Here’s the beginning of a statement from Mark Golding, the Jamaican Minister of Justice, announcing the introduction of a bill for the non-commercial legalization of marijuana.
The system of complete legal prohibition of ganja in Jamaica has been in place since 1948, has not worked and is no longer considered fit for purpose. The reality is that ganja remains as prevalent in Jamaica as it ever was, perhaps more so. Many thousands of Jamaicans have been arrested, detained prosecuted and convicted for possession and smoking of ganja. It has been a source of deep distrust, bitterness and dysfunctional relationships between many youths and the Police. It has damaged many lives through criminal records which prejudice employment prospects and travel possibilities. It has abrogated the rights of the Rastafarian community, who regard the plant as a holy sacrament, who have faced nearly a century of oppression in giving expression to their religious beliefs.
Too bad that Peter Tosh didn’t live to see this day.
