How Jamaica Could Benefit from Ganja

In a previous post I highlighted that it took someone dying to have some of the restrictions removed on cannabis use in Jamaica. I would hate to think that it would take another death to make more progress. But seeing that the country has stagnated on the issue of legalization since the amendment to the dangerous drugs act several years ago, one assumes that something will have to give in order to take another step forward. What exactly? I don’t know.

The question of what can be gained from legalization is something many of us advocates already know, but which those in officialdom refuse to acknowledge. What goes into my body, and when, and why and how is my business and not that of the state. At the expense of sounding like a broken record, the war on drugs has caused the loss of billions and countless deaths.

Coupled with this is the crime and violence that has accompanied prohibition. As I write this, the bodies are piling up. Despite this the US and other developed nations continue to pump tonnes of paper into a war that has wreaked havoc on so many vulnerable people who have no dog in this fight.

A reversal of prohibition policies would definitely cause a reduction in crime. No prohibition, means no law will be broken if I can walk to a dispensary and buy my ganja legally. Or better yet, grow it myself. Those monies use to hunt and lock people up could be used to develop the physical infrastructure.

I recall a conversation I had with a marijuana cultivator who had lived in California. He said among the people who are most opposed to legalization are cultivators like himself. Why? It would drive the price down. Plus, there is the trade in arms which accompany prohibition. This is a commonly overlooked point, but the revenue from this, rival’s what is earned from ganja. One would assume that the PTB would do what is the opposite of what the cartels want, but what we see in practice tells a different story.

For Jamaica, legalization of the plant could become a lifeline to small players seeking to earn a living from it. This would breathe new life into an economy that has seen nothing but anemic growth for a very long time.

The above could be achieved in two main ways. The Jamaican tourism product is one of the more famous ones in the world. And of course, ganja and aspects of Jamaica’s culture seem inextricably intertwined. This is something a well thought out and well executed marketing campaign can exploit to garner maximum rewards. Remember, we are not reinventing the wheel, we are merely rearranging the cogs so that the machine can run smoothly.

With the likes of Sessions et al. in power, and the UN acting as a secondary overlord to the US, I do not see legalization for recreational use happening just yet. Until then the island can take advantage of the medical marijuana industry. Jamaican scientist, Dr. Henry Lowe is already a leader in the development of the local industry. In fact, one of his creations has been approved by the FDA to treat cancer. This is indeed groundbreaking given the posture of officialdom on recreational use of ganja.

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of the images in this piece.