{"id":129706,"date":"2021-05-27T04:14:55","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T08:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=129706"},"modified":"2021-05-28T15:07:07","modified_gmt":"2021-05-28T19:07:07","slug":"open-letter-to-jamal-pringle-regarding-the-comments-you-made-on-cannabis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/open-letter-to-jamal-pringle-regarding-the-comments-you-made-on-cannabis\/","title":{"rendered":"OPEN LETTER: To Jamal Pringle &#8211; regarding the comments you made on cannabis"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"antig-2123893044\" class=\"antig-ecab antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/discoverflow.co\/web\/antigua\" aria-label=\"ANU CVP Digital Broadband 1200x400_1\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1201w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:100\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:342\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:256\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1201\" height=\"401\"   \/><\/a><\/div><div id=\"antig-3469627806\" class=\"antig-before-content antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/medicalbenefitsscheme\" aria-label=\"ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1200\/h:400\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1200\/h:400\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:100\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:341\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:256\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ce741a73-c70c-446b-af7f-da2abe2b62bb.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1200\" height=\"400\"   \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"adn ads\" data-message-id=\"#msg-f:1700948341774699588\" data-legacy-message-id=\"179afb813cc54c44\">\n<div class=\"gs\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div id=\":3wb\" class=\"ii gt\">\n<div id=\":3vz\" class=\"a3s aiL \">\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">To Jamal Pringle &#8211; regarding the comments you made on cannabis.<\/p><div id=\"antig-757047469\" class=\"antig-content_5 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ablpag\" aria-label=\"Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:169\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:576\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:432\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1536\/h:864\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It is with regret I want to tell you, your recent comments in parliament regarding cannabis as far as I can see, were nothing short of political suicide.\u00a0 If you are attempting to sabotage your political party, you are on the right track to do so.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Firstly, I want to ask if you are a doctor?\u00a0 Are you basing these comments on medical knowledge or studies that have been carried out in Antigua? Or are you simply digging deep in your back pocket for an insult to throw at Gaston Browne or the ABLP administration?\u00a0 Because I can think of far more sophisticated and intelligent ways to do so.\u00a0 There appears to be no shortage of political failures from the current administration, so you really didn\u2019t need to reach to the depths of the barrel and pull out Gaston\u2019s \u20184 tree allowance\u2019 policy.<\/p><div id=\"antig-2812482261\" class=\"antig-content_4 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/discoverflow.co\/web\/antigua\" aria-label=\"ANU CVP Digital Broadband 1200x400_1\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1201w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:100\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:342\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:256\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1201\" height=\"401\"   \/><\/a><\/div><div id=\"antig-1645064694\" class=\"antig-content_12 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ablpag\" aria-label=\"Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:169\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:576\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:432\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1536\/h:864\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Full-ABLP-Team-Digital-Billboard-1920x1080px.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">From someone, and I believe I speak for many, who are disgusted on a daily basis with what is happening in Antigua and to Antiguans on so many levels, the \u20184 tree policy\u2019 is about the only thing that has offered us some freedom, especially in a time when many of our other freedoms have been stripped from us.<\/p><div id=\"antig-3386069301\" class=\"antig-content antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ReggaeInTheParkAntigua\" aria-label=\"lucanio\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:864\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/lucanio.jpeg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:864\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/lucanio.jpeg 1080w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:240\/h:300\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/lucanio.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:819\/h:1024\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/lucanio.jpeg 819w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:960\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/lucanio.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1350\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It is estimated that up to 80% of Antigua uses cannabis in some form.\u00a0 20 years ago mental health was not on the forefront of issues, Antiguan\u2019s were not struggling as much as they are now financially, and you would get 5 spliffs for $10.\u00a0 Nowadays, you are lucky if you get one spliff for $10.\u00a0 Your attempt to blame us being allowed to have 4 cannabis trees in our yards on an increased mental health breakdown is unsubstantiated given facts combined with basic common sense and history of cannabis in our nation.\u00a0 You would have been far better to speculate that if, and I say IF, cannabis is harming the youths, why is it that they are abusing it?\u00a0 Why is not being used a meditative tool to expand one&#8217;s mind?\u00a0 You only have to read the comments on the Antigua News Room article to hear people crying out that weed helps them cope with stress, with the sad fact of a struggling economy, lack of jobs and limited prospects.\u00a0 You could also speculate, as I do, that the imported cannabis that most people smoke is grown unnaturally with chemicals, therefore creating more problems for those who smoke.\u00a0 I can say that as I am aware imported kush does not agree with me, I chose locally grown organic wadadli.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">I am not a biased or ignorantly advocating for cannabis.\u00a0 I am an educated user of cannabis and its derivatives.\u00a0 I know my limits.\u00a0 I know when I am abusing it and when I am not.\u00a0 I have smoked morning until night in times of stress and grief, I chose that over pharmaceutical antidepressants, and it served me well.\u00a0 I chose to eat and drink it for medical reasons, I chose to smoke it in moderation for relaxation and mental inspiration.\u00a0 I am also someone with relative experience and knowledge of mental health.\u00a0 I am also an Antiguan with common sense and a lot of experience in the cultural matter of cannabis.<\/p><div id=\"antig-3733499971\" class=\"antig-content_2 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.courts.com\/antigua\/\" aria-label=\"500X500 (1)\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:500\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/500X500-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:500\/h:500\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/500X500-1.jpg 500w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:300\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/500X500-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/500X500-1.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">So Mr Pringle, let me educate you on what I do know, that you seem ignorant to.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Statistics in the US show that 1 in 20 people suffer from a variety of mental health issues.\u00a0 It is also worth mentioning that 13% of people who had no reported mental health problems prior to Covid are now reporting mental health issues.<\/p><div id=\"antig-1185151473\" class=\"antig-content_3 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/chtamarketplace.com\/\" aria-label=\"Social FaceBook Cover Desk_Mobile\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:711\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Social-FaceBook-Cover-Desk_Mobile-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:711\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Social-FaceBook-Cover-Desk_Mobile-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:111\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Social-FaceBook-Cover-Desk_Mobile-scaled.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:379\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Social-FaceBook-Cover-Desk_Mobile-scaled.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:285\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Social-FaceBook-Cover-Desk_Mobile-scaled.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1536\/h:569\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Social-FaceBook-Cover-Desk_Mobile-scaled.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1920\/h:711\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Social-FaceBook-Cover-Desk_Mobile-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"2560\" height=\"949\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Now, let&#8217;s talk about Schizophrenia.\u00a0 This is something that affects as many as 1 in 100 people.\u00a0 And the most common mental health disease with many studies conducted on what effects cannabis use may have on it, and what I can only imagine is the reference you were trying to draw in your deficient parliament rant.\u00a0 It is not new news that THC (cannabis grown to get you \u2018high\u2019 &#8211; just in case you are unaware of the different types of cannabis) has been shown to have an exacerbating effect on schizophrenia symptoms.\u00a0 Meaning it can make the disease worse, or trigger the disease to show itself.\u00a0 It does not cause it.\u00a0 You have to have the disease first.\u00a0 Studies also show that CBD (cannabis that does not get you high) has the potential to alleviate symptoms and help those that suffer from schizophrenia.\u00a0 Among schizophrenics and psychotic patients, a mere 16% are cannabis users.<\/p><div id=\"antig-4208675899\" class=\"antig-content_6 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/discoverflow.co\/web\/antigua\" aria-label=\"ANU CVP Digital Broadband 1200x400_1\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1201\/h:401\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1201w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:100\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:342\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:256\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ANU-CVP-Digital-Broadband-1200x400_1-1.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1201\" height=\"401\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">But, Mr Pringle, my main gripe with your inane comments is the fact you raise the issue of mental health, and it seems as though you used it as political leverage to gain the support from those who are <a href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/former-house-speaker-threatens-legal-action-against-pm-browne\/\">anti-cannabis<\/a>.\u00a0 Had it not been another cheap political play, you may have addressed the biggest contributors to a decline into the mental health of our nation.\u00a0 It is no secret that the largest contributor to any mental health crisis is some form of trauma.\u00a0 Childhood traumas, abuse and neglect.\u00a0 This is the direction any mental health conversation needs to go.\u00a0 How to stop children suffering in <a href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/doctor-says-cannabis-is-a-leading-cause-of-mental-illness-in-antigua-barbuda\/\">Antigua<\/a>.\u00a0 How to support parents so their children can have a good upbringing.\u00a0 How to create an economy that works for Antiguans.\u00a0 Let us start there!<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The small mention of education was just about the only thing of value you said.\u00a0 Shame you did not elaborate on that.\u00a0 I fear your lack of education in regards to cannabis and the lack of cannabis knowledge of your political party\u2019s running mates will stand in the way of the UPP getting elected.\u00a0 And I say fear because we Antiguans are in desperate need of a change.\u00a0 Not a change in political party, as far as I am concerned you are all cut from the same cloth.\u00a0 I mean an economic change.\u00a0 Covid has shown us that tourism is too volatile, so what is next? Well, if we had some politicians who were for the people instead of themselves, it is not far-fetched to think a thriving <a href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/mental-health-advocate-responds-to-budget-speech\/\">cannabis industry<\/a> could outdo any comeback tourism could ever make.\u00a0 You only have to look at states and countries who have legalized it to see that it is possible.\u00a0 Currently, the license fees and lack of inclusion for locals in the discussions of a cannabis industry are hindering our prospects. We want to hear what changes will be made.\u00a0 What are the UPP\u2019s plans for the cannabis industry?\u00a0 UPP failed to legalize cannabis before, voters ran to ABLP to get it done.\u00a0 And yet your comments show you have not learnt.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Your baseless attack showed a real pettiness that we, the Antiguan people, are quite frankly sick and tired of.\u00a0 In fact, it made me get off facebook, put my phone down, and roll a spliff in an attempt to counteract the unintelligent politics I find stressing me out on a daily basis.\u00a0 Please do better.\u00a0 Educate yourself and come better!<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Sincerely, an Antiguan wanting real change in politics as well as a thriving cannabis industry of our own.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"yj6qo\">Also read:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<h1 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/pringle-points-to-increase-in-mental-illness-among-youth-points-to-access-to-marijuana\/\">Pringle points to increase in mental illness among youth, points to access to marijuana<\/a><\/h1>\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"adL\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"adL\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hi\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ajx\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gA gt acV\">\n<div class=\"gB xu\">\n<div class=\"ip iq\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"antig-3597607977\" class=\"antig-in-comments_2 antig-entity-placement\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/@hadeedmotorsltd\" aria-label=\"Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2\"><img src=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1000\/h:250\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2.png\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:1000\/h:250\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2.png 1000w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:300\/h:75\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2.png 300w, https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:768\/h:192\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Hadeed_WEB_Banner_MG-2.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" width=\"1000\" height=\"250\"   \/><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To Jamal Pringle &#8211; regarding the comments you made on cannabis. It is with regret I want to tell you, your recent comments in parliament regarding cannabis as far as I can see, were nothing short of political suicide.\u00a0 If you are attempting to sabotage your political party, you are on the right track to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-129706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.1 (Yoast SEO v24.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>OPEN LETTER: To Jamal Pringle - regarding the comments you made on cannabis - Antigua News Room<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Politics, Adverts, sponsored posts, Jamal Pringle, Antigua, Antigua News, Antigua News Room, cannabis, mental health\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/open-letter-to-jamal-pringle-regarding-the-comments-you-made-on-cannabis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"OPEN LETTER: To Jamal Pringle - regarding the comments you made on cannabis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Politics, Adverts, sponsored posts, Jamal Pringle, Antigua, Antigua News, Antigua News Room, cannabis, mental health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/open-letter-to-jamal-pringle-regarding-the-comments-you-made-on-cannabis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Antigua News Room\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/antiguanewsroom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-05-27T08:14:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-05-28T19:07:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Cannabis.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"634\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"424\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Editor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@AntiguaNewsRoom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AntiguaNewsRoom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Editor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/open-letter-to-jamal-pringle-regarding-the-comments-you-made-on-cannabis\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/open-letter-to-jamal-pringle-regarding-the-comments-you-made-on-cannabis\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Editor\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/person\/36cac05ef6398fe56ae3e6317f8535c5\"},\"headline\":\"OPEN LETTER: To Jamal Pringle &#8211; 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