By Vernon Daley, Staff ReporterA PARLIAMENTARY Committee is to recommend to Government that it immediately push ahead with setting up a ganja research centre to conduct research on the controversial herb.
In collaboration with other countries, the research centre would study the plant's psychological effects as well as its pharmacological and economic potential.
The idea of a research centre is one of the recommendations contained in the report of the Ganja Commission, which ended consultations last year and proposed that ganja be decriminalised for personal, private use.
The joint select committee of Parliament, which is studying the recommendations of the Ganja Commission, had its first meeting yesterday and agreed to urge the establishment of the research centre, even before it completes its work.
Independent Senator Professor Trevor Munroe, who sits on the committee, argued that Jamaica needed to move swiftly in setting up the research centre because it was already trailing several other countries in the area of ganja research.
"This is long overdue and we are lagging behind so many other countries," Senator Munroe said.
According to him, the initial idea for a ganja research centre was made by a Parliamentary Committee during the 1970s and that it was now time to take the recommendation on board.
Senator Munroe received strong support from committee member Jennifer Edwards as well as committee chairman Canute Brown. Mr. Brown suggested the centre could utilise the facilities and expertise of the island's universities and research agencies "rather than having to set up another body at taxpayers' expense for that purpose".
For years, Jamaican scientists have done ground-breaking research using ganja. Local researchers Professor Manley West and Dr. Albert Lockhart developed the extract Cannasol from the ganja plant which is now registered and used in the treatment of glaucoma.
Another product, Asmasol, was developed based on the Cannasol research, for the treatment of cough, cold and bronchial asthma. There was also work done by the late Professor Sir John Golding and Professor West towards developing a protocol for use of a cannabis preparation in the control of pain in terminally ill patients.
During yesterday's sitting, committee member Derrick Smith raised concerns over whether setting up a ganja research centre would breach any of the island's laws or the international treaties to which the country is signatory.
Mr. Brown said setting up the research centre would hinge on the Government introducing legislation or issuing executive orders allowing the activity to take place in a controlled environment.
He added the Attorney-General's Department would be invited to brief the committee fully on the local laws and international treaties that would impact on the recommendations made by the Ganja Commission.
The release of the Commission's report last year, touched off a firestorm of controversy with the US cautioning Jamaica that decriminalisation could lead to a cut-off of American assistance to the island.
