Headlines:
| Treat fines against ganja smokers like traffic tickets – Meadows |
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| Friday, 11 December 2009 | |
 Ganja Spliff. Mr. Meadows who was making his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate, called for the Government to decriminalise the use of small quantities of ganja for personal and religious use. "Under the Offensive Weapons Act, if one is convicted of possessing a knife or any other offensive weapon under the Act, it doesn't attract a criminal record. What I'm advocating for is for ganja at the level of spliff (ganja cigarette) for private use, be treated similarly to a traffic ticket," he said. Mindful of suggestions that Jamaica could face sanctions from its international partners by decriminalising ganja, Senator Meadows argued that was unlikely to happen.  Senator Denis Meadows. In 2001, a Commission set up by then Prime Minister PJ Patterson and led by UWI Professor Barry Chevannes recommended decriminalising the use of ganja for personal use and religious purposes. The Commission also recommended the use of all-media and all-schools education programmes to reduce demand, targeting mainly young people. However, the recommendations have never been implement. |