Jamaica to issue ganja licences in April
(CNS): Jamaica’s Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) will begin accepting applications for ganja licences at the beginning of April, officials in the neighbouring island have said. “Under the regulations, 11 types of licences across five main categories will be made available to interested persons – cultivator, transportation, processing, retailing, and R&D – ensuring coverage over the entire value chain for the medicinal marijuana industry,” the authority said in a release.
Poised to become the leader in the newly emerged legal ganja trade, Jamaica changed its drug laws last year to accommodate medical and some recreational use of the herb.
Meanwhile, here in Cayman any form of legalisation is not even being discussed as a possibility by local politicians, who are not even willing to debate the issues. Facebook pages and campaigns in Cayman have failed to make much of an inroad and the courts continue to lock up users of ganja as well as dealers.
With a zero tolerance policy in Cayman and a newly emerging legal regime next door, police coast line patrols for traffickers are likely to increase. Much of the ganja that comes into Cayman is from Jamaica and as production increases there, the smuggling is also likely to increase, leaving the RCIPS to continue fighting a costly and futile war in a vain attempt to stop the drug’s importation.
The Jamaican authorities are, however, are on the brink of an economic boom and the authorities plan further public consultations to gather additional information to refine the licensing regime and, officials said, “build-out the full industry management framework that will underpin the emergence of Jamaica’s new, legal ganja industry”.
“We made a commitment to the people of Jamaica that the cannabis industry would be in place by the end of the fiscal year, and we will meet that commitment,” said Dr Andre Gordon, chairman of the CLA.
Category: Caribbean, Health, Medical Health, World News
Lots of people fail to recognise that we are living in 2016! Jamaica with the help of US technology be manufacturing (very soon) concentrated ganja in VAPOR form. That mean no more go fast boats loaded with 500lbs. Very very very soon, a briefcase with filled with vapour refills will be able to supply the island for months. Or how about a 100% THC candy or 100% THC block that does not smell, look or taste like Ganja.
THIS IS THE NEW WORLD AND IT IS ALREADY HERE …DEAL WITH IT,,,RCIPS will be wondering in less than 5 years what they are doing with those big boats and the helicopter will be catching mothballs as drones patrol the reefs for poachers
Legalize,regulate and tax. Lord knows we can use the money. Does anyone truly feel the war on drugs is winnable? 164,000 deaths in Mexico because of the drug wars. Not because its legal but because its illegal.More deaths in Mexico in the same time period than all the deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan.60 % of cartel income is from ganja.Legalization turns off the money supply to the criminals.Therefor supporting the drug war (prohibition) supports criminality.
Just sayin
I suggest going to the CNS article where a gun and 64 rounds of ammunition were found hidden in parcels of 197 pounds of ganja in January following interdiction by marine. This is not just about decriminalizing ganja. No doubt ganja was being brought in, but so was a gun with bullets and each bullet could potentially lead to 64 deaths…by just focusing on the use of ganja we are missing the bigger picture…
If you make it unprofitable by allowing the people to cultivate their own Ganga there will be no market for imported Gangja. No need for guns
Wow. Can i have one of those bullets please?
“so was a gun with bullets and each bullet could potentially lead to 64 deaths”
Why do you suppose that is?
Do importers of asparagus bring guns? No, because asparagus is a legal vegetable and its importers can rely on ordinary protections of law in their business transactions.
Nobody is smuggling aspirin and weapons into the island, because aspirin can be lawfully imported.
The guns and violence are a consequence of the illegality of the trade.
Who wants to move to Jam, move. Who wants to move back move. Not everything Jam do, Cayman has to do. If Ganga is the cure for everything, wish you luck. Why not make the same argument for education? A minimum standard of education should be legalized. How can uneducated zombies tell the rest that Ganja is the cure for anything? It sure is not the cure for being uneducated.
So for argument sake, the “herb” is legal to use in cayman. Where would the uneducated jobless zombies get the money to purchase it legally? And when they are high and hooked on it, what will they do to get over the urge? especially when they claim they are jobless and broke, worst with no education? And now you want to throw Ganja into the mix?
Fight for legalized education first. Medicinal herbs is a whole different argument than what is being thrown around. No high up zombie need to make that argument that they doing me any favors by asking for Ganja to be legalized. EOC.
You might be high with a comment like this!
Hello ,
We refuse to accept your blinded perception. Please refrain from speaking on subjects you have no genuine vested interest in.
Below you will find living proof that “high up zombies” can work and survive in a designed industry, possibly with reduced crime as a result?
Educated criminals are on the rise too yeah?
Anyway…individuals like yourself could benefit from the industry, including your own countries finances and the REST of its people!
Have a read from my reputable references below:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/10/27/the-marijuana-industry-created-over-18000-new-jobs-in-colorado-last-year/
http://247wallst.com/consumer-products/2017/02/22/legal-marijuana-market-to-create-nearly-300000-jobs-by-2020/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/holt-marijuana-economy-jobs-1.3733733
Peace, Love and Harmony forever more…
High Up Zombie
#BreakingNextThough
When Jamaica fully implements this, any marijuana smokers in Cayman better grow their own because even the “trash” weed coming from Jamaica (they already keep their best) now will be held back for their own uses.
Legalize local cultivation and stamp down heavier on smuggling, which includes cocaine and guns!!
Congratulations Jamaica! Considering the number of weedheads that continue to support him, that is surely what mckeewa should have been doing instead of running around like a lunatic gambling out the country’s money.
If ganja is so harmless, then why are it’s users called Weedheads..?
Ganja takes away all inclinations toward effort and endeavor , and we already have enough people here who are reluctant to get up in the morning to do a day’s work.
Without question this apparently “harmless” drug addles the brain …that’s why Weedheads is a good description.
It relaxes the brain, which is a very good thing indeed, except when you have politicians putting food in your mouth in exchange for your wote. Then you become a lazy a** weedhead. The politician’s fault, not the weed.
Meanwhile the progressively backwards Cayman Islands are hunting dealers and importers down like dogs and incarcerating them like criminals and forcing the hard working community at large to feed, house, and clothe them for years on end.
If Cayman ever allowed legalization, a lot of upstanding citizens will leave. Rich ppl while they use drugs, live on the separation of them(poor) and us(Rich). Encouraging low brow behaviour as the norm will devalue the prestige Cayman has.
If Cayman wants to legalize something then consider it to retain the wealthy class, legalize the expensive drugs. The sexy drugs. The truly sought after. Not marijuana. Leave the stench in Jamaica.
Last time I checked Aspen Colarado was doing just fine with legalization. Your scare tactics are outdated and will not work.
Anon 8:54, Put down those crack rocks that you’ve been smoking. Please think before you write comments lol
Or they should wait till they are sober from the weekend’s binge…. I’m sure under the influence everything the poster wrote made sense.
False since alcohol is the real cause of violence, and many people now vape which has barely no smell and you can even take more precautions than that so there is no smell to complain of….simply make that part of the legalization law.
What you can’t do is get rid of your drunk, loud and violent neighbor or the passing bass pounding motorist, even with the help of the police. Or what about your half mentally ill neighbor from drinking his whole life that wants to drag you and the whole neighborhood down to a drunken stupor.
Marijuana is for those who are most sophisticated and want to be able to perform the next morning. Alcohol is for those who want to call into work the next day sick because of their splitting headache.
The most sophisticated and rich cities prefer marijuana, not alcohol. Its just that the media and commercials by companies selling alcohol have tricked you into believing the opposite.
No wonder you got so much thumbs down…. Go away.
8:54, I imagine you must have just finished watching “Reefer Madness” prior to writing your post?
and in cayman we have a government afraid to adopt/try daylight saving time………zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Sad how many people could potentially benefit from medications derived from this plant. We don’t know cause we can’t even do research into it since the Feds have it listed as schedule 1 preventing US research? How ignorant is this?
We could take the lead in research in Cayman at a minimum while the US fed gov has it listed as schedule 1. But no, let Jamaica take the lead.
Packing my S%$T and moving to Jam over the weekend. Its showing itself to be much more progressive than dinosaur land Cayman.
I do hope many more of you follow suit. I am tored of going for a daily morning walk with my child and walking past the smell in the air. I don’t live in west bay so don’t go there. I live in south sound. I would love if all of those individuals picked up and left to go to Jamaica or to the legalized states in the U.S.
Mind you I’ve called the cops and no one has shown up my child has asthma and should not be exposed to fumes. Burning anything outside other than a BBQ is illegal.
Exposing your child to PHAs and HCAs is way more dangerous, but I guess people like you can continue your double-standards in bliss ignorance from out-dated laws.
Well done regurgitating the negative scientific doctrine paid for and spewed out by big pharmaceutical backed media. Do you realize how much of these chemicals you daily ingest from vehicle exhaust, CUC emissions and cosmetics? I guess not, keep taking what your doctor is prescribing and you’ll be fine. There is non so blind as those who do not wish to see.
Marijuana Tea has been proven to help suppress asthma, research it and maybe you can help your sick child with it! I bet you spend thousands on synthetic meds that are actually making the health of your child worse 10 fold. Just because you do not like it, does not mean it is not here for a reason. Just saying….
There are also flights leaving everyday for you to go back home as well. Travel Pros is at your beck and call.
Nothing a good spliff wouldn’t do to improve your outlook.
So sorry it was never our intention to tore you maam.
5:18, we have been bunnin in SS since before you knew where the Cayman Islands were located and will continue to do so forevermore. Walking on the road with your child is irresponsible so fix that issue you have and then come back to us.
don’t let the door hit you in the ass.
cayman sticking its head in the sand as usual….
The problem with sticking your head in the sand is that is leave your butt in the air, waiting to get caned!!
I visited Jamaica in the 1980s and although I knew cannabis was illegal it was very easy to find in any marketplace or around any tourist site. There was always several guys willing to provide neatly wrapped brown paper packages of herb. With the Rastafarian culture being so strong in Jamaica it is amazing to me that it has taken so long to overcome v reefer madness prohibition imposed by the United States on Jamaica. Legalize, regulate and tax!
The very active regional transshipment economy will remain focused on running high value narcotics, guns and ammunition, and bad people from the south to the north – the Cayman Islands is geographically situated along this heavily trafficked pathway. We all know this. Decriminalizing ganja in Jamaica for medical use does nothing to change the mindset of the cartels, our geography, nor our still highly permeable border. Our local ganja smokers willfully support this criminal economy, the cartel-affiliated gangs, the USD$180mln cash sent outside the banking system to Jamaica each year, and all of the crime that has resulted from people looking the other way on the “benign” herb. >USD$20mln in drugs were stolen from West Bay Police Stn by people willing to take that chance, and allowed by a whole bunch of people legitimately too scared to look them in the eye – including it seems uniformed police. That’s the power of the terror and corruption we are up against and not something a principled community ought to surrender to, difficult as it may be.
Peter Tosh is blazing in his grave!! Legalize it!!!
Allow for people to grow their own Gangja in Cayman and take the power out of the hands of the criminal element.
Meanwhile Alladen is asleep at the wheel. zzzzzzzzzzzz
The wheel of his magic carpet.
asleep at the wheel? ppm can’t find the dam car to get in!
At least their hands are clean and their hearts are pure and they don’t need to impress on the whole world that they are forever honorable.
Lol. I want some of what you are smokin!
alden is dreaming about being asleep at the wheel…..