people know this is a great plan. Unfortunately we have old people in leadership positions who are rather slow and inept for the job. We need a dynamic leader who can change a brainwashed nation. That leader is in the USA, England, or Canada I think. What will happen? Years after other nations develop and implement there hemp production and turn record profits, some gray haired politician will try to uplift their party through the support of the masses of people who will demand it and the hemp industry will begin 10 years after the 1st world started. Great article and I’m happy for citizens like you. I moved to Jamaica in ’05 after growing up in Miami. Thank God for the diaspora because this country would be Haiti in 30 days or less without y’all sending back remittances to float the place through years of bankruptcy.
jojo says:

January 12, 2010 at 7:43 pm

very interesting.

Jamaica’s leaders are suffering from an ‘innovation deficit’ so it would serve as no surprise if they were less than proactive with this subject
Judah Lion says:

January 13, 2010 at 1:06 pm

I agree with Mr. Mullings 99%. Jamaica can and should benefit from the cannabis plant. Adding to the points that Mr. Mullings made, cannabis can provide for the five basic necessities of life i.e.

1.Food form the seeds

2.Clothing from the fibrous bark

3.Shelter from the hurd (inner woody stalk)

4.Fuel also from the hurd and the seeds

5.Medicine from the seeds and female flower resins.

Enormus economic advantages and new industries can be attained from these five primary catagories. Research has shown that over 25,000 products can be extracted from this plant.
I not only advocate for the Hemp variety (non psychoactive type) but especially for the ganja/marijuana variety (psychoactive type)because it can do everything the hemp variety can do and more.

We are afraid to challenge the current laws that deem this herb illegal to curryfavour to powerful countries who bully this law around globally. I can safely say that any country that legalizes cannabis for the five catagories listed above will find themselves becoming independent in those catagories, no longer needing the help of big brother.

The governments of today are not here to protect the peoples interest but their owne and big brother. For that reason I don’t blame the goverments for not acting positively on this issue. I blame The people for not rising up and educating themselves on the issues.

I especially blame the Rastafari Movement for taking a one dimensional religious approach (though valid) to this plant. The Movement should be focusing on the multi dimensionality of this plant and be at the forefront of this rising cannabis revolution that is slowly coming to the fore internationally. If the Movement does not take heed it will be left behind.

My 1% disagreement with Mr. Mullings is that the Hemp is a distant cousin. I think it is the same plant. Many disagree with me, some for political purposes to try to separate the two variety of the same plant. The only difference I know between them is the THC% content.

Judah Lion
Markland says:

January 13, 2010 at 5:06 pm

How distinctly different are the two plants that the average Jamaican farmer will not confuse one for the other.

It would have been good if you could provide some of the drawbacks and how can they be minimized to ensure a florishing industry.
ESTEBAN AGOSTO REID says:

February 2, 2010 at 6:54 pm

Yes, Mr. Mullings,one is of the perspective that Jamaica should start thinking out of the proverbial box with respect to economic growth, and hemp is definitely one area that Jamaica should study and explore regarding the possible development of an industry for the very reasons articulated in your piece.Nuff respect !!
Apple says:

February 22, 2010 at 5:58 am

Unfortunately, Jamaica is not in a similar position to Canada and I believe there would be strong objection from the United States. The U.S. is known for dictating what affairs a country should run – whether private or public and I doubt that they would ‘approve’ of Jamaica running a hemp industry. I doubt the U.S. thinks of Jamaica as a country that manages its affairs effectively and so there would be questions of regulation, abuse and misuse of such an industry. I doubt such a proposition will work.
Desmond Green says:

April 20, 2010 at 1:32 pm

Thank you Mr. David Mullings for a truly momentous and practical idea. Eye trust all of Jamaica will rally behind it and make it a reality as soon as possible. Let us accept our natural resources and multiply them to our own and the good of the world. It is my feelings that we will very soon be producing the world, best grades of hemp.
Let us do it Jamaica for ourselves and our children and the rest of the world.
Winston A. says:

April 22, 2010 at 1:39 pm

Growing HEMP CANNOT help Jamaica my friend. That will bring even more CORRUPTIONS and wickedness against brothers and sisters. What can HELP Jamaica right now, and I mean right now. EVERYONE get up off their bottom, and DO something to help their country. EVERYONE STOP depending on government to feed them, school them, and clothes them.
Everyone STOP their begging, try and find a school, and get some learning. Government CANNOT throw a ROPE around your NECK and take you to a school to learn something better.
Get up, RISe up, SHOW ambitiousness, show WHAT you can do for your LOVELY country. Brighten your l;ife, FORGET corruptions and CRIMINALITY, EXPOSE ALL those who commit crimes and hiding under your beds, and Jamaica will be a better place, and quickly uplifted out of the gutter you think it is in at the moment. If the past government, after 19-years, did do real good to Jamaica, then Jamaica would never be in this doldrums today.
Forgewt the HEMP, and DO the things above.
rasta girl says:

May 15, 2010 at 9:48 am

I agree with David, this would be a life saver for the people of Jamaica I believe that the right person could manage this program. and there is someone in that country capable of doing so ther are many intelligent and educated people in jamaica who has made great strides in business. and if the government would remove the obstacles this would be something for them to explore. power to the people of Jamaica!