BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - IT IS NOT a new issue but one which we can no longer let dangle. From Kingston to Kingstown to Washington and Bridgetown, there is clearly momentum in the discussion on whether to decriminalize marijuana and what impact this will have on fighting illegal drugs in our region. It can best be described as the great ganja debate.
The issue of decriminalization of marijuana is a discussion which will create clear divisions; strong support for its usage or total opposition. It is one which not only the politicians must weigh in on, but the judiciary, and the scientific community which must give of their expert opinions based on evidence from well-documented research. Law enforcement officials will also need to speak again to the issue, based on their experiences and knowledge of what has become a lucrative but also violent business controlled by criminals whose actions can undermine a country. We will also want to hear from those in our health facilities and drug treatment centres of their experiences with marijuana users.
We are aware that the use of marijuana was commonplace in many countries before it was criminalized and deemed a dangerous drug. We also know that its usage, even if controversially so, for medicinal purposes, has been gaining support from leading researchers and doctors. Not so for purely recreational usage.