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WEED AND WHITE SUPREMACY

When the anti-colonial movement began in British Honduras in 1950, the dominant presence in the local economy was that of the Belize Estate and Produce Company, Limited, known to us here as "BEC." BEC owned incredible amounts of prime real estate and raw land all over the colony, and it was really as if they were the business extension of the colonial administration the British Empire ran from Government House.

Because of the fact that they were working partners with Government House and because BEC had grown out of the rule of the Baymen in the settlement of Belize, Belizeans hardly thought of BEC as "foreign direct investors." But, technically, BEC would have to be categorized as such by modern PUDP politicians and their economists.

Those of us in the resistance movement, on the other hand, would describe BEC as a predator organization, because they brought little investment into Belize, and they exported all their profits to Britain. In fact, the British peer who came here in 1985 was quite similar to BEC: he brought little investment and exported all of his profits. For decades, however, he was dubbed as a "foreign direct investor." And, he was favored by both the PUP and the UDP.

The beneficial area of these predatory activities of colonial and post-colonial days was that they created some employment amongst Belizean natives. Their respective employees were, of course, loyal to BEC and to the British peer. The reality of job creation provided the opportunity for some local politicians and other domestic collaborators to extol the activities of both BEC and the British peer. But, the sober reality is that both BEC and the British peer were operating in a territory which was ruled under the umbrella of white supremacy, which is a racist and exploitative philosophy.

In assisting BEC and the British peer, Belizeans who did so were collaborating in the continuation and furtherance of local and international white supremacy. This was not a sin they were committing: such natives were only trying to survive and to improve themselves within the existing, repressive socio-economic climate. Where such natives became counter-revolutionary, however, is when they began to conceive of themselves as superior local beings and to look down upon those of their brethren and sistren who, not having gained access to the BEC and British peer job opportunities, were resisting BEC and British peer rule in different ways.

This last sentence is important for you to consider, because it is the platform from which we will move (even if you condemn such a move as a bold jump) to the fact that within the white supremacist world of BEC and the British peer, the recreational drug of choice and legality was alcohol, its finest brands being those of the various imported Scotch whiskeys. Rum was roots alcohol, but it was also legal, because it was alcohol.

When Belizeans at the base of the socio-economic pyramid began to smoke weed for their "working class and unemployed" recreational purposes, most of the weed smoking was taking place "'cross Yabra bridge." The feeling of the native population in the old capital city east of Yabra bridge, was that " 'cross Yabra bridge" was a different world, a world where colonial policing was less in evidence, and where colonial police only ventured when seeking suspects of specific, major criminal acts.

So then, you could say there were two different worlds in one city. There was the old capital city, where whiskey and rum ruled, and there was "'cross Yabra bridge," where some people smoked weed. Suddenly, at least two different developments took place in the mid-1960s in Belize. One was that a few daring young residents of the old capital began venturing "'cross Yabra bridge" to smoke weed "da South." The other development was that an incredibly talented and progressive music combo originated "'cross Yabra bridge" and began coming east across the bridge to conquer the old capital. This was the Messengers, led by saxophonists Pete Matthews and Bill Belisle, and featuring Chuck Gladden on guitar and Ulloyd Henderson on vocals. The Messengers, by and large, were smokers of weed.

In the old capital, the respectable element who collaborated with white supremacy, had unconditionally condemned weed smoking, and because of that condemnation they shunned the Messengers. At the same time, these same respectable Belizeans were tolerating the noise, violence and social dysfunction of all the alcohol bars and clubs in the old capital because our rulers had legalized alcohol, and "Massa" was always right. They were not revolutionary enough to see past the hypocrisy of Massa's discriminating laws, and so the sensational Messengers were soon lost to Belize's music and culture. You are supposed to drink liquor, nigger, not smoke weed. This is as the white rulers and their native collaborators have decreed. There was no discussion before this was decreed, and there has been no debate since.

In independent, third millennium Belize, our youth continue to be beaten, fined and incarcerated for smoking a herb of the earth, because of a law written by white supremacy and supported by white supremacy's native collaborators. In the kingdoms of white supremacy, meanwhile, they are smoking weed legally in many of their cities, and it is clear to us opponents of white supremacy that as soon as white supremacy sufficiently controls the production of the weed itself, then white supremacy will actually declare the weed legal. And in Belize, white supremacy's native collaborators will then say, Amen. It was always about the money, you see. It is written.

Amandala

Marijuana decriminalization moving forward


Douglas Singh

From the time when he was Minister of Police and Public Safety, Douglas Singh has led the charge to a consideration of decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

He said today that the effort is moving forward, but it will have to do so without him as he is now quite busy.

According to Singh the committee is gathering information from interested parties including the trade unions.

Singh says Belize hopes to beat Jamaica to the punch on the decriminalization issue by the end of the year.

Patrick Jones

Marijuana Decriminalization Moving Forward

From the time when he was Minister of Police and Public Safety, Douglas Singh has led the charge to a consideration of decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana. He said today that the effort is moving forward, but it will have to do so without him as he is now quite busy.

Douglas Singh- Former Minister of Police and Public Safety

"It is more the latter that is entirely my friend. In fact, I have made a decision that I was pretty much the person in the committee, and I think it is time for me to step aside to leave one of the other people in the committee to take a lead. We are almost there. We have some issues; I think the recommendation has already been typed up, so to speak, and there are some presentation issues. We want to ensure that we have responses from some of the responsible parties that we had solicited this from. One of them, the arguments that stood strong was from the Unions- the teacher's unions, to be specific. We had one that probably was the most vibrant and interesting meeting in the teacher's union and they were very different or differing positions in that meeting; we wanted that to be articulated on play per problems so that we could probably represent their points of view in the document. It is important to do so. I think that every biddy understands that we were very responsible in the process. We have not gotten that. I think two months ago or so, the Union was very active and so its activities down south that what because it is countrywide, so many didn't get the kind of feedback that we want. So, it's still a matter of trying to get some help and to bring the document".

Singh says Belize hopes to beat Jamaica to the punch on the decriminalization issue by the end of the year.

PlusTV

Uruguay to sell marijuana legally

Uruguay will begin to produce and sell marijuana legally but people will be restricted to how much they can access. Licensed pharmacies will sell the drug for less than $1 a gram, with consumers allowed 40g (1.4oz) a month.

Under the new bill, each family will be allowed to grow up to six cannabis plants, and that marijuana may be consumed in the same spaces as tobacco, except at workplaces. Drivers caught "smoke-driving" will be subject to the same penalties as those under the influence of alcohol.

One gramme of marijuana would cost between 20 and 22 pesos or little less than $1 US. The Uruguayan government estimates that the current marijuana demand at between 18 and 22 tonnes, which would equate to about 10 hectares of cannabis plantations.

Uruguay's government hopes the bill will help tackle drug cartels, but naysayers say it will expose more people to drugs. A recent UN report criticised the legalisation of drugs, saying it posed a health danger.

President Jose Mujica, who proposed the bill, says the new law should take effect early next week.

Uruguay became the first country in the world to make marijuana growth, sale and consumption legal last year.

Reuters

Legalize or Decriminalization!

By G. Michael Reid

In June 2004, then Assistant Commissioner of Police Maureen Leslie sent what was supposed to have been an internal memo to her commanders. The memo reminded commanders of a change in policy which recommended more discretion when charging, in particular young people, who are found in possession of 2 grams or less of marijuana. The policy made perfect sense but was for the most part being ignored. Marijuana busts are safe and easy to make and it gives Police Officers a chance to come off the streets, hang around the office and do paperwork until their shift ends. Somebody within the department leaked the memo to the press and what ensued was later described as "a storm of controversy". At the time, everything was being leaked to the press even matters discussed in Cabinet and everything was turned political. Objection to the directive was fierce, in particular from the then Opposition, and it seemed that those objections were sustained. Things went on per normal and the ridiculous prosecution of persons for even tiny quantities of marijuana, a few seeds even at times, seemed to intensify instead of letting up. It might be time for us to take a second look at these ridiculous laws which cause much harm and does little good in the improvement of our quality of life.

Evidently, a big reason for our stringent enforcement of laws against marijuana is precipitated by pressure coming to bear from the United States. This in itself ranks of staunch hypocrisy. As early as 1973, twelve states of the US including Oregon, Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, and Oregon have in some manner altered their existing laws to reduce the penalties for marijuana possession. A number of states have decriminalized marijuana to varying degrees while most states have created exemptions specifically for medical use of marijuana. Two states, Colorado and Washington, have totally legalized the recreational use of marijuana following the approval of state referenda in the 2012 elections. Those states have reported huge financial benefits and propositions in Oregon and California which barely failed in their previous effort are once again on the ballot. The state of Maryland recently passed legislation that decriminalized possession of 10 grams or less and simultaneously created a medical cannabis regulatory framework to dispense marijuana to patients and caregivers in the state. New York and Minnesota have also passed medical marijuana laws.

Again, these measures were being put in place from as early as 1973 but yet, as late as 1984, shortly after being elected to office for the first time, the United Democratic Party called in the US and gave them permission to destroy marijuana fields in Belize. At the time, Belize was producing some of the best marijuana and the Belize Breeze was highly coveted, especially in the US. The destruction of the fields was carried about by the spraying of a deadly chemical known as paraquat. Interestingly enough, in 1983, the year before they came to spray in Belize, the US had banned the use of Paraquat in its own national forests citing serious environmental concerns. Reliable medical studies prove Paraquat to be exceedingly toxic to human beings, animals and the environment. According to one medical report, "Breathing in Paraquat causes lung damage and can lead to a disease called Paraquat lung. Paraquat causes damage to the body when it touches the lining of the mouth, stomach, or intestines. You can get sick if Paraquat touches a cut on your skin. Paraquat can also damage to the kidneys, liver, and esophagus."

Then Prime Minster Manuel Esquivel apparently had some reservations and had this to say in an interview conducted at the Belize Mission at the UN in 1984, "While we share the American concern about the drug problem, because it is our problem as well, we feel that we have an obligation to proceed responsibly. If you say that aerial eradication is the only efficient way to do it, O.K. We just want to make sure that whatever we do will not be to our detriment." Mr. Esquivel went to wax prophetic as he stated that "For example we have a growing honeybee industry, and it is felt that if we were to spray paraquat over a wide area, particularly in the north, where we have a lot of honeybees, that we run the risk of destroying that industry." Esquivel even recommended another chemical called "glyphosate" which he claimed tests had proven to be less damaging to honeybees.He ended his interview by exclaiming, "Well, we'll see." Boy, did we ever see!

In an interview given to Channel Seven television just last week, long time bee farmer Daniel Gutierrez of San Ignacio had this to say "I have worked more than 30 years with the bees and at the time when we started out we were producing up to 60 drums of honey for the year. After we were wiped out after they had this eradication of marijuana fields - that (is) when they wiped out all the bee hives and from then it never came back." The pressure from the US was apparently too great to withstand or the compensation too irresistible because in less than a year, 80 percent of all of our marijuana fields had been sprayed and much of our pristine jungles lay saturated with paraquat. Our "growing honeybee industry" was just about totally wiped out!

Not willing to lose all of their investments and labor, marijuana growers in Belize salvaged what they could of the destroyed fields and sold the toxic substance both at home and ironically, to markets in the US. The extent of the damage to our people, our wildlife and to our environment might never be fully realized but needless to say, it has been significant. I believe that it is time for us to hold the US government responsible and for us to demand some reparation for the damages caused.

Of course, our ultra conservatives continue their objections to the easing of any restrictions against marijuana; in spite of many studies debunking their arguments. Their main arguments are that firstly, it is a gateway drug and leads to the use of harder drugs. There is absolutely no evidence to support this and there are lifelong marijuana users who have never touched cocaine, meth, heroin or any type of hard drugs. If anything, what might lead to the use of hard drugs is more the unavailability of marijuana. Life is rough at times and for many, marijuana offers "a bridge over troubled waters". Unlike alcohol and tobacco, both of which are perfectly legal and which follows more of a daily pattern use, marijuana smokers tend to follow a more occasional use pattern. Studies show that marijuana users are disproportionately younger males and suggest more of a youthful experimentation pattern than that of any enduring or steady life-long pattern. The majority of marijuana users do not graduate to more dangerous drugs and most tend to wean themselves off eventually. I speak from experience here, as one who has used plenty marijuana growing up but now will not touch the stuff. Objectors also try to make a link between marijuana use and criminal behavior but that argument also has little merit. What has been proven and what makes much more sense is that the easing of marijuana laws would save the country a lot of money in enforcement expense and would free up the Police to address the real and more serious crimes. Let us be sensible and rational about this whole matter; legalize or at the very least, decriminalize. American hypocrisy should no longer dictate our local policy. Belize for Belizeans!

The Belize Times

Illegal Smile, one of my favorites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmjnQjRvPUQ#t=12

I am a 64-year-old woman who has given this subject a great deal of thought. I have been using medical marijuana for a number of years. It is the best thing I have ever found for pain relief and mood stabilization. While I have always been able to find my medicine while I'm in Belize it is always with a certain amount of anxiety. It is absolutely ridiculous that this God-given substance is illegal anywhere.

These are some of my ideas and thoughts - marijuana should be legalized,regulated and taxed. All taxing proceeds should be dedicated to drug education,treatment,and interdiction for harder drugs. Watch the pricing though, or the black market will still flourish.

This may sound a little goofy but I've even thought about turning the Hattieville prison into a marijuana farm. I mean, who's going to break into a prison to steal marijuana? Also Hattieville's incarcerated residents would do all the farming,have access to the product and would go to sleep every night singing songs instead of trying to do each other harm.

The local police stations could be used as dispensaries. I know the possibilities for corruption are there, but once again who's going to break into a police station to steal marijuana?

Also I like the idea of causing the drug cartels some pain.

I'm really looking forward to where this thread goes.

I'm from California, and a Grad. from Humboldt State University with a degree in Psychology and music back in 1989. I learned to grow weed when I was a child and I think that your idea is fantastic! Getting the job done is another story. As you know Ganga is being legalized through out America as we speak. I have been in Belize since 2002 and the weed here is no where near as good medicinally as it is in No. Cal. Anyway, I think it would stop a lot of crime/murders/and other medical problems if this medicinal plant were available to those that could benefit from it. I am in the background at this point, but I am watching the changes take place with positive impact. If I could grow here in Belize without legal issues I would consider growing. I leave you with this bit of info. I call it a joke. Marijuana is illegal in the country but grows wild in the city! Just look around. It is all over the place............LOL

The argument for the legalization of marijuana in Belize

Written by Aria Lightfoot

Why legalize Belize?

The evidence is growing and supporting the medicinal properties of marijuana. I predict that one day soon there will be an inevitable international decriminalization or outright legalization of marijuana.

Belize needs to recognize the trends and move from a reactive policy making society to a proactive and anticipatory society. With the Sugar Industry in turmoil and our heavy dependence on the industry for foreign exchange and money, marijuana exportation may prove to be an even more lucrative business.

Additionally, our criminal laws seems to be largely non-functioning, unenforced or outdated in many cases and not designed for 21^st century problems. The new criminal drug laws are poorly drafted, poorly investigated and poorly enforced. Many of the laws piggyback off old colonial justice, where the purpose then was to maintain the status quo and wealth of the nobles and keep the proletariat in compliance.

The prosecutorial system in Belize is a complete disgrace and there seems no current plans to address it. When I prosecuted cases, I always wondered why Belize spent hundreds of man hours, resources and effort chasing down our youths and criminalizing them for essentially a stick of weed and clogging our justice system with cases of mostly young black men; � many �who are first introduced to high level criminals in an over populated prison. Many of these young men who are arrested for marijuana are unable to make bail and are housed with convicted murders, rapists, thieves and so on.

Belize seems to take its crime-fighting cue from the U.S.; however, the United States is definitely not a leader in fighting crime effectively. Belize has imported many of the U.S. failed police state policies. Currently the Police Forces throughout the United States are under public scrutiny for abuses of human rights and excessive force especially against minority populations. The U.S. also has one of the worst incarceration rates in the world on par with the "axis of evil" countries. The U.S. Federal drug laws and enforcement are oppressive. Many argue that the rise of private prisons is part of the problem. These corporate prisons lobby Congress to keep drugs laws in place so as to keep prisons filled. Every new prisoner equals more money.

In October of 2014, Belize destroyed 54 million Belize dollars worth of a marijuana plantation with the help of the U.S. embassy. (One of many like operations) The hypocrisy of the event cannot escape the causal observer. Colorado around the same time was making about 25 million US dollars (50 million Belize dollars) worth of taxes based on the sale of marijuana. The U.S. ambassador himself is from a state where medical marijuana is legal.

Last year Canada offered Jamaica a lucrative deal. Legalize marijuana and sell it to Canada. Canada has a 1.3 Billion dollar industry and the license growers want to grow marijuana in Jamaica. The idea to legalize marijuana seems to have been tabled by Belize’s policy makers but I wonder how Belize will react when the U.S. eventually abandon this specific drug fight, legalize marijuana and then turn out to be the biggest producer, exporter and earner in marijuana sales? �Will Belize be compensated for years of an appeasement drug policy that criminalized a good portion of its youths?

What could Belize gain by marijuana legalization?

1. Access to a growing and newly legal multi-billion dollar industry.
2. Marijuana Tourism
3. Less Criminals
4. Access of billions in research money
5. Cash Cow industry with low overhead costs
6. Less Criminals
7. Police officers who will redirect resources on other types of investigations
8. Less dependency as a nation
9. Less Criminals
10. Financial Freedom

A Brief History of Marijuana�– criminalization and decriminalization

Marijuana has existed long before modern society and was known by numerous names such as cannabis, hemp, weed, trees and more. Back in 2700 B.C., the father of Chinese medicine Shen Nung recognized Marijuana for its healing properties along with two other mainstay Chinese herbs – ginseng and ephedra.

In 1200 B.C. the Egyptian reportedly used cannabis for the treatment of inflammation and glaucoma. This was evidenced by pollen found in mummies.

600 B.C. Indians are said to use marijuana for leprosy and by

1 A.D. the Chinese had about 100 medicinal uses for cannabis. The uses continued throughout world history for the uses of depression, asthma, loss of appetite, neuralgia, tetanus, typhus, cholera, rabies, dysentery, alcoholism, opiate addiction, anthrax, incontinence, gout, convulsive disorders, tonsillitis, insanity, excessive menstrual bleeding, uterine bleeding, impotence, ulcers etc. and of course recreational smoking.

In 1906 President Roosevelt passed the first Food and Drug Act aimed to label drugs and get pre-approval before market uses.

By 1911, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to prohibit marijuana that coincided with moral laws prohibiting the uses of alcohol, prostitution, gambling and oral sex.

By 1927 10 other states had followed suit in prohibiting marijuana. Keep in mind that during that era marijuana was also an international produced and imported product from India and was in direct competition with the Cotton industry via Hemp. Hemp was said to be a better material than cotton for making clothing and paper.

In 1913 the US government started to domestically grow marijuana and in

1918 was growing 60,000 pounds of marijuana annually.

On Feb 19, 1925, the League of Nations signed a multinational treaty adding cannabis to the narcotics list where use were to be limited to scientific only research. All imports and exports would be prohibited.

In 1928 the U.K added it to its Dangerous Drugs Act and what affected the U.K affected her colonies such as Belize.

During the years 1930 - 1937 via adamant lobbying of congress, movies and propaganda, marijuana was framed as a drug that caused insanity and "pushed people to commit horrendous acts of criminality."

In 1937 the first man, Samuel Caldwell was arrested and charged for selling marijuana and was sentenced to four years in prison and $1000.00 fine.

In 1938 Canada prohibits cultivation of marijuana but still allows some prescription use.

In 1961 the U.N Convention on Narcotic Drugs establishes Article 49 calling on participating nations to adopt measures to prevent the use and trade of marijuana outside of medicinal and scientific purposes.

In 1970 the U.S Congress passed an Act that classified marijuana as a drug with no accepted medical uses. The U.K. passes a similar Act and

In 1971 President Nixon ignored the Shafer commission recommendation to decriminalize marijuana. Nixon went further and declared a war on drugs. A failed policy by all evidence today.

The DEA was established in 1973 and in 1974 the National Institute on Drug Abuse begin growing marijuana for research purposes via the University of Mississippi.

On November 24, 1976, in U.S. v Randall, the US Supreme Court ruled that Randall use of Marijuana for glaucoma constituted a medical necessity and was the first American after prohibition to have access to marijuana for a medical purpose.

In 1976 the Netherlands decriminalized marijuana

Between 1980-today, the US has been very inconsistent with its policy on marijuana. Some states have recognized the medicinal purposes since 1978 with New Mexico passing laws supporting medicinal uses while simultaneously the Federal government have become stringent in their classification and enforcement of prohibition.

(source: http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000026)

Today 25 U.S. States have legalized some version of marijuana use with some legalizing all uses of marijuana even as the Federal government threatens loss of federal funding. Canada has decriminalized while the U.K. has become more stringent. The top five lobbyists in the United States who want to keep marijuana illegal are

1. The police union
2. The private corporate prisons
3. Pharmaceutical companies
4. Alcohol and Beer Companies
5. Prison Guard Unions

Below was a typical poster used to frame marijuana as an immoral drug:

Two and a half years ago, our newspaper reported that the Government had established a multi-sectoral committee tasked with reviewing proposals for the decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana, also known as "ganga" or "weed," with a view of introducing alternative penalties which would mean that casual users do not end up having a criminal record and do not have to spend time behind bars.

On Friday, January 23, a bill was tabled in the Senate in our sister Caribbean nation, Jamaica, proposing the decriminalization of up to 2 ounces of marijuana (just under 60 grams). The 2015 amendment to Jamaica's Dangerous Drugs Act also proposes the decriminalization of the cultivation of up to 5 ganga trees.

Cannabis possession and use, including the possession of commercial hemp, is prohibited under the laws of Belize. Although we have seen recent cases whereby persons have gotten into big legal trouble in Belize for a single ganga tree, which can be deemed cultivation under our laws and which could attract a stiff fine of $10,000 plus three years behind bars, the Belize proposals do not consider any softening of the laws where ganga cultivation is concerned.

However, the proposals, which we understand may be sent over to Cabinet as early as next week and which should be made fully public not too long from now, recommend the decriminalization of 10 grams of marijuana or less - what we had previously indicated is deemed to be equivalent to 10 cigarette-sized rolls of weed.

On the other hand, the intent is to retain the drug possession charge for quantities between 10 and 59 grams. A trafficking charge would be imposed for larger quantities of 60 grams or more.

We understand that the report of the committee has a section on the medicinal use of marijuana, although the decriminalization recommendations only take into consideration how much marijuana is found rather than the use for which it is procured.

We understand that members of the clergy had indicated to the committee that they felt that repeat offenders should be given stiffer penalties. However, we understand that the committee was considering the marijuana issue as it relates to the "chemical dependency" of the casual user. This, we were told, is why the recommendations include drug rehabilitation programs as well as community service, and fines which could finance programs such as drug rehab.

An official statement which the government issued back in July 2012 said that, "This initiative is driven by increasing evidence that the current legislation clutters the courts and the prison with primarily a marginalized segment of our population. The added impact of a permanent criminal record further disadvantages this already marginalized group, as it establishes a barrier against meaningful employment."

Whereas the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry has agreed with the proposals in principle, it had indicated that it would support decriminalization for only 5 grams.

The Belize National Teachers' Union had rejected the proposals and highlighted the need for much more education, study and research of marijuana's use and effects.

While there is no indication that Belize will adopt the Jamaica model for marijuana decriminalization, we are advised that when Cabinet receives the report from the committee tasked with reviewing the marijuana decriminalization issue, that it will be fully apprised of the latest developments in that country.

The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) reported on Friday, January 23, that the amendments in that country would make the possession of small quantities of ganja, amounting to two ounces (about 57 grams) or less, a 'non-arrestable but ticketable' infraction, attracting a fine payable outside of the court, but not resulting in the possessor being burdened with a criminal record. It added that failure to pay the monetary penalty will be deemed a minor offence punishable in the Petty Sessions Court by an order for community service.

However, the legislation prohibits the smoking of ganja in public spaces, subject to specified exemptions, JIS said.

Of note is that last week, during the hearing of the case of Professor Brendan Bain in the Jamaica Supreme Court, a witness complained of the smell of ganga, which was being smoked by prisoners held at the facility's cells. It was reported that ganga-smoking by prisoners at the Supreme Court had become a common occurrence, while still illegal there.

According to JIS, proposed changes to the laws would facilitate ganja being used for therapeutic purposes, as prescribed by a registered practitioner, or for scientific research conducted by an accredited tertiary institution or otherwise approved by the Scientific Research Council (SRC), and it provides for the creation of a Cannabis Licensing Authority to regulate the proposed hemp and medicinal ganja industry in Jamaica. It also pointed to the liberalization of its use for religious purposes among Rastafarians.

With the report from the Belize committee on decriminalization and the latest developments in Jamaica to consider, Belize's Cabinet will ultimately decide on the way forward here; for example, whether it will go with the conservative 10-gram model originally proposed or whether it will altogether do away with the marijuana possession charge levied on persons who are found with less than 60 grams of marijuana, in line with Jamaica's amendments.

What has been clearly expressed, though, is that the Government of Belize is not considering altering the law for marijuana trafficking levied on persons found with 60 grams of marijuana or more.

Amandala