by Barbara Makeda Blake Hannah
The JAMAICAN PEOPLE’S CANNABIS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL is pleased that its WIPE THE RECORDS campaign caused Government to place our demands top of its agenda and plans for Ganja ‘decriminalization’. But the widespread celebration of the announcement is unjustified and the euphoria will soon subside. as people come to realize that nothing has really changed and that instead some of our fears have come to pass in the Cabinet’s proposals.
Yes, Government says it’s now OK for me to carry 2 ounces (how much is that?) of Ganja on my person, but the person who will be growing more than that amount to supply my 2 oz, will still be breaking the law against growing Ganja! Nothing has changed there. He is still criminalized! Ganja is not decriminalized for him.
DRUG ABUSER?
And if I thought that being ‘ticketed’ by Police with a simple fine or 30 days community service was all we Ganja smokers would now face instead of arrest and criminal records, Government proposes to replace this possibility by giving Police the right to determine if I am ‘an adult who appears to be dependent on Ganja’, who must compulsorily attend the Drug Abuse Center on that Policeman’s decision. My eyes are open to realize that my life is now at risk at the hands of any policeman. I wonder what kind of training Police will now be given to enable them to factually determine who is ‘dependent on Ganja’, especially as it has been proven that there is no such thing as a ‘Ganja dependency’.
Further, dashing hopes of those who planned to open an ‘irie’ business where people could relax and smoke their 2 ounces of Ganja, the Cabinet witholds from Ganja smokers the rights it gives cigaretts smokers to have designated public smoking areas. Why the double standard? And what about tourists – will they be allowed 2 ounces too? As Mr. Golding’s Cabinet insists that they will NOT be freeing Ganja smoking for ‘recreational’ purposes, I guess that means those times when i’m just chilling on a beach, or relaxing with friends or anything else that is neither ‘sacramental’ or ‘medical’, I will be breaking the law. It looks to me like it’s still illegal to chill and smoke some Ganja!
HUMAN RIGHTS
I applaud Minister Golding for recognising that Ganja use is a human rights issue and that as such, RASTA have human rights to its use. But I can forsee a great problem when Government decides who is a Rasta and thereby allowed to smoke Ganja ‘sacramentally’. How even is ‘sacramental smoking’ defined? Does Government propose to be the authority to identify, decide and register Rasta sacramental spaces, or will Rastas be invited to apply for such designations? What will stop Rastas from declaring their homes, their cars, their businesses places, their open lots ‘sacramental spaces’?
The medical ganja businesses, local and especially the international companies with whom the UWI has signed Memoranda of Understanding, will be undoubtedly pleased at Cabinet’s proposals, as the medical ganja business is the only sector to benefit. Minister Golding’s presentation gives them alone the right to farm ganja and to produce medicine and medical goods. The Cabinet’s proposals make no mention of agreements signed for medicines produced by any group of Jamaican Ganja farmers. I would have hoped to see some inclusion of a Rasta business in this group, in recognition of the role RASTA has played in keeping alive the “Legalize It’ campaign for more than 8 decades. Instead, it appears that the persons who will be the first recipients of income from Government’s proposals for Jamaica to earn from Ganja, are not going to be any of the original planters, growers and users.
One thing that’s missing from the Proposals is any indication of how revenues from medical Ganja industries will be collected and used. The Jamaican People’s Cannabis Development Council proposes that Marijuana Taxes be used to finance a FREE national health service for Jamaica. But where the Ganja money will go, needs to be explained in the final proposal.
NOTHING’S CHANGED
So did they ‘legalize it’? Not as far as I can see. Wiping the records was the ace card – and I hope the cost of restoring one’s good name will be kept minimum as an apology for the hurt and suffering the law has caused so many. But the proposals to decriminalize only set some things free, including the congested courts, jails and prisons. Everything’s changed for some, but nothing’s really changed for personal use. Growers are still criminals. As Ministe r Golding explains at the end of his Cabinet’s proposals, the Law remains unchanged for now – at least, for the next 3 months while Cabinet considers it. As our rulers who must listen to the voice of the people, Cabinet expects to hear the opinions of many Jamaicans on their proposals, before making a final decision.
Please do not let me be the only one to offer them an opinion on their Proposals, whether you agree with them or not. Our much-praised democratic rights give us the freedom to express our views.Our views are important. We showed that with the WIPE THE RECORDS campaign.
Through Red, Gold, Green Spectacles 