EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN Jamaica grass is heralded as the weed of knowledge. If you want to become wise light up a spliff. Each household can grow as much as five plants. Small amounts of marijuana for personal use has been decriminalised. It is also legal for religious purposes. Meaning Rastafarians can use marijuana openly as a part of their religious ceremony. Jamaicans are excited about the possibilities of the country becoming a grass tourism destination.

Recently in Montego Bay tourists were told not to leave their rooms after a state of emergency was declared due to the increase in violence. For several years Jamaica has recorded more than 100 murders a month. The following is an excerpt taken from trip savvy. (“As most places murder in the Caribbean are often linked to the drug trade and largely confined to known trouble spots typically poor communities. Tourists are rarely victims of homicide, which is why such killings spark headlines when they occur”). Jamaica is known for its involvement in the drug trade. Hard on the heels of Honduras and El Salvador, Jamaica is rated high on the list in murder per capita. According to worldatlas.com some of the most dangerous cities in Jamaica are Montego Bay, Kingston and Spanish town. Jamaica is also rated very high in firearm deaths internationally.

In America nine states have allowed the use of recreational marijuana, and thirty states give it the OK for medicinal purposes. Grass is now big business in the United States. It is speculated that America is the number one user of marijuana in the world. Of all Americans two in five twelve and older has used it. Five years ago the office of the National Drug Control Policy opposed the legalisation of marijuana and other drugs mainly because legalisation would increase the availability and use of illicit drugs pose significant health and safety risks.

Several inner cities in states throughout America are burdened down with drug affiliated crimes. But does all of the above make America unwilling to move ahead in its quest to legalise. In America the almighty dollar is king and it is willing to sacrifice its people at all cost. Someone said that when America sneezes the Bahamas catches the cold. So now that America has decided to lessen their outlook on weed the Bahamas is debating following suite.

The fragrance of the almighty dollar has permeated our nostrils and whetted our appetite, what are we going to do, will we make the same sacrifices as our neighbour to the north or will we stand up for our children. While we ponder on this take a walk down memory lane and relive the nightmare of the eighties of which I am a survivor.

TP

Nassau,

March 14, 2018.