'Falla fashin' weed legislation?

Janiel Lambert, Guest Columnist

I read with immense interest the news article on February 24, 2014, 'Weed time - Paulwell hints at clearer days for ganja this year'. The article highlighted the plans to decriminalise marijuana, which is on the Government's agenda for the upcoming legislative year.

The Jamaican Government has to ensure that the plan to decriminalise ganja is well thought out and not made in a frenzy just because other countries are changing laws on 'herb'. It has to be intricately planned, and care must be taken to prevent Jamaica from descending into a junkie town. This is especially true when one considers that over the years, our war against drugs has failed miserably.

Admittedly, there are vast benefits to be derived from the decriminalisation of weed if done strategically. First, it is essential that there be a campaign educating weed smokers that decriminalisation is NOT the same as legalisation. This is of paramount importance!

I am going out on a limb and putting faith in the Jamaican Government that decriminalisation is not aimed at creating a free market for marijuana but instead is aimed at controlling the cultivation, consumption and sale of cannabis. Therefore, I implore the bigwigs in Gordon House to take a look at Uruguay's model of the legalisation of marijuana and learn a lesson or two.

MUST SPEND TO REAP BENEFITS

If the Government is serious about being the victor in this war on drugs, it must be willing to spend money in order to reap the benefits in order for marijuana to be properly and successfully regulated. There will obviously need to be an independent body put in place to govern the regulation of herb.

But then the million-dollar question that needs to be addressed is, which part of the process will be decriminalised? Is it the cultivation, the consumption, the sale, or all of the above? In any case, there will have to be a central database that possesses the records of the registered cultivators of the plant, the common smoker, and the established location where marijuana will be sold.

Of course, in all cases, there will have to be a limit - both an age limit and a quantity limit. The database will be of paramount importance in ensuring that there is an avenue in which to track if and when those established limits and conditions are breached so that necessary penalisation can follow.

Decriminalising herb will be a gift - if regulated successfully. Not only will revenue be garnered from tax and exportation centred on scientific or medical use, but there is also a benefit to our judicial system. No longer will our already clogged justice system be further burdened with persons who were found with a spliff, as long as the quantity falls within the amount stipulated by the legislation.

Many anti-marijuana folks will say that decriminalising the plant is in and of itself encouraging non-smokers to jump on the bandwagon of drug users; they may even say that the Government is not thinking about the health of its citizens. To these claims I have one response - well, no, two.

Over the years there have been innumerable campaigns informing people that smoking is dangerous to health, so whether or not herb is decriminalised, people will continue to smoke. Quite frankly, 'if sick nuh care, how doctor fi care?'

Second, similar to the high wave of persons that grabbed on to the free health-care policy but very soon after couldn't care less, the exact thing will happen if this new policy is rolled out.

Undoubtedly, there will be a high wave of weed smokers making use of the new legislation. However, this will be controlled by regulation efforts. It is understood that whenever something new is introduced, people will get into a frenzy, but very soon after, that emotion will dwindle till normality is regained.

If decriminalisation is done strategically, the Government will be successful and it will be worthwhile to our island. However, the Government must be keen on the motive of decriminalising the plant, because 'puss and dawg nuh have the same luck!'

Janiel Lambert is a final-year journalism student at Northern Caribbean University. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and jlambert10@stu.ncu.edu.jm.