Marijuana.com

Pompo

Jamaican government considers legalization of marijuana
3/1/08|International Herald Tribune| The Associated Press

Jamaica is considering the legalization of marijuana, a drug revered by members of the island's large Rastafarian population who say smoking it is part of their religion.

A seven-member government commission has been researching possible changes to the Caribbean nation's anti-drug laws, which some police complain are clogging courts and jails with marijuana-related cases, a government official said Friday.

"We have discussed it, and we are preparing a report to present to the prime minister," said Deputy Prime Minister Kenneth Baugh.

In 2003, a government commission recommended legalizing marijuana in small amounts for personal use. But lawmakers never acted, saying legalization might entail loss of their country's U.S. anti-drug certification. Countries that lose it face economic sanctions.

A U.S. State Department report Friday said that Jamaica is the largest producer of marijuana in the Caribbean and a major hub for drugs bound for the United States.

Members of the Rastafarian movement, which emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s out of anger over the oppression of blacks, have long lobbied for the legalization of the drug that they say brings them closer to the divine.

There are an estimated 700,000 Rastafarians in the world, most of them among Jamaica's 2.6 million people

 

Buzzby

Economically, this would be the smartest thing the Jamaican government could do. A large part of the Jamaican GDP already comes from tourism. I'd guess a big part of that is "drug tourism". Legal marijuana would double or triple the flow of tourists.

I might consider retiring there. I'm almost 60. I'm getting tired of fighting cold weather. I'm definitely tired of hiding my marijuana use. Jamaica: great weather, low cost-of-living, and all the legal weed I could grow and smoke.

__________________

ihavenoidea

hell as a young person id start saving money for my plane ticket. This decision would not only increase tourism to jamaica, but immigration and commerce. I think it would become totally free of its economic dependence in the world and show other countries how much legalization would help the economies, not hurt them. Assuming jamaica would outright, 100% unrestricted, but regulated, legalize the plant, unlike the netherlands.

__________________
Protector of the High Life

MasterCylinder

That sounds like a good idea Buzzby. Just think about it for awhile. You're sitting on the beach. A bucket of ice on your right with a couple of beers in it. On your left is a fair sized bag of freshly cured ganja rolled into joints. The sun is shining. There is a mild breeze coming off the ocean. You're there on the beach with your significant other. I guess that would be an excellent vacation. It couldn't get much better than that.

troublemaker_42

AS anyone who has ben to Jamaica will twell you, two things stand out. One is that marijuana is abundant and availble just about anywhere you seek it. The other is the extreme poveruty that covers the entire island. Also, Jamaican on Jamaican crime is extremely high, with one of the highest muder rates of any country. Marijuana legalization may help the country, but it has deeply ingrained problems that even an influx of money won't instantly fix. Don't get me wrong....its also beautiful, with lots of nice people. However, its not exactly the tropical paradise most people imagine once they step off the resort

__________________
Ted Nugent: "To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic." Also by Ted "If guns cause crime, all of mine are defective"
unknown- Gun control theory: Those who are willing to ignore the law and rights of others i.e. murder, robery, rape etc will obey a law which prohibits the possesion of a firearm.

 

ADIDAS

All sounds good in theory, but I feel that its way to impractical, unless you are truly ready for the simple life. Youve gotta remember, shit we do everyday here isnt as easy in such poverty. From the hypothetical car crash that may take an ambulance hours to arrive, to trying to recieve your mail. Dont get me wrong, itd be the best vacation retirement home you could ever dream of, but beyond that, I think Ill settle in the states.

__________________
All Day I Dream About Smoking

Buzzby

I wasn't planning on living in the Kingston slums or in a grass shack up in the hills. I need AC (in the tropics), a shower, cable, running water, flush toilets, sewers, and a 4 Mb/sec internet connection. As the real estate guys say, "Location. Location. Location." With a lower cost-of-living, I should be able to afford to live better in Jamaica than I do in Ohio.

Logos

Good one Buzzby, 4mb/sec connection speeds from the laptop on the beach with the beer and the joints, and the AC blowing on you with the stray dogs hanging around, looking to you for guidance.

Not to mention you could supplement your retirement income with a nice garden, or sales to tourists, or hey, and internet cafe with all that bandwidth and AC and weed...

I had a friend smuggle some Jamaican smoke back once and back then two hits would carry me about two hours with the usual stuff I smoked. So about two hours before I had to go to work, I took two hits of this stuff and was stoned two hours after I got to work. Powerful stuff that Jamaican weed...

I hope they pass it and it is a success!

P.S. What is round on both ends and high in the middle?

__________________
Brother Logos
The more I learn, the less I know. | Truth doesn't change, only our perception of it does.
THC Ministry | The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ | The Reluctant Messenger of Science and Religion
True religion is real living, living with all one's soul, with all ones goodness and righteousness. --Albert Einstein

troublemaker_42

Buzz, what Adidas stated is basically true, island wide. Mail service is horrible....I've heard the recipient has about a 50/50 chance of getting what was sent to him or her, less if there happened to be anything of value in the evelope. Medical service is spotty about best, completely inadaquet by most American standards. Crime is rampant, and these aren't iussues limited to the hill country or Kingston....these are iossues that plague even areas like Montego Bay and Negril, the "toursity" parts of the island. Jamaica isn't really divided up inot "safe" areas and "dangerous areas". You also won't have the ability to defend yourself, as permits for owning a gun are extremely hard to obtain, and theft of firearms is very common once people realize you own one. Gangs divided by poliitcal alliances dominate the crime scene, and law enforcement is hardly reliable, often being mixed up in the gangs as often as trying to thwart them. Jamaica is an awesome place to visit, but I'd never want to live there. I(n the short time (1 week) I was there, I was exposed to many aspects of jamaican life, from the quiet villages in the mountains to the hustle and bustle of the resort/commerce areas. Its a beautiful country, but major changes to the infrastructure would be necessary before I would recommend it as a retirement home. I'm not saying it can't be done, but the idea of peacefully living out your retirement while smoking a spliff peacefully on the beach simply isn't realistic, at least for most people . The idea of AC, a high speed internet connection, and even running water is a pretty big order. Electricity is even unpredicatable, often being nonexistent for hours at a time. While you only outlines the basics you'd need, even those aren't always easy to come by.

MasterCylinder

Just stay on the beaches.