cannabisnews.com: A Rational Decision on Marijuana, Please





A Rational Decision on Marijuana, Please
Posted by CN Staff on December 11, 2003 at 20:56:00 PT
Editorial
Source: Jamaica Observer 
We hear, and fully appreciate, the opinion tendered by Mr Hylton, the solicitor-general, that Jamaica would most likely be in breach of some international agreements if it were to move ahead with its plan to decriminalise the use of marijuana.According to Mr Hylton, another complicating factor -- and perhaps the most critical in a practical sense -- would be the likely American response if Jamaica were to go this route.
Jamaica would possibly be held to be non-compliant in America's war on drugs and made ineligible for US aid. And US pressure need not end in the absence of direct US economic and other assistance.All these, of course, are important considerations as Jamaica decides on which, if any, of the recommendations it will accept from the National Commission on Ganja, whose report is now being reviewed by a joint parliamentary committee.Indeed, the commission's key recommendation is for the decriminalisation of the private use of ganja in small quantities. It is a recommendation which, we believe, makes good sense, particularly in the cultural and social context of Jamaica.Let's be clear, this newspaper does not believe that ganja smoking is good for people. We do not promote or support its use. And the support which we give to the decriminalisation of ganja is not extended to other psychotropic and narcotic substances. In fact, we support a firm and resolute fight against cocaine and other narcotic drugs.The point, though, is that the evidence, scientific and anecdotal, does not seem to suggest that ganja and the so-called hard drugs, such as cocaine, are in the same category.Ganja does not have the addictive, mind-bending properties of cocaine. But more important, are the deep social cleavages that have been opened and widened because of the historic response by officialdom in Jamaica to the use of marijuana.Culturally, Jamaicans, in substantial majority, do not view ganja as a "drug" -- not in the same way that they would consider cocaine or other substance drugs. Rather, ganja is perceived as a multi-purpose plant that has medicinal and other values. Smoking its leaves is seen, by and large, as another way of utilising the plant.The merit, or otherwise, of such an argument is not the only fundamental issue, especially if the smoking of marijuana is considered in the context of Jamaica's broader social reality.The bald fact is that it is especially poor people who live in inner-city communities who are disproportionately arrested and jailed for smoking ganja. It is not because they smoke more ganja than people in the middle and upper classes, who, we assume, light up as frequently.The fact is that social conditioning predisposes those who represent authority to enforce laws more vigorously among those who are poor. One upshot is that a vast number of inner-city and rural youth are arrested and jailed for breaking a law which their middle-class counterparts ignore with impunity.Such disparity in the law fuels resentment in inner-city communities which believe that their residents are unduly targeted for a 'crime' whose enforcement, in any event, has no legitimacy in the wider society. The bottom line is that inner-city youth develop criminal records which hamper their lives.Several countries, notwithstanding the concerns raised by Mr Hylton, have begun to take rational decisions relating to ganja smoking. Jamaica has to do the same in the context of its reality.We just have to do a better job explaining our rationale while at the same time making clear our intent is not a free-for-all on drugs.Except for the views expressed in the columns above, the articles published on this page do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Jamaica Observer.Source: Jamaica Observer (Jamaica)Published: Friday, December 12, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Jamaica Observer LtdContact: editorial jamaicaobserver.comWebsite: http://www.jamaicaobserver.comRelated Articles:No To Ganja - Jamaica Gleanerhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17954.shtmlDecriminalisation of Ganja Could Hurt Jamaicahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17953.shtmlJamaica: Go Easy on Ganja Users, Says Report http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17919.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by Virgil on December 14, 2003 at 20:50:04 PT
Another article on Jamaica
http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=21430
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Comment #5 posted by global_warming on December 13, 2003 at 15:56:27 PT
Go Jamaiaca
Brothers and Sisters
In the name of the murdered jesus
Prepare to face the moment, 
In your life,With each treaty , you engage the beast,
To all you island folk,
I hope you survive,
When I come to dance,
On your lands,
Coming in the grace of God
Coming with balms
To soothe and embrace
My brothers and sisters,-gw
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Comment #4 posted by mayan on December 12, 2003 at 17:45:24 PT
SystemGoneDown...
Kucinich won't win? He won't win if we believe the media and who they say will win. This is our big chance to make the mainstream media look even dumber than they truly are!It's up to us!!!
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Comment #3 posted by SystemGoneDown on December 12, 2003 at 11:51:54 PT:
Kucinich
ABSO LOOTLEY!!! All ridiculous drug policy ends with Kucinich as prez. One problem.... He aint gonna win. Our govn't is so powerful that I don't even view it as a democracy. He won't win because he won't play ball. I find it ironic that the leading democratic candidate for president in 2004(Dean) is the only candidate that rejected a medical marijuana bill. That is very non-liberal and non-democratic. I believe most people think marijuana should be legal, much less decriminalized. Politics is no longer about serving your country. It was until Kennedy was assasinated and everyone got scared to stand up for themselves. This country is no longer represented by the people and is ruled by opportunist like Dean who have the money to pay for his campaign and ultimate election victory for democratic presidency to go against a different and even more brutal man, Bush.
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Comment #2 posted by The GCW on December 11, 2003 at 22:10:51 PT
This problem in Jamaica ends, with Kucinich.
In case You haven't heard,Democratic Presidential nominee, Dennis Kucinich, put in writing that as PRESIDENT He WILL:
 
"DECRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA" -"in favor of a drug policy that sets reasonable boundaries for marijuana use by establishing guidelines similar to those already in place for alcohol." (POSTED ON His website!)http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17917.shtml http://www.kucinich.us/issues/marijuana_decrim.php Kucinich will end the blackmail.
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Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on December 11, 2003 at 21:07:41 PT
Positive Vibration
I think the Gleaner was in favor of decrim also. It looks like the Observer is tackling the hypocrisy of the "Border Controls" myth head-on. Of course, they didn't mention that the US is threatening Jamaica for the same laws that 1/3rd of America has.Wow. The only thing worse than suffering under oppressive US drug laws is to be in some poor country and still have to suffer from our stupid policies. What a crazy situation. US taxpayers have to pay money to Jamaica to control their drug laws.  Thats basically what's happening. Madness!
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