Letter from Brooklyn : Barbados Attorney General Not Clear On Cannabis

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One Caribbean Nation.


By Michael Headley

In this Orwellian age,  when right is wrong and vice versa, the Attorney General, Dale Marshall fell victim to Doublespeak as  he tried unsuccessfully,  to explain The Drug Abuse (Prevention and Control) Amendment) Bill 2020 (Nation News March 07).  His lame explanation blew up in smoke as he stated, in one breath that smoking cannabis (pot/,marijuana)  was a crime, however persons, caught, in possession of 14 grams or less, will be treated differently, by the police .  They would be fined and not confined.  The treasury must be smiling but how many 14 grams or less is one person allowed before they will be confined?   Mr. Attorney General, is smoking cannabis a crime or can users sidestep it by paying a fine?  Be specific.

 Mr Attorney General, as recent as March 16, the Moderator, on Getting down to brass tacks, stated that because users there, are about  thirty-three percent, that that was probable grounds for legalization.  And on the March 05 program, another Moderator, in referring to a 'joint' sharing incident, rather than admonish the person not to smoke, calmly suggested how dangerous it was to share a 'joint'  in this COVID-19 period, because it could spread the virus and make it difficult for contact tracing.       

 The apparent tacit approval from the moderators' comments, and your desire to weaken the current law, vis-a-vis smoking cannabis, seems to be  just trial balloons, to sensitize the public, to accept what's coming down the pike/ pipe. I only hope that your administration is ready and able to address the potential Medical, Legal, Economic  and Societal costs that this venture will have on the 'loyal sons and daughters all'.     

 

Michael  Headley

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK


Michael Headley is a social commentator and frequent contributor to the Mahogany Coconut Blog


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