Marijuana Impact Study Underway, Committee Seeks Public Input

I honestly believe everyone who is smoking weed now would be doing the exact same amount of smoking if it was still totally illegal. I think the only thing that has changed is the hiding to smoke it in public. Before you would feel sketchy to walk anywhere near police station with a spliff in hand weather it is lit or not. I find now they feel a little more relaxed to travel with a spliff in mouth walking through the city. I don’t think much has changed because during the end of my school days in 2002 leaving school to smoke weed was the thing to do. It’s a weed cultured world we are living in today because during my Dad’s time growing up it was more about smoking cigarettes and heavy drinking…But yes curious to know what the studies will find.

Marijuana has so many health benefits. i dont get the big deal if some one is smoking

Cannabis is already part of the economy

Don’t forget the cultural aspect either. Ganja has deep roots in the Caribbean.

I just hope it doesn’t turn into another case of overregulation killing small growers.

The world is a messed up place- The abuse of rum and cigarettes and marijuana are both bad. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Men in your Father Time had two and three families. That was wrong. Women are now more educated and outnumbering the men at tertiary institutions and don’t put up with that nonsense. So it’s bad to be referring the ills of rum and cigarettes to the use of marijuana. Let us look at the topic at hand- MARIJUANA. This government decriminalized marijuana, which to me was a good thing. We had too many of our hard working, decent young people with bad police records because of a spliff. That was the good part. The issuing of license to grow for personal or recreational , religious, plus the four plants created a problem that almost cannot be fixed. It was not studied.
People are being charged if they have more a few grams. Yet the law allows for 4 plants. One plant can give pounds. That is prison time. That is not even the bad or worst part.
The Rasta communities and others that were given the growers license in Antigua are selling weed to who ever come, sex , race and most certainly age don’t matter. So it’s not the only public smoking but the availability to young and vulnerable minds. Right now you have primary school kids selling and smoking marijuana. The police hands are tired, since the politicians have given these people the legal and common law right to grow, smoke and sell.
The person or persons that are carrying out these exercises do not have to intervene anyone. Just take a drive to Ras freeman, park on the road or opposite the police station on Peres road by the Bamboo shack and observe. Then reason with oneself. We have groups of young people involved in agriculture production both male and female. This is food security.
Who did the PM find it necessary to gift with an excavator. The Rasta marijuana growers. So we fight against the poultry association and we give the marijuana growers an excavator.
As far as I am concerned, we have legally decriminalized the use of marijuana and have by common law – legalized cannabis. Hence score of young Zumbies walking around our communities. Check out the crazy house- plenty up there as well. Hey I heard the excuse that they are mixing and that what is driving them crazy. They are going for a bigger high. You start them on a joint. They mix with high leaf like plenty Rastas. Then they are young and will experiment further. Who stat them off ? The government? We the people have allowed a few to make these decisions that ruined our children.
Hay I am not saying that marijuana is bad and doesn’t have medicinal and economic values. What I am saying is that we went about it badly. It is badly managed and it is now completely out of control.
The Rastas are growing wealthy, don’t pay taxes. Don’t pay statuary deductions and are supported by the government. To do what- destroy a generation of you people. It is also negatively impacting our education and sports as well. I can go on and on.

@ Frankly Speaking – I respect your opinion and I agree with you but you are forgetting one thing….The Internet……..Children love TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram…..All these platforms expose children to the weed culture of today..All the rap and dancehall artist they listen to and follow smoke weed..Right now there are podcast where the guest are allowed to get intoxicated while being interviewed..So that is why I strongly believe that weather or not 15grams or totally illegal the youths would still be smoking alot….They would not be walking around boldly smoking but they would still be influenced by the culture via internet/social media…..The mobile device has all the videos and the influencers talking about lean, x, perc, molly etc….The real battlefield

A…the laws which controls the HEMP INDUSTRY, of which the female flowers are the SCAPEGOAT, for this study is flawed in numerous ways.

(i)…the hemp industry is not just about smoking, vaping or juicing of the female flowers.

(ii)…it’s a significant part of future economies where construction, food, clothing, agriculture are concerned.

(iii)…In Antigua & Barbuda, the model which should be used, to grow, develop, expand and make this INDUSTRY viable has its roots and foundation, in the cotton industry model (tweaked to fit today’s technology, means and methods).

B…what is contributing NEGATIVELY, besides the indiscriminate smoking in public, is the lure for quick and easy money. This aspect MUST be addressed simultaneously with the so called smoking in public issues. Now, because of the money’s involved SUPPLY & DEMAND, with the controlling factor being the ‘law;’ said law which has numerous LOOP HOLES for opponents and proponents to get around, there will be issues where there should be none.

The marijuana illegality issue has already being proven to be a farse, burden and albatross around those who are less fortunate and whose necks are still under the boots of the OPPRESORS OVERSEERS. Prime examples are…
1…lawyers still get paid from frivolous lawsuits.
2…law enforcement still have hands in the flow and distribution, as they make money too!
3…large legal conglomerates are using funds from the so called illegal business to fund their operations.

This survey will used as talking points but won’t get you to the heart of the real issues be they good or bad.

Ras Smood aka Jumbee_Picknee
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏽Garrat_Bastard

Vere C. Edwards