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Lothar121

Marijuana Arrests Up
Lisa S. King | The Freeport News | 01/31/06

Based on arrest and drug seizure statistics, the northern division of the Royal Bahamas Police Force has seen an increase of 59.8 percent in the level of marijuana possession on Grand Bahama.

In a statement to the Freeport News on the use of marijuana and its relation to the law, Inspector Roston Moss of the Drug Enforcement Unit revealed that 225 persons were arrested in 2004 for marijuana and cocaine possession, resulting in the seizure of 200 pounds of marijuana. They included individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds and ages.

In 2005, 285 persons were arrested and arraigned before the courts on the same charges. This time, however, the amount of marijuana seized totalled 1196.4 pounds, an astonishing increase of 59.8 percent over the previous year.

Inspector Moss noted that Chapter 228 of the Dangerous Drug Act section 22 (1) says it is an offence for a person to have a dangerous drug in his possession, whether lawfully or not, with intent to supply it to another in contravention of the provisions of this Act.

He further states that for the purposes of subsection (1), where a person is found in possession of two or more packets containing dangerous drugs, or a quantity of dangerous drugs in excess of such quantity as may be prescribed in regard to that drug, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that he was in possession of that drug with intent to supply it to another or others, irrespective of whether that other or others be within The Bahamas or elsewhere.

During 2004, Inspector Moss said 67 persons were arrested and charged for possession with intent to supply. During 2005, there were 90 persons arrested and charged with the same offence. He said in both instances, marijuana and cocaine were the type of drugs found. This represented a 34 percent increase in the number of arrests for drug possession.

In their on-going campaign to curtail the number of young people using illegal drugs, Inspector Moss said the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) continues to develop intelligence to identify and target areas in their division where illegal drugs are being sold and used, with the intent of arresting drug users and dealers.

He added that they are able to do this in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Minister of Education, Ministry of Social Services, the Church and the wider community.

"The Drug Enforcement Unit has a functional 'demand reduction programme' where we go into the schools and civic organisations on a request basis and share with teenagers, through presentation, the dangers of illicit drugs and the illegal ramification for possessing and selling dangerous drugs," he said. " So we help to develop and implement programmes to encourage alternative healthy life-styles."

During 2005, Inspector Moss said the DEU saw several teenagers who were influenced by peers make several attempts to smuggle suspected drugs into the United States. They were arrested, charged and await trial in the United States.

Over the years, the DEU has also observed a number of teens, who were also influenced by their peers, get involved in drug trafficking which was short-lived. The end result was that they paid the price with the termination of their lives.

"It is in this vein that we must ask for the support of members of the public, the Church and civic organisations — especially those who foster care for teenagers — guardians and parents," he said. "The instant they would have identified patterns or seen a difference in the behaviour of those teens relative to the usage of suspected drugs, they can notify us (DEU) through Assistant Commissioner Ellison Greenslade in writing for a presenter to come by that school or civic organisation and share collectively with those teens.

"It is our vision that such presence and presentation will help to curb this wide- spread persistent and insidious illicit drug trade that negatively impacts on every human and society, one way or another."

Inspector Moss warns that when an individual purchases or sells any dangerous drugs or possesses any drugs, that person is committing an offence. He adds that when you agree to bring drugs into the country, when you agree to take drugs out of the country, when you agree to cultivate or grow marijuana, you are committing an offence.

He said marijuana may not be physically addictive, but regular users can develop a psychological addiction. He explained that one week after marijuana is smoked, 30 to 50 percent of the THC ingredient remains in the body with the user still experiencing some secondary effects from the drug.

He said the majority of marijuana users usually try other hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. Some people who try marijuana experience feelings of paranoia, panic and loss of control. Each time one smokes a joint, hundreds of brain cells are destroyed that cannot be replaced.

Cannibis (marijuana) smoke appears more injurious to the lungs than cigarette smoke, and Hashish smoke (dark sticky stuff) is worse than herbal. The consequences are bronchitis and, 'after sufficient exposure,' lung cancer.

(LothNote: This article fails to mention that Inspector Moss is omniscient. )

"Marijuana impairs thinking reflexes and other skills necessary for the safe operation of vehicles or machinery," Inspector Moss said. "Because it came from illicit dangerous sources, you never know what other chemicals have been added, as it is harmful to both body and mind."

Inspector Moss said some of the short-term effects of marijuana use is sleepiness and increased hunger, difficulty keeping track of time, impaired or reduced short-term memory and reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration.

Some of the long-term effects are increased risk of chronic pulmonary disorders, including cancer; decrease in testosterone levels for men; increase in testosterone levels in women; lower sperm counts and difficulty having children in men; increased risk of infertility in women; diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure and psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect.

Some of the physical signs shown by people using marijuana include drowsiness, trembling, red or bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils, lack of interest in personal hygiene and appearance, slurred speech, loss or increase in appetite, uncoordinated movements, circles around eyes, irregular sleeping habits, frequent colds and coughs and weight loss.

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TheNewGuy

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Wait wait, let me sum it up with less words, based on what was written above: Ahem: Marijuana users are stinky hippies who are addicted to the drug, can't enjoy sex, can't have children, have slurred speech, a loss or increase in appetite (whichever would be worse for you, of course) who are sick all the time.

Good lord, this is like some sort of super-propaganda. This might not be as scientific as the findings above but let me list the symptoms of marijuana use that I've had in the several years that I've been smoking:

-Increase of appetite only in the first 2 hours after smoking
-Feelings of euphoria
-Sex is way better than it normally is (and it already felt good IMO)
-Personal hygiene is better than most people, always smell good, not neccessarily because of pot but just because I'm a clean person.

Yeah, definitely never had problems getting it up, speaking, or cleaning myself while under the influence of pot. I hope the person who wrote this dies of cancer.

Studies show that the majority of marijuana users don't go on to do anything else. Theres not even a grain of truth in this.

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"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~P.J. O'Rourke

Osirix

Its actually kind of weird, I came up in a pretty bad area full of coke heads, and drugs oprutunities. My friends and I started smoking pot 4 years ago while the other kids thought we were all idiots who would fail. I hear stories all the time about the same kids who didn't smoke weed that are now coke heads, hundreds of them. We were all the mature ones, we all graduated with 4.0s and my two friends who are going to a state college just got deans list. It angers me people beleive these lies.

Tolerance4all

One of my favorite things is to get high, then take a shower. Another one is to get high and have sex. Once in a while I get both at the same time.

Be-all-things

It only makes sense. The more crime there is, the more arrests are made. You can't blame the cops for doing their job. Thats what they get paid to do.

 

thenatural

dude showers are so awesom/trippy/amazing when high and ill have to try the sex thing when im high to sounds like its ten times better than usuall

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smoking cuts my string and lets me float away