Do you think that Marijuana...

[Kitten]

Do you think that marijuana should only be used for the medicinal purposes in countries like the United States or do you feel it shoul be legalized? The Government feels that they can keep this regulated. Do you feel this is right and that they will eventually have to stop fighting it. Like they did with prohibition and legalized alcohol. Your opinion please about this matter.

[Drew]

i don't even like the idea of it being used for medical purposes to be honest.
i don't think it should be legalized, if anything i think they need to be more stict about their drug policies.
if the government is going to give what the people want, thats not a governing body that should be in control. they need to take a stance and protect their citizens.

NO TO DRUGS, YES TO LIFE.
[sorry, felt like typing that]

[AngelsKiss]

Marijuana is like a lot of plants, with medicinal purposes. If it has the capability to treat some medical problem, why shouldnt it be used? Currently it is used to treat Glaucoma.

Secondly, we as individuals also need to take responsibility for our actions. It's impossible for the govt to control the use of marijuana. They can't police everyone who uses the darn thing nor can they lock all in jail.

Thirdly, how dangerous is marijuana? There are so many articles now that state that marijuana is not as dangerous as previously presumed. I think we need more research.

[Xenocrates]

If marijuana were legalised, then like the bootleg alcohol regime of the 1930's:

Pros:

1. It woud deal a serious blow to the cartels, since the price of the herb would become regulated, and they'd stand to make no more profit from it than drug companies.

2. It would probably be the silver bullet that saves Jamaica's economy. It would probably become our # 1 export.

3. Drug related crimes involving marijuana export would cease to occur.

4. It's likely that the "Jamaica" brandname with marijuana blunts would become synonymous with the "Cuba" brandname and cigars.

5. Portland is likely to become a very financially well faring parish.

Cons:

1. We will have a very serious smoke + driving problem on our hands. Worldwide. Marijuana can disorient as much as alcohol can (and in excessive amounts, the delusions become independently dangerous, with or without a motor vehicle). You'd probably start seeing advertisments for different brand names of cigarettes made with marijuana which have a tagline: Smoke Responsibly :rolleyes:

2. Trade Embargoes against marijuana exporting countries. Ofcourse, this probably won't happen if the United States legalizes it first. But I'm not sure how Canada and some Asian states like Bangkok and Thailand would view the issue.

3. Loss of income for drug prosecution entities worldwide - particularly in Asia.

[Drew]

2. It would probably be the silver bullet that saves Jamaica's economy. It would probably become our # 1 export.LMAO, its sad, but true.

[Bashment Girl]

Do you think that marijuana should only be used for the medicinal purposes in countries like the United States or do you feel it shoul be legalized? The Government feels that they can keep this regulated. Do you feel this is right and that they will eventually have to stop fighting it. Like they did with prohibition and legalized alcohol. Your opinion please about this matter.

I don't even smoke it but I can see the upsides to legalizing it! In Canada they've been trying to legalize it for a long time now! It's te US that keeps putting on the brakes for us! I think if people want to get blitz then let them! Regulate it and find a way for it to stimulate the economy! Alcohol is legal and it's more toxic to your body than weed. Cigarettes are legal... they have carbon MONOXIDE, nicotine, formaldehyde, benzene, and cyanide in them. Do they really think it's better to regulate cigarettes than to regulate ganga? I think NOT! It should've been legal in Canada years ago but politics, as usual, have put a stop to that!

[Xenocrates]

Good solid points Bashment. I don't smoke the stuff either, but it's far less toxic than inhaling second hand cigarette smoke.

And cigarettes have no medicinal value whatsoever. None that I've heard of that can be scientifically validated anyway.

[MiTcHiE]

LMAO, its sad, but true.

Isnt marijuana on eof the reasons Jamaica's economy is the way it is. Drugs run Jamaica. Without it we would be in tons of trouble.

[Bashment Girl]

Isnt marijuana on eof the reasons Jamaica's economy is the way it is. Drugs run Jamaica. Without it we would be in tons of trouble.

# 3 on the export list I believe. This is yet another reson why it should've been legalized there from 19 how long? It's madness in my opinion!

"Leaglize it.." love that song though :D

[Kitten]

You really believe this is true, what is the basis for the theory. I dont see it, is the facts or are you just generalizing it to be true.

[MiTcHiE]

Its a fact that Drugs run Jamaica on a whole, there is no way jamaica could survive in its current state without drug money to keep it afloat. This is y it will never be legalised while the country still struggling.

[Bashment Girl]

You really believe this is true, what is the basis for the theory. I dont see it, is the facts or are you just generalizing it to be true.

Yes it is true Kitten, but these are the main ones or legal exports: alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams...

But without the drugs... there is the tourism MiTcHiE

[Xenocrates]

You really believe this is true, what is the basis for the theory. I dont see it, is the facts or are you just generalizing it to be true.

- Are you kidding!?! Even the FBI has acknowledged Jamaica as one of the prime exporters of Marijuana in the region. Colombians come to Jamaica and buy hundreds of millions of dollars of our weed crop. Did you know that? Did you know that everytime someone gets caught selling weed, or some ganja farm is burned down, it was only because the guilty people were too greedy and didn't payoff the right people?

Do you genuinely believe that it is our pretty beaches, restaurants and friendly Jamaican smile that brought this many tourists to the island? If it were up to that alone, we would have been economically dead in the water a Loooooong time ago.

Almost everyone who I've spoken to (even the elderly) who have visited Jamaica on vacation have come back because of our hi-grade weed. In fact, in a conversation with a tech-support assistant from Dell with respect to my PDA, when he found out I was Jamaica, the first thing he said:

"Wow... dude, I LOVE you guys' weed. POTENT STUFF man! Irie mon!" (in the typical bad Jamaican accent)

Every year around spring break, the economy makes leaps and bounds in foreign currency circulation ALL over the island - not just in the north coast. Weed is one of our most plentiful exports - even if it is not officially recognized by CARICOM. Estimates by the drug enforcement agency put marijuana as our 3rd highest export...

...and that is only when they factor in the exports they have "managed" to stop.

I assure you, as soon as the United States legalizes ganja, it will be legalized in Jamaica. The only reason why it isn't legal in Jamaica is because the United States will institute a trade embargo against the island, and shut us down for good. For as you already know, the majority of our GDP comes from export and trade with the United States.

When them seh it legal, trus me, we will legalize it the next day. If we don't, whoever is Prime Minister will be assasinated. I can guarantee you that! ;)

[Pondadat]

I know that they do have some traffiking going on, but also have to look at the tourist industry. The tourist industry does contribute alot to the economic development and I would think more than drugs. Of course, I have no way of proving that drugs dont contribute either. Legalizing it in the U.S. is not going to happen until they can figure out how to control it. Were they are going to be able to gain something from it. Right now they would rather do it under handedly like they do everything else.

[Bashment Girl]

- Are you kidding!?! Even the FBI has acknowledged Jamaica as one of the prime exporters of Marijuana in the region. Colombians come to Jamaica and buy hundreds of millions of dollars of our weed crop. Did you know that? ;)

In support of that, an excerpt from the CIA World Fact Book.

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

[Greatis]

Well Xeno is right we would probably become a sub first world nation with the jobs Marijuana would produce when legalized. We would just have to find a to keep the Americans from taking over.