Ganja committee ends deliberations - ...Calls on Gov't for research centre by 2005
published: Wednesday | February 25, 2004

By Robert Hart, Staff Reporter

THE PARLIAMENTARY committee considering the report of the National Commission on Ganja wrapped up its deliberations yesterday and agreed to call on Government to establish a ganja research centre by the 2004/2005 legislative year.

During yesterday's meeting of the joint select committee examining the report, committee member and Opposition MP Mike Henry noted that a resolution was already before the House of Representatives calling for the establishment of such a centre.

The committee members also acknowledged that, with research centres already being set up across the globe, Jamaica could ill-afford to lag behind in the development of legitimate income-generating uses for ganja.

"(Since) that particular thing is already on the order paper all we need to therefore do is get it debated," Dr. Morais Guy, committee chairman, subsequently pointed out.

The chairman was giving a final run-through of the committees decisions on the seven recommendations put forward by the Professor Barry Chevannes-headed Ganja Commission. On most of the recommendations ­ which include the amendment of the relevant laws to allow ganja to be decriminalised for the private personal use of specific quantities by adults, as well as for use as a sacrament for religious purposes ­ the committee members gave full support. At the same time, several of the committee's 13 members noted that the proposal to decriminalise the controversial drug was not an endorsement of its use.

"This committee is not saying that the smoking of ganja is good or that we support it," said JLP MP Delroy Chuck. "What we are saying is that we recognise that there are people within this country who do use it for religious reasons, belief reasons, and medical reasons."

He added: "We have to appreciate that in the context of our culture, of our history, that we should make the laws or change the laws to reflect that reality."

Mr. Chuck said the proposals should not to be interpreted 'in any way' to mean that the committee was encouraging the use of the drug.

Mr. Henry pointed out that the intended decriminalisation of the drug (for certain situations) would also diminish the financial viability of the illegal drug trade.

"If you don't remove the economics from drugs... anything that is addictive in any way... you're fighting a losing battle," he said.