Ideas and Opinions - Decriminalize marijuana
For Amandala by Janus
I have written articles on this subject before, but now, I am doing so at the request of five of my associates, who have very strong views in favor of decriminalizing marijuana, which I share completely.
They don't smoke marijuana. I haven't asked them if they did in their youth but, I doubt it, because they are public men and, in Belize there are very few secrets. If they did, then they would be proof positive that the addictive power of the drug is very weak. In my own experience, I know of several individuals who had the habit when they were young and, are now models of respectability.
Before I go into the good reasons why we should decriminalize marijuana, I should like to remark that the case for doing so is much stronger than the one being pursued in the courts, by the homosexual community. You have seen the results of the Internet poll conducted by this newspaper. Participants in that poll are overwhelmingly against revoking the law against sexual acts between males, which are against the order of nature. That the act is unnatural is too obvious.
If it is not natural, it is unnatural. Simplistic, but true. Also, the act is not normal. Who determines normality? The society in which we live. I understand that in a province in Canada, they have decided by law that homosexuality is normal. They must be a very advanced and enlightened society. Also, decadent. Don't you agree that marijuana smokers have a better case for revoking the law making their choice to get high, a crime? It is neither unnatural nor abnormal.
The people who smoke marijuana love peace and quiet and, the association of others of like preference. The drug tranquilizes and does not move to violence. If you observe the Rastafarians, you will be able to judge the effects marijuana has on its regular users. We can fill our jails to overflowing with members of this sect because, they use it for a religious rite. Yet, the law makes them criminals.
If there was a public opinion poll, I believe it would be found that the same majority of citizens who support the law against homosexuality, would approve of decriminalizing marijuana use.
One of the things my associates decry is the incarceration of young users who are unable to pay the fines. If they were not criminals before, they are by the time they are released because, jail is not a reforming but, a criminalizing influence. A jail term also stigmatizes and kills hope, because it gives them a police record.
What we are proposing, is not that the whole law prohibiting the production, sale and use of marijuana be revoked, only a change in the law, to allow for the possession of a small quantity of the drug for personal use to be a misdemeanor. We recommend also, that minors have the option of performing community services instead of paying a fine.
I wish to remind my readers that the law prohibiting the use of marijuana (referred to in the law as "cannabis sativa L."), was conceived in discrimination against the East Indian element in our population by the British Administration. Our rulers and, respectable members of society smoked tobacco cigarettes and drank whiskey for their pleasure, while their indentured workers smoked the leaves of the ganja plant (which they probably brought with them from India) to make their lives bearable. It would be interesting to know what were the objects and reasons for the law. Perhaps, it was for the sake of public health, though little was known of the clinical effects of smoking marijuana. Now we know that smoking tobacco cigarettes can cause lung cancer and, that marijuana is neither hallucinogenic nor is it a stimulant. Also, to my knowledge no one has ever died as a result of smoking marijuana, nor are its users disposed to violence.
In a democratic country government complies with the expressed will of the majority. This, we can express in public opinions polls and the ballot paper and retain our anonymity, which is dear to the hearts of my fellow Belizeans. It is unusual for us to express our views on a matter of public policy, in a personal way, as my associates and I have decided to do.
We are Henry Young, businessman and a former Cabinet Minister; Compton Fairweather, electronics expert and receiver of the honor, Order of Belize; Orton Clarke, former Cabinet Secretary for two governments and former member of the Public Service Commission; Dr. Dennis Young, Ph.D. of Harvard University; Glen Stuart, businessman; and the writer of this column, Charles B. Hyde.
There are many other prominent citizens who are in favor of decriminalizing marijuana, amongst them Paul Rodriguez, former Mayor of Belize City and our first Ombudsman.
Amending the law which makes marijuana use a crime will keep over a hundred people out of jail, a saving in public expenditure of over 700,000 dollars. Those funds can be put to better use. Finally, it would make about 4,000 citizens, who have the marijuana habit, rest easy and sleep well, knowing that they are no longer criminals.
A government which serves the best interests of our country, would not hesitate to take action, if the case we have made is convincing.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
