A popular US-based news station reported recently that 13 states in the USA currently have 600 legal marijuana pharmacies with trained pharmacists on-board. Other states are lined up to put it on the ballot for their residents to decide whether marijuana for medicinal purposes should be legalised.
People can access online prescriptions, with no limit to the amount they want. The dried marijuana is available in an unending list of names depending on the farmer's choice - names like 'third eye', 'air force one', etc.
Also available are marijuana chocolate bars, lollipops, butter, enhanced drinks and other goodies too numerous to name. It was also reported that approximately 6,000 people across the nation tried smoking the herb daily.
Two women were interviewed. One swore by the medical advantage of ingesting the herb during and post-radiation treatment stages, that the crippling cancer pains left her. The other, a teacher with bipolar disorder, tried to commit suicide after smoking eight big joints a day for over an extended period.
It was however, noted, that that was not her first attempt at suicide, and also that there was no discretionary sale of the weed to her.
I have never even smoked a cigarette in all my life so I have no agenda when I question the reasons why our country continue to destroy the labour of our ganja farmers. Ignorance has enshrined the thoughts of our people. Sure, there are disadvantages of smoking or drinking the herb. Like anything on this planet, if ganja is taken excessively it will damage the senses temporarily.
The reality of the situation is that this country is losing out big time on taxes from the illegal sales of marijuana. Some of the fastest-selling items in Jamaica are lighters, rizzla, matches, cigarettes and weed. Weed is available on every corner. We could collect some taxes there!
Some of the most modern and advanced countries around the world have legalised marijuana. We missed the tidal waves of the offshore banking days. Let us not miss the boat of the marijuana export opportunities.
I am, etc.,
VERNA GORDON BINNS
theashton@cwjamaica.com