cannabisnews.com: Decriminalise 'The Weed'





Decriminalise 'The Weed'
Posted by CN Staff on March 08, 2004 at 20:48:31 PT
By Shanice Walford, Observer TeenAge Writer
Source: Jamaica Observer 
"The weed'- marijuana, ganja, herb, scientifically, 'Cannabus Sativa' has been a debatable topic for years. In Jamaica, it is a criminal offence to be found in possession of ganja. That's the law, but why is it so?People in the society need to be educated about the negative effects of the herb, but also the positive attributes. This is not so in most cases, as information sources worldwide have excelled in perfecting and polishing the negatives but have failed miserably to highlight the many positives.
One reason why ganja should be decriminalised is because it is a part of the Rastafarian religious ritual. Jamaica claims to have an environment that hosts free worship. However, why is it that?Rastafarians cannot travel with their 'draw of weed'? Rastafarians use ganja to aid in meditation and should be given the right to carry on their practices without fear.Drs Lockhart and West developed Canasol, which is used to treat glaucoma. It was developed by using marijuana. Following the development of Canasol its usage despite its marijuana base was made legal. Nothing wrong with that! But others use 'the weed' for medicinal purposes yet they are subject to the full weight of the law.Take for example the case of an ordinary man who uses marijuana to heal ailments such as stomachache, nausea and pre-menstrual syndrome (period pain). Everyone in Jamaica, from the little children to grown-up knows that many Jamaicans keep a bottle with ganja mixed with various other ingredients, white rum, for example, to use when a member of the family comes down with an ailment especially cold or flu. The use of marijuana in instances like these is still considered illegal and it should not be so.Let's look at our laws pertaining to marijuana and decriminalise those sections that are old and outdated.Source: Jamaica Observer (Jamaica)Author: Shanice Walford, Observer TeenAge WriterPublished: Tuesday, March 09, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Jamaica Observer Ltd.Contact: editorial jamaicaobserver.comWebsite: http://www.jamaicaobserver.comRelated Articles:Minor Victory for Ganja Smokers?http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18339.shtmlEase Up for Ganja - Recommendations Set http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18195.shtmlA Rational Decision on Marijuana, Please http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17959.shtmlJamaica: Go Easy on Ganja Users, Says Report http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17919.shtml 
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