New approach to marijuana

Very interesting at any rate

Panday: New approach to marijuana
Julien Neaves [email protected]

Thursday, November 1st 2007



United National Congress (UNC) political leader Basdeo Panday has suggested that there should be another approach to dealing with marijuana usage.

"I think we ought to look at that. To see whether prohibiting things really ends the problem," he said.

Panday was speaking on the Synergy cable station "youth forum" broadcast on Tuesday night; Congress of the People political leader Winston Dookeran's interview was broadcast on Monday night and Prime Minister and People's National Movement political leader Patrick Manning's interview was scheduled to be broadcast last night.

Panday, commenting on the issue of marijuana and drug use among youths, recalled that in the old days there was a shop in Princes Town where they sold "ganja" as he noted it was called back them. Interviewer Jason Williams pointed out that marijuana-scientifically known as cannabis sativa-was still called that today.

The UNC political leader reminisced that on a Saturday night, after people had worked in the fields all week, they would smoke ganja in a chillum and pass it around.

"It never was a problem. That is the strange thing about it. I think we ought to go back and study that," he said.

Panday explained that if ganja was made unavailable "fellas would plant it in their backyard" and it would be as unsuccessful as the US attempts to prohibit alcohol, which occurred in the 1920s and early 1930s. He said there needed to be "another approach" but he did not specify.

The decriminilisation of marijuana has been a hot button issue in Jamaica for many years.

Panday noted that "heavy drugs", however, were another matter, and pointed out that 80 per cent of crime in this country was linked to drugs. He advised to deal with drugs the "mafia" has to be dealt with.

During the interview Panday also spoke about addressing the "brain drain" of academics from this country by providing opportunities for employment and housing, providing low cost dormitories for University of the West Indies students, in the face of rising rents, and encouraging young people in business.

very nice. i like his style :D

cool