Jamaica sees green in ganja

By Amar Toor

It seems the United States is inching ever closer to decriminalizing marijuana, following the passage of new laws in Colorado and Washington, but on the seemingly weed-friendly shores of Jamaica — birthplace of reggae music and the Rastafari — pot remains as illegal as it's been for more than a century. It's a paradox for an island nation that has become synonymous with names like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, but Jamaican politicians and legalization advocates say change is coming soon — perhaps as soon as this year.

Earlier this month, about 300 people gathered in the Jamaican capital of Kingston to launch the Ganja Future Growers and Producers Association, the country's first lobby group of marijuana cultivators. The new organization will push for the creation of a regulated weed industry in Jamaica, which it says will boost the country's economy and spur medical research. As more countries look to liberalize their drug policies, the hope is that decriminalization will allow Jamaica to become something of a pot powerhouse.

"With the global movement that is emerging — in Uruguay, in parts of Canada, in states in the US — there is a sense that the moment is right for Jamaica," says Rupert Lewis, professor emeritus of political science at the University of the West Indies.

Advocates say that a legal weed market would generate extra tax revenue and create new jobs in Jamaica, which has been hampered by high unemployment and inflation rates since the financial crisis of 2008. There's also hope that it may help alleviate the country's notorious problems with crime and gang-related violence. Ganja growers would be able to sell their herbs legitimately, rather than on the black market, while police and prosecutors would have more time to deal with more serious crimes, rather than small-time possession busts.

more

http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/20/5630942/jamaica-sees-green-in-ganja-marijuana-legalization