More calls to decriminalise ganja
(CNS): As the police commissioner calls for the consumption and possession of small amounts of ganja to be decriminalised, a local youth activist has also offered support to the idea as a way to remove barriers to employment for many young people. Bonnie Anglin said that Youth ACT supports the decriminalisation of possession and consumption of marijuana for personal use and the removal of criminal records to allow what is believed to be a significant number of you people to clean up their rap sheets.
Although the police cannot say exactly how many people in Cayman have a criminal record purely because of a conviction for ganja consumption or a small amount in their possession, the recent revelations that there are more than 10,000 people in Cayman with a criminal conviction suggest that is it a significant proportion.
Local criminal defence attorney Peter Polack said the fact that nearly 20% of the population has a criminal conviction should be a wake-up call for the leaders of this country.
“Many of our near and far neighbours have joined the wave of common sense on decriminalising ganja as well as expunging records to allow many of the unemployed to get on with their lives. Support for this has even come from the commissioner of police. This period of archaic repression, like the now reversed ban on Rastafarians in our history, must end,” Polack said.
Despite a zero tolerance policy towards the use of ganja in the Cayman Islands and all drugs, the authorities have never matched the zealous prosecution of users with any real rehabilitation or treatment for those with genuine dependency problems.
More than 70% of the prison population is incarcerated as a result of drug addiction. Most inmates have been charged with drug consumption and possession or related acquisitive crime, such as burglary, to get money to buy those drugs.
Anglin told CNS that decriminalisation will help to resolve a lot of issues for the young people Youth ACT seeks to assist.
She said the organisation wants to see police exercise the right, which is provided by law, for cautions and that adults are referred to Drug Court. Calling for mandatory individual and family drug counselling and the removal of a criminal record for drug offenses would not only eliminate one of the barriers to gaining employment but also shift the focus from punishment, which has clearly not worked, to helping and supporting a change in behaviour.
“For a country where over 70-80% of the prison population is (in jail) for drug consumption, with no mandatory drug treatment plans and the highest rate of unemployment we have ever experienced, it is counterproductive to fill our courts with a minor offense of ganja for personal consumption, which in turn creates a barrier to employment,” Anglin said. “To sentence persons to prison with no mandatory drug treatment plans is a misguided approach to crime reduction.”
Following comments from the police commissioner that the arrest and processing of people for consumption and possession of small amounts was “clogging up the criminal justice system”, Anglin said she believed that the police resources were being unnecessarily diverted, and by decriminalising personal use the police could focus their attention on the more serious crimes.
The police believe that the gang violence that Cayman is experiencing is often petty or feud related and, while some young people in gangs may be making money selling ganja, the violence has nothing to do with drugs or turf wars for the drug trade.
Jamaica is now gearing up to become the legal centre for medical and therapeutic ganja production in the region. But despite the shift in attitudes to the failed war on drugs and the commissioner’s call for a change to the zero tolerance policy, there is still no discussion about changing the laws relating to drug use among politicians.
Fact check is in order. The main support of this is coming from people that get high regularly or once in a spliff. The current grass on the street is harvested and brought to your dealers without any control of what is put in it. The drug lords are farmers, and farmers want to yield a big crop for profits, so be wary of the statements of the weed is not a drug and it is pure, as the average street grade weed has loads of chemicals. Next there is nothing noble about young people lighting up. One’s mind is better off without such pulotents. Ganja is not like a vitamin, nor is it like milk that does a body good. The CoP is correct that attaching real criminality is useless. These animals are going to light up no matter what. What he is not correct in saying is his charge and the courts are over burdened by weed and serious crime is being ignored because of such. He just chooses to divert his vast resources to combat a 19 yr old kid smoking ganja, then confronting real criminals. That makes no sense
I for one hope it is in deed put in action. I see nothing wrong with people taking a break and having a spliff in the comfort of their own home, especially after a long day at a stressful job. There are still people out there who are respectful users and just like alcohol, need a lift every now and then. Also as stated before, it is a PLANT/Herb NOT a drug. #AllForIt
I know a large number of educated, employed, socially responsible, ambitious young people who recreationally smoke ganja. Regardless of the health implications, it’s a myth that smoking ganja makes you a non-ambitious bum. We need to get over the stereotype and stop perpetrating that myth. It’s a shame for an otherwise socially responsible individual to be labelled a criminal for something which is arguably no worse than having a glass of wine. That said I’m not for anyone smokes ganja in the streets and exposing kids to the drug, but if done responsibly in the privacy of one’s home, then who cares. Last time I checked it costs $53,000 CI to house someone in Northward. It pains me to think we’re taking employed people out if jobs to go sit in jail for a spliff.
I am a professional alcohol and other drugs counsellor. It is long overdue that we decriminalize marijuana. The statistics quoted in this story clearly shows that what we have been doing now for decades is not working.
In Saudia Arabia, it is illegal for women to drive. We know dumb laws when we see it. However it seems to take a while for the majority to catch up. The support will only continue to grow.
Its HIGH TIME ….LET THE DEBATES BEGIN. Straight talk should never bring a falling out only a better understanding and hopefully a solution to this long overdue problem of repression of our people. Expunge all marijuana convictions and give Caymanians a chance at a life in their own country and/or a chance to finally obtain travel documents to create a fresh start abroad.
This is not an issue about morality, but of common sense. The biggest losers in the decriminalization of weed would be the dealers. It would be more prudent to have it legalized so it can be controlled. History has proven prohibition doesn’t work. No, I have never smoked weed.
As stated before. Anyone with a high sense of morals and thought can regonize that the justice system, legal system and political systems have been inundated with persons of questionable and morally corrupt characters. This is now becoming ever more the reality and not a fantasy. The persons are doing and will do anything to get their way. First it was the Human Rights bussiness. The only people this item protects are the criminals because it is the good people who have their rights taken away. The next order of bussiness was the homosexual laws were changed to suit others. Now they want to change the drug laws. When will it stop. Are we to change the age of sexual consent and make it lower to suit those that indulge in this practice. If so then I would like to propose a change in law too. Their are some people that I believe the world would be a better place without. Allow two people, who consent to fight to the death without interference, this would free up much needed prison space and help too. It’s my choice. My opinion. Tough luck.
Don’t you mean a number of high Caymanians rather than a high number of Caymanians?
I may be reading this incorrectly, so forgive me if I am. I do not see they are asking for ganga to be “legal”, just decriminalised. Therefore if you are found with ganga, or found smoking ganga, one could still be fined etc, you just won’t go to jail nor have a criminal record to your name. I still feel however that companies should have the right to not hire/fire anyone who does not pass a drug test if that is per the companies policies
Politicians in Cayman say them to afraid to talk about ganja use for fear of losing votes, but them foo foo because a substantial portion of voters, in fact, bun the herb too. They could increase popularity through decriminalisation.
If PPM does not capitalize on this opportunity i am sure Big Mac will. The closed minded individuals on these islands cannot stop the movement of the WORLD! Its going to happen weather you like or not. Right now it is only left to time.
We can no longer pretend this is about compassionate therapeutic use of THC oil in a medical context. What an expedient load of BS that argument/theme was. This campaign is obviously driven by selfish recreational smokers that want to smoke today’s powerful genetically-enhanced herb – not just in their homes, but everywhere – even behind the wheel of a car if they so choose, on ‘break’ at work, etc. There are some unrepentant anti-social recidivists that have been legally apprehended for ganja-related offenses over the years and want their records wiped and to be treated the same as legitimate law-abiding citizens. The RCIPS are unwilling to put in any attempt at border control – not even against the Billions in cocaine traffic that transit our part of the Caribbean. They are effectively surrendering, even knowing there are determined criminals on these islands in the full-time occupation of addiction. Legalizing local cultivation will not stem the flow of guns nor harder substances nor gang behavior – it will just change the game and the social problems we encounter as we become an emboldened THC psychomotor-impaired society. The drug merchants in the business of addiction will change their product, or lace what might otherwise be relatively benign weed. There will still be cocaine users, of course, and the unmolested boat traffic will ensure all the bad stuff that pot legalization aims to curtail, will still arrive unimpeded, along with more crack, meth and other hard class A drugs. Legalization and the surrender of the RCIPS does nothing to stop this, and we shouldn’t pretend it will. We will still need border control, not less, and certainly not ‘full surrender’ because the job’s hard.
If people are lazy before smoking ganja, chances are they’ll be lazy, if not lazier, after being introduced to ganja. HOWEVER, please note that not all ganja users are the same. I know of partners at LAW FIRMS who’ve been smoking since adolescence and others who are making honest livings whilst enjoying a spliff here and there.
Yes, there are unproductive ganja users but not all are the same. Some are responsible, others aren’t. Should we ban alcohol now? Because a plethora of studies show that intoxication over long periods of time can result in undesirable impairment to the brain. Should we ban fast food because of the evidence that points to its connection to heart disease? Get a grip.
National healthcare programs, and Obamacare in particular, aim to lead the planet in dictating future acceptable behavior and they will use all available agencies under their power to accomplish their objective (a healthy GDP-enhancing tax-paying population). Case in point, the FDA’s 2013/4 move to ban Trans Fats and partially hydrogenated oils (primarily sourced from fast foods) from US Food Industry due to known effects on cardiovascular disease. Perhaps you hadn’t realized that this has been headline news for over a year. Obamacare and other centralized healthcare programs around the world will force the scrutiny of problem habits that put avoidable burden (cost) on their programs – Cayman’s HSA will eventually adopt similar (sensible) decisions, and you’re correct: alcohol consumption over 7 drinks/week is a problem habit and known Liver Disease/CD/T2 Diabetes aggravator.
I’m FEMALE 40 HOME OWNER PROFESSIONAL AND IM not a “pot/weed ” head but I once had a cracked rib from playing football in (2012) pain meds didn’t help one bit and some friends that “do” smoke said why don’t u jus try it see if it will help I took two puffs ONLY And it DID Best sleep I had in weeks since getting hurt I could bend breathe do my laundry all before it wore off then in 2014 I hurt my lower back and on several pain meds WHICH ARE ALL KINDA OF CHEMICALS unlike marijuana which is grown from a seed in soil with rain sunshine picked sun dried rolled up an smoked only thing chemical in the whole process is the cig paper that is used (the medical benefits out weigh the legal BS any DAY) no I don’t use reg only those two times but I can say this much any serious muscular injury I ever get I’m gonna find me a pinch of Herb, weed, marijuana – IT’S A PLANT NOT A DRUG!
Weed contains naturally occurring Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a very potent drug that has been very well and enthusiastically studied (almost 100 years of research) and is well known to change brain chemistry and create psychomotor impairment. It is this euphoric impairment that creates the relaxing ‘high’ that smokers enjoy. It is enjoyable and relaxing – no dispute on that. However, through highly selective plant breeding and deliberate man-made cultivation techniques, today’s weed contains >10x the THC of 1960’s weed. Some of today’s weed is as artificially potent as designer drugs. Further, it should be noted that many producers spray the leaves of their crop with isopropyl alcohol and butane as cheaper forms of cleaner (clean leaves create bigger buds and more THC) and pest management and to increase the head rush potency when smoked. People need to know that this is not necessarily clean, harmless natural stuff, and that inhaling smoke particulate, resin and paper tars of any kind are not going to improve pulmonary health in that individual. Lungs aren’t designed to inhale smoke of any kind. If there are 40 year old people out there that don’t know what weed is and how to take care of their body (or have broken ribs from injuries in 2012), then there is certainly plenty of work ahead for the NDC and HSA.
So with this in mind are you telling us that you grow your own local produce without any pesticides, eat a consistent vegan diet because you know all the forced antibiotics/hormones they force feed live stock these days and all that mercury in the ocean can’t be too healthy and don’t even think about all those processed foods or even a smidgen of alcohol! Nothing is 100% natural any more so get off your high horse.
Are you suggesting that fellow nihilists must smoke tainted marijuana because it is the only available kind, or that life is not worth living without ingesting drugs of some kind? This appears to be the logic path of someone with altered brain chemistry/psychosis.
Do not disguise that the current law not being acceptable in a normal healthy society, to allow people just wanting to get high, but accept that you have generations of ganja smokers that have no ambition and have created avoid in society. Now as an employer you have to accept that it is legal to have a stoner in your employ. I wish not to associate with abusers of ganja and alcohol for that matter. And for another matter it is not a criminal conviction of Ganja use that bars these wastes of space from gainfull employment and education. A smart society would examine ways in order to eridicate poison from your youth, not embrace it. The same goes for alcohol with the youth and adults for that matter. If you look most of this scum got a conviction from not quietly smoking some weed in the privacy of their own home but from some form of lawlessness that ganja use was thrown in or by just blatantly touting it. This is also a weapon that the police have to. Combat crime under the misuse of drugs law. Take the suspicion of drug possession away or drug use and you have weakened the ability of the Police. Baines is trying to win points by deflecting his own incompetence as a CoP. Medical marijuana is of. Course worthy of exploring but to allow people to roll spliffs so they can get a job, demonstrates the true quality of you community.
Yet you would have no problem employing someone who smokes cigarettes
Cigarette smoking as a pleasurable pursuit is an ugly vestige of a bygone era and living on borrowed-time both politically and socially. Alcohol consumption to a lesser extent. We know what they do to humans and the cost to society – all well documented. Obamacare and the push towards socialized health coverage in most of the western world will end cigarette smoking in our lifetime and put pressure on people to scale back their alcohol consumption. State-funded health care will not want to pay for avoidable self-induced illness. This is the future. If you want to snuff out now, feel better today and life a longer life free of avoidable illness – talk to your doctor.
Get over it. Business owners already hire stoners and to go a little further, coke heads With out even knowing it. There is a saying that says “What you don’t know, Does not hurt you.” This is so true because the same business man that you may be entering business deals with to further your business may be a stoner or worse. Word of advise don’t generalize statements and if you have to do so, stay anonymous. You might just step on your own foot.
Well this is the most ignorant and embarrassing comment of the day. Congratulations!
With respect to employing stoners, your assumption is incorrect. It remains open for employers to contract with their employees to require them to be sober on the job at all times and test that sobriety with drug testing. An employer does not necessarily have to accept someone in their employ can be high while on the job just because ganja is decriminalized.
From an employers’ perspective I would prefer hiring a stoner than an alcoholic provided that the person is sober during working hours. One can smoke enough weed after a day’s work until falling asleep and then next morning can be ready for work. Try drinking yourself to sleep instead and then try to function the next morning after having your stomach pumped by hospital staff. Which of these two drugs cause more damage? Which of the two can kill you in only a few hours? Which of the two is more addictive? Why is the worst of the two drugs legal and the other not?
Think about it!
Open up your mind and heart and read what several world-class thinkers had to say on this topic as far back as 2011:
http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/wp-content/themes/gcdp_v1/pdf/Global_Commission_Report_English.pdf
Take a look at page 15 and then if you really still believe cannabis use should be criminal while alcohol and tobacco use remains legal, please explain why.
And read the Global Commission’s latest report at
http://www.gcdpsummary2014.com/
Cayman has the opportunity to follow “Pathways to drug policies that work.” Let’s get on the path!