Jamaica Explores Legalizing Marijuana

[RudolfTheRed]

Did a search and nothing came up and I am a little surprised no one has posted this yet...

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Jamaica is considering the legalization of marijuana, a drug revered by members of the island's large Rastafarian population who say smoking it is part of their religion.

A seven-member government commission has been researching possible changes to the Caribbean nation's anti-drug laws, which some police complain are clogging courts and jails with marijuana-related cases, a government official said Friday.

"We have discussed it, and we are preparing a report to present to the prime minister," said Deputy Prime Minister Kenneth Baugh.

In 2003, a government commission recommended legalizing marijuana in small amounts for personal use. But lawmakers never acted, saying legalization might entail loss of their country's U.S. anti-drug certification. Countries that lose it face economic sanctions.

A U.S. State Department report Friday said that Jamaica is the largest producer of marijuana in the Caribbean and a major hub for drugs bound for the United States.

Members of the Rastafarian movement, which emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s out of anger over the oppression of blacks, have long lobbied for the legalization of the drug that they say brings them closer to the divine.

There are an estimated 700,000 Rastafarians in the world, most of them among Jamaica's 2.6 million people.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jZwcRR-QoJqgP5h_EWFu791-292AD8V4PGOG1

 

[Chamba]

i hope it happens...but it would be a miracle if the US allowed this to happen

legalization is probably an impossible dream ....but some type of official decriminalization would have more of a chance and would help appease the right wing controllers in the US

it would also show the US's diminishing control and influence in that part of the world

 

[Sam_Skunkman]

JA has been talking about this for years now, but it is still not legal. If they are serious then the USA will try and make it impossible to happen.
-SamS

 

[PazVerdeRadical]

imho, laws that prohibit the uses of entheogenic plants are unconstitutional and go against human rights bills, as our right to have free will in choosing our religions is violated by prohibition laws.


cannabis use in a way is completely allowed and non-restricted. afterall, it is indeed already protected by the human rights bill and most constitutions world-wide, so politrickians have been violating our human rights for a long time, persecuting us, jailing us... who are the real criminals is easy to see.

one love,

paz

 

[MoeBudz^420]

"But lawmakers never acted, saying legalization might entail loss of their country's U.S. anti-drug certification. Countries that lose it face economic sanctions."

World Bully.


Peace

edit: I hear an echo...remember our proposed decrim under Chretien? Same deal pretty much, Walters' deranged ranting and raving + threats sure killed that idea fast...

 

[Burt]

with all due respect Sam-what can the US do to a 3rd world country?
JA will still have it's tourism and peeps will feel even less sketchy about transactions

 

[rootfingers]

^^^Also, isn't the US slipping as the top dog world wide? Won't our being owned by China embolden some countries to not worry so much about an anti-drug certification from the USed to be head honchos?

 

[Chamba]

what can the US do to a 3rd world country?
JA will still have it's tourism and peeps will feel even less sketchy about transactions

you have to be joking?

cos right now the same reptiles (right wing bag men and other shadowy assholes) who are making urgent ph calls (bribes, veiled threats) to Jamaican polititians are making calls to US media heads to make sure this story is repressed in the US or at least spun in the right (wing) way..that's just stage one

if that doesn't work, then it goes to stage two ...public threats about trade and tourism

......then to stage three......and it starting gets wet.

 

[Chamba]

Won't our being owned by China embolden some countries

perhaps.......but probably not really, remember that Japan supposedly owned the US 25 years ago

the US is the military power right now...much like Rome was 2000 years ago.....

which i think is a good thing....as..can you imagine Russia, China or any other country holding the military advantage? i shudder at the thought..the US as a supreme military leader of the world, as bad as they are, are about 3 million times better than the alternatives...I just wish they would try to concentrate more on their own domestic problems rather than appeasing their corporate masters (who own the law makers)

 

[Chamba]

how did it go from "talk soft, but carry a big stick" to "talk stupid and hit everything with that stick"?

 

[rootfingers]

perhaps.......but probably not really, remember that Japan supposedly owned the US 25 years ago

Not too sure this is the same thing.

After doing some research (and I admit I am no scholar on Japan's history) it seems Japan's prime minister at the time, Nakasone Yasuhiro, was opening up less restricted trade with the US through then president Ronald Reagan and tried using legislation in his own country to make revisions to article 9 of their constitution that would have limited again Japan's sovereignty. <<<Is that accurate? If so it seems they and us were using the similar idealogical views of our leaders to enhance eachothers economy. It also seems that Nakasone was doing most of the laying down (like they were the benefactors of our economy). As far as them actually owning us, I hope that was not the case because in '87 they had a pretty big stock market crash that would have in turn severely damaged our economy if they were still owning us.

As far as what is happening with China now, I know for a fact that our major investors and business men are turning to China's market as the place to be right now and the federal US government is agressively borrowing from them. Borrowing more it seems than we can pay back any time soon.

 

[Sam_Skunkman]

Burt,
The US is both the largest importer and exporter of Jamaican products, and the recipient of more then 100 million dollars of aid per year.
Tourism accounts for 45% of Jamaica's foreign income and generated US$1.3 billion in revenue in 2000.
In the 1960s, Jamaica (which has 2.5 billion tons, or 7% of world reserves) was the world's number one source of bauxite. Today, Jamaica is the world's third largest producer of bauxite and processed alumina (only Australia and Brazil produce more). The industry accounts for one-quarter of the government's income.

If anyone thinks the USA could not destroy the Jamaican economy if they legalized Cannabis is fooling them selves.

-SamS

 

[Guest]

If Nixon was prepared to pay 50 million to the Nepalese govt in 73 to get them to change the legal status of hashish, I am sure they will go to greater steps to stop Jamaica changing their laws as it's right on the US doorstep. I reckon US policymakers will think more ganja production in Jamaica equals more Jamaican ganja heading to the US.

 

[Chamba]

I don't live in the Land of the Free.....was this legalize ganja in Jamaica story given any news time on any mainstream USA TV networks, radio or newspapers?....

I guess not.....just like in Russia, China and some Middle Eastern countries, any news story that has a potential to disrupt the status quo is squashed by the controllers and not given air.

"stay tuned folks, we'll be right back with another lost dog story with a happy ending......enjoy your frozen TV diners"

 

[Burt]

thanks for the input Sam-i have a feeling things will go the decriminializing route rather than the legalizing route
what would the tax revenues look like? quite good i'd imagine-may even knock bauxite out of the top 3 revenue producers for the gov
the blue mountains is an ideal local

 

[HerbMan26]

Its not happening guys, the USA are the ones funding the fight agianst MJ in jamaica and they arent going to let up and let all the money they've spent for the past year go to waste. Even if the government agree's i can see it falling threw the cracks.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

jamaca would overnight become the new amsterdam, and wouldnt need usa government dollars, because theyd get all the usa tourest dollars....

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

i had to add this...

"The Supreme Court's verdict does not mean legalising cannabis growing. The court stated, however, that the lower level courts should thoroughly prove whether the grower intended to produce marijuana from cannabis or just use it for medical purposes. "

thats the czech thing..

whether the grower intended to produce marijuana from cannabis or just use it for medical purposes.
marijuana /= cannabis in czech ??? lol!!!
cannabis is legal and marijuana isnt? maybe its the translation, but dam that sounds funny!

 

[Jebus11]

Has anyone been to Jamaica? I heard its pretty much like its legal, well maybe not legal, but really easy to get, even when knowing no one..... people offering you weed every other corner... but thats just what i heard.

 

[Chamba]

people offering you weed every other corner... but thats just what i heard.

you heard right......and that's before you clear Customs and Immigration..lol...that's what's I heard

btw did this story make it on mainstream US media or not?...anyone??...