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| Jamaica May Legalize Marijuana |
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Posted by FoM on August 17, 2001 at 15:48:59 PT By Matthew Rosenberg, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press 
In the heart of Kingston, about a dozen men stand in an open-air emporium stacking long buds of marijuana even though the crop is illegal in Jamaica."High-grade, the best ... smell it," says a dreadlocked 27-year-old Rastafarian at the "Luke Lane" market, who gives his name only as Toro as he holds a bud in the air and beckons to a passer-by. Sale completed, he lights a joint of rolled marijuana and smiles. These days, he has a lot to be happy about. A government commission recommended Thursday that marijuana be legalized for personal use by adults -- a move the government will likely endorse despite opposition from the United States, which has spent millions to eradicate the crop on the Caribbean island. "Marijuana's reputation among the people as a panacea and a spiritually enhancing substance is so strong that it must be regarded as culturally entrenched," said the commission's report. The National Commission on Ganja -- as marijuana is known here -- also said Jamaica should allow the use of marijuana for religious purposes. This is important to the Rastafarian minority, who worship deceased Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie as a prophet and use marijuana as a sacrament. Prime Minister P.J. Patterson last year appointed the commission, which included academics and doctors. So far, he and elected officials have not publicly commented on the report. But Ralston Smith, an aide to Patterson, said: "My gut feeling is that the commission's recommendations will be followed." Any change in existing drug laws would have to be approved by Parliament. And legalization, even for personal use, could cause friction with the United States and violate the 1988 U.N. Convention Against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Jamaica signed the accord. "The U.S. opposes the decriminalization of marijuana," Michael Koplovsky, a U.S. Embassy spokesman, said Thursday. Over the last 20 years, the United States has worked with Jamaica to burning marijuana fields and carry out other anti-drug efforts. It has also provided aid to fight drug trafficking in Jamaica, the Caribbean's largest marijuana exporter and a major transshipment point for cocaine bound for Europe and South America. The commission addressed these concerns in its report, urging the government to "embark on diplomatic initiatives ... to elicit support for its internal position and influence the international community to re-examine the status of cannabis." Between 1992-98, the United States provided $7.8 million to Jamaica to eliminate marijuana production and trafficking. The most popular method has been to chop down the plants and burn the fields. Indian indentured servants are thought to have brought marijuana to Jamaica in the 19th century. Its use as a medicinal herb spread rapidly among plantation workers, with some using ganja tea to alleviate aches, and others using rum-soaked marijuana as remedy for coughs and fevers. But it was not until the 1960s and 1970s, with the rise to popularity of Bob Marley and other reggae icons, that marijuana began to gain acceptance outside poor neighborhoods. Marijuana's deep roots were clear in Luke Lane after word spread of the commission's recommendation. Among the patrons was 43-year-old Horace Clarke, who was also buying school supplies for his three children. "At night, when the children are sleeping, sometimes I smoke a little with my lady," Clarke said as he bought a quarter ounce for about $2.50. The vendors were pleased at the possibility the it might be legal to use marijuana, even though selling the drug would remain illegal. All had stories of being chased by the police, "If you're going to smoke it, you have to get it and we sell it," said a dealer who gave his name only as Metro. He said he earns about $100 on a good day. "This money doesn't go out to buy guns, it goes to food that fills the bellies of my children and puts them in school clothes and pays their school fees," he said. "What's criminal about that?" Source: Associated Press Related Articles: US Backlash Against Ganja US Issues Ganja Warning Decriminalise it, Says Ganja Commission Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #10 posted by Ras James rsifwh on August 18, 2001 at 09:58:34 PT |
| Thank you Ras Dan B! You got the point. ----------------------------------------------------------- Dear Ras Phyro the Dragon, Ras James believes Jesus was the Son of God who died on the cross to save all mankind. Haile Selassie I was the coming of the Father to fulfill the Book...the Bible. Ras James believes the Book has been fulfilled now; that and mankind now stands on the last line of the Book..."The Grace of the Lord Jesus be with You All. Ahmen!" These are the words of the Father saying to the Jews, the Muslems, and the Christians, the whole world hay you all stop fighting and killing each other for my Son's Sacrifice on the Cross was enough to save the World...all the evil in the past, present, and future has been forgiven by the Grace of Jesus...My Son's Grace is True Amazing Grace. Do not insult Him by trying to fix up the World. Yes Rastas enter the City of God now! Here on Earth!...each man/woman must do it I-self in I-mind. The Kingdom will not come by expectation only by realization. Ras Jordan, Many such rumors have been printed in the papers...but the Tomb remains empty...and always will. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by PoisonedFor4YrsSoFar on August 18, 2001 at 06:27:49 PT |
| I read somewhere that a pound in Jamaica was $26. Is that right because if so $2.50 for 7 grams seems a bit much. WHEN THEY LEGALIZE IT IT WILL BE EVEN CHEAPER!!! WOOOHOOO!!! [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #7 posted by Digit on August 18, 2001 at 05:31:26 PT:
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| well sed legalizeit, i think thats why drug testing never kicked of here in the UK, because we have Holland just a short ferry ride away :) praise Amsterdam! hehe Phyro? are you for real? quit telling others off for their beleifs and quit preaching. biggot. Kal, do u think we havn't been? ... for those of you REALLY HAV'NT BEEN, get of your fat stonned ass and write a few letters. Postage stamps are the cheapest investment and the return on them?... well, i dont need to tell you what an imense effect legalisaion will have on the world. Please all go and help the cause... http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/weeklypoll/ this is not an official vote that will actually create the legalisation or whatever, but it damn sure will get some reccognition. Already many people have voted and the people from the USA are also using it as a podium (through teh comments section of the form) to speak out about the attrosities of their government. write em letters, have a presence at em marches, wave em placards, vote em polls, and educate your self so that you may educate others. :) peace [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #6 posted by Jordan on August 18, 2001 at 04:10:46 PT:
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| Selassie's body was supposedly found a few years ago, under the desk of the prime minister of Ethiopia... sounds absurd, but I read it in some book while researching the Rastafarian religion for a school project... [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #5 posted by Dan B on August 17, 2001 at 23:47:21 PT:
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| Here is the exact quotation from Ras James rsifwh: "Mathew Rosenberg, the Associated Press Writer, should at least make an effort to get the Rasta Overstanding correct. Is Jesus a dead prophet to Christians?" Notice that a question is asked rather than a statement made. Ras James is not saying that Christ is dead; he is asking if it would be right to say "Jesus is a dead prophet." I believe that Ras James would agree that such an assertion would be wrong, just as it is wrong to assert that Selassie I is dead. Both assertions would be affronts to religious people (in the first case, Christians; in the second, Rastafarians). Please be careful. I am sure that Ras James means no disrespect. I have yet to see one post by Ras James even hinting at disrespect for the beliefs of others. All that was meant is that it is as wrong to say that Selassie I is dead for the same reason that it is wrong to say that Christ is dead: both assertions fly in the face of strongly held religious beliefs. Whether one believes or not, one must respect that others do believe and act accordingly. Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #4 posted by Kal on August 17, 2001 at 23:10:58 PT:
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| If all the people who write to posting boards such as this ALSO wrote to their local member of parliament or congressperson, raising their awareness of the Truth about Cannabis Sativa, then perhaps headway would be made in the worldwide acceptance of the plant. I can send HempFaqs to any interested person. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #3 posted by Phyro_the_Dragon on August 17, 2001 at 22:17:02 PT:
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| Before you Say that Jesus was a Dead prophet BACK UP!! HE went to heven in Glory for laying down his life for you Ras James ANd he will soon be back ... When millions & millions of people end up missing Dont be surprised !!!!! IN LOVE Of Christ Jesus of Galilee [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by legalizeit on August 17, 2001 at 20:14:32 PT |
| I think it would be spectacular if a little country like Jamaica stands up to the US and says, once and for all, "Enough of this nonsense!! We are a soverign nation and have the right to legalize any substance we see fit. We have seen the devastating effects of prohibition both in your country and ours, realize that ganja causes no major problems either to the user or society, and are taking immediate measures to remove from our books all sanctions against the use, possession or sale of what is, after all, a plant. Your senseless bullying no longer threatens us. If you still care to percieve marijuana as a threat to public health and safety, you will no longer receive sympathy from our country. We regreat any tensions this will cause between our two countries, but we must do what we feel will be of most long-term benefit to our country and society at large." Screw the UN and their stupid accord, too. Jamaica should have conscientiously objected to signing it (or were they railroaded into it? Sounds likely.) I just wonder what will happen to the scam that is drug testing if this happens. If a worker takes a vacation to Jamaica (it is a very popular tourist country for DEAlandites) and participates in a LEGAL activity there, can that be held against him if he returns to DEAland and gets popped for a drug test? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by Ras James rsifwh on August 17, 2001 at 16:27:50 PT |
| Mathew Rosenberg, the Associated Press Writer, should at least make an effort to get the Rasta Overstanding correct. Is Jesus a dead prophet to Christians? If Selassie I is dead, where's the body?...never been found. The Tomb is still empty...and so is the promise of religious freedom in these here United States of America. Rosenberg may have talked to a blackman with dreads who said Haile Selassie I was a prophet. But Dreads don't make a Rastaman...only the Overstanding that Selassie I is God the Father in the Book of Revelation who has established the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth I-ternally...Tru Zion! Many Dreadlock men are Israelites who still live in the Old Testament...Maybe the Associated Press Writer is more comfortable with the Israelites...But Rasta is the future and the future is now...Smoke the Tree of Life (Cannabis Sativa) on that pot thought! Give all Praise and Thanks to Jah Rastafar-I, the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, who liveth and reignith in I and I...ever faithful...ever sure...ever last! Jah Rastafari! [ Post Comment ] |
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