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16 Responses to “Should marijuana be decriminalised?”

1. Jo Bent says:

   January 25, 2013 at 8:54 pm

   I’ve always said marijuana should be
   legalized here with strict laws on
   one trying to export or leave the
   island with it also mandatory sentences
   for those that attempt to do so, after I
   saw that even sheriffs in California USA had
   their weed farms I wondered what was JA
   waiting for, now that more states have
   legalized weed is our Govt. waiting on
   all other countries to open weed shops
   before they look into the possibility of
   Ganja tourism, or as usual will be the
   visionless last.

   I personally dont smoke weed but have many friends that do, yes there are some I think that should not smoke it, just like there are some that should not drink white rum or even a few beers because they just cannot handle it.
   Think of the influx of visitors,eventually
   another country may want to buy from us (its
   our oil)organize and legalize before other
   countries and like our coffee becomes just a
   once upon a time commodity from JA.
   It can work with the laws going for natives
   and visitors alike going to prison if they
   do not adhere to the rules.
2. Anonymous says:

   January 26, 2013 at 12:20 am

   YES!!!…The pros outweigh the cons by a very WIDE margin. I can’t begin to state ever benefit in this text box. I would not finish writing. Refer to the Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman on his take on the “drug”! If marijuana is to be classed as a drug, it should be classed as a medical drug.

   Society seems to forget the days when alcohol was illegal. Alcohol and marijuana has similar effects on the human body when they are drunken or smoked.

   Marijuana could wipe this country clean of our debt!
3. ras zacka says:

   January 26, 2013 at 9:09 am

   Good old ganja for food clothes and shelter.manufacture. hemp seed oil for omega 3heart healthy oil.fiber hemp for textiles cloth and ropes for shoe and upholstery.thc shrink cancer cells.paint.ply board.heat energy from cut green limbs.perfume.jeans.plastics.animal fodder.bird seeds.mega trillion industry.
4. muse says:

   January 26, 2013 at 9:26 am

   Legalize it and export to Washington and Colorado
5. Li, Leiqin (Maria Lee) says:

   January 26, 2013 at 11:34 am

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6. jtt says:

   January 26, 2013 at 1:52 pm

   absoulutely,but this will never happen, reason is the jamaica government is kissing the butt of the US meanwhile the US is making millions selling the”weed”so if we decriminalised we become a competition and the us does”nt like competition, we would be hit with so many sactions that would drive us in the poor house.
7. johntowit says:

   January 26, 2013 at 9:21 pm

   As a mayor does’nt she has more pressing issue/s to deal with. She needs to bust her brains on how to collect taxes that wuld’ve made major differences in da state of Kingston and St Andrew.
   The Sport’s ministry is talking about hosting diamond league events – in a poor stadium like that – no chance. Without proper supporting infrastructure The National Stadium in its dilapidated state as it is – is not worthy of hosting an international meet of such stature. Health & Safety issues: fire escape, exit points, bathroom fascilities poor and inadequate, poor seating,etc.
   Poor road networks, hotel occupancy (does’nt exceed 3,000), etc.
   When da nat. stadia was built back in da day, Kingston & St. Andrew’s population was’nt even a 200 000; now with Portmore and Spanish Town its closer to 1 million; it culd host commonwealth games then but is’nt qualified to host it now.
   So everybody and events moved on leaving Jamaica behind. She shuld concentrate on the rat infestation of the city, garbage disposal, malaria’s comeback, countless socially dispossessed and deprived who occupys every quarter of the city. She has 2 much to do than to be trying to take over the min. of health’s portfolio.
8. johntowit says:

   January 26, 2013 at 9:49 pm

   In my humble opinion, one of the solutions wuld be mutiplying ur efforts to rake in taxes. If relevant legislation is not in place then by whatever means u have to collude with central government and rush through supporting legislature as a matter of urgency and this must serve not only the KSAC but all muncipalities Islandwide.

   With this new money u can bolster the police force, improve street marketing significantly and let every vendor be responsible in garbage disposal,etc.

   Then u can start thinking of letting every address pay a kind of council tax on a quarterly, monthly basis, etc.

   In other democracies, e.g. the UK, Local Government is big bizniz and it is funded by local taxes, small % of government funding, etc. The 32 councils of London all have off shore bank accounts where they bank monies left over after yearly expenditures (4 Mr. Rainy Day). Look at London its well planned, built, transportation, fire dept., schools, hospitals, parks, markets, are all in good order.

   Good Mayor u need to get tuff and collect the taxes
9. ras zacka says:

   January 27, 2013 at 5:17 am

   Ganja and rum is same medicine jamaica teach the world to use cure asthma.even babylon use it.and u question it like if a man question his face uf he has a nose?u alk done kno ganja is medicine.
10. ras zacka says:

    January 27, 2013 at 5:19 am

    God bless bostonand our new home to decriminalise ganja.one ounce in non criminal fine.
11. Patriarch says:

    January 27, 2013 at 10:38 am

    NO! We should not do this until the developed world has put system in place to control the plant globally and have followed through by decriminalizing in their own countries. Only then we should adapt decriminalization legislation as we want to ensure that: (1) Our tourism market will be secured as visitors can visit the Ganja Mecca and use the plant freely. (2) Echoing Obama’s rhetoric – similar to strong issues of Race Equality in the 1960′s and Gay rights in the 2000′s, we do not want to be further viewed as having any bias or phobia towards any human.
12. Daniel says:

    January 27, 2013 at 12:50 pm

    Well, what Brown Burke obviously hasn’t looked into is why cannabis isn’t and wont be legalized in jamaica and she doesn’t seem to know the difference between decriminalize and legalize. Jamaica cant do any of the two because we have sign a couple treaties with the USA and if we violate them we will be embargoed like cuba. For remaining drug free we get a measly 2 million US a year. I truly believe that is nothing compared to what we could make from cannabis. California made 14 billion in one year due to marijuana sales. I’m not sure if that was total sales or revenue made from taxes, either way, its a lot of money. We could possibly make even more seeing that Jamaica is already know as a marijuana capital around the world. So it could help tourism, we could even hold a cannabis cup on the island to draw even more attention. The best part about legalizing marijuana would be hemp. I’m not sure of Jamaicas hemp laws, but if we were to grow hemp on a large scale and manufacture it on the island we would make tons and save tons. We could use the fibres to make school books, uniforms, shoes, shoe lace, fuel, fabric, you can even make hurrican safe homes out of just hemp. The possibilities are endless, but we cant do anything until everyone in Jamaica is willing to let go of business with the United States or until we get this treaty revised. Cause if they can legalize it, we shouldnt be penalized for doing the same.
13. Makeba says:

    January 27, 2013 at 5:56 pm

    Jamaicans have the remarkable knack of discussing, discussing and again discussing issues which can be resolved by just DOING something. I agree that cannabis should be de-criminalised in Jamaica, especially in relation to youths using the substance for personal reasons. My opinion is based on the current tension between Police and young people, who are oftentimes caught up in physical and verbal confrontation with the Police.

    It has been proved that young people throughout the world do smoke cannabis as recreation. I see the same pattern in London amongst young people aged between 16 and 24 years. Stipulating that persons, young or mature, may have one “spliff” on their person at any time without being apprehended is a step forward.

    However, the Ministry of Health should facilitate public forums on the dangers of addiction and the side effects of smoking cannabis at all times. In doing so, people become consenting adults, as they do with smoking although the cigarette boxes carry grave messages.
14. glass says:

    January 28, 2013 at 8:23 am

    someone can tell me the criminal element of marijuana iv”e seen alcohol and tobacco done more harm why are we following certain people it”s part of our tradition even though some people won”T admit to it in certain parts of california you can get it for medical purpose why can”T we
15. Prodi Galson says:

    January 28, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    I think Marijuana (I usually call it “herbs”) should be decriminalized, in the context of personal consumption (smoking, drinking), but legalized, in the contexts of medical and commercial applications.

    I don’t believe the USA would want a monopoly on the Ganja industry, nor would be so hypocritical, to take action against Jamaica for the liberalisation and exploitation of this plant; because they started these processes.
16. Jo Bent says:

    January 28, 2013 at 11:53 pm

    Even with treaties Jamaica can legalize it at home.. the task would be national security measures and STRICT laws for those removing it from our shores, the treaty does not stop a sovreign nation from exercising its rights at home, but we have to stay on the US D#@% since
    we look to them for handouts , what a difference from the Antiguans, who are a smaller decisive nation that looks out for their citizens.
    The SPONGE birth control is banned in the US
    but they give it to Jamaica family planning
    reason its banned “toxic shock syndrome”, we
    have to do us like they do them.