POSSESSION AND USE OF MARIJUANA

Jul 13, 2018 Editorial

Guyana is an inherently conservative country, in which people in general display an automatic tendency to resist any issue that has to do with change, such as the decriminalization of marijuana, which admittedly is a very touchy subject. The fact that marijuana is considered a cultural taboo by many, especially at leadership level, has substantially inhibited our progress in dealing legally with the possession and usage of small amounts of the substance.

Indeed, emotions tend to have such a powerful impact on our behaviour that persons hardly ever see the wisdom to engage in a dispassionate examination of the pros and cons of decriminalizing the possession and use of small amounts of marijuana. This makes it difficult to arrive at a rational conclusion on the issue to inform the way forward. Against this backdrop, advocates of the decriminalization of marijuana open themselves up to the possibility of being accused of sanctioning wrongdoing, especially by persons who have developed an inflexible opposition to its use.

Those adopting such a rigid stance would have generally been born and grew up in an era when, based on the values to which they were exposed, they would have come to see marijuana as totally undesirable.
Today, mainstream thinking on the usage of marijuana around the world has changed dramatically. Interestingly, the move towards its decriminalization originated in the developed countries in Europe which, through the information they made available, helped to condition the thinking of people in developing countries such as Jamaica, which, in 2015, decriminalized the use of small amounts of marijuana.

Authorities in these countries have concluded that marijuana use for medicinal purposes has some real benefits. While Guyanese have not supported the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes, there is convincing evidence of its medicinal benefits, which suggests that a more open-minded approach is required, especially at the policy-making level. Extensive studies have determined that the use of small amounts of marijuana or for recreational or medicinal purposes does not lead to low productivity and/or poor brain function, as once thought. Yet it remains caught in a maelstrom of drug abuse hype and is being viewed negatively in society.

In the design of public policy, personal bias of decision-makers should have no influence on the outcome. The foremost consideration should always be what is in the best interest of the public, and what is the right and proper thing to do, based on the hard evidence. Even though the use of marijuana remains illegal here, consumption over the years has grown to such an extent that its use is now an inescapable fact of everyday life.

Unscientific surveys have revealed that more than half the population in Guyana had tried marijuana and two out of five persons smoked it regularly. That translates into about 40 percent of the population who use marijuana on a regular basis. Therefore, promoting its use would not be a dishonour to society and to decriminalize it at the level being suggested will not be considered a security risk.

The refusal by the government to decriminalize the possession and use of small amounts of marijuana does not sit well with its users and advocates. After three years in office, there is no action on the issue, which is unrealistic. But President’s David Granger announcement at the CARICOM summit in Jamaica that the government will move to end custodial sentences for possession and the use of small amounts of marijuana is not only a major relief, but a dream come true for marijuana users. Many rational individuals believe that it is time for the government to follow in the footsteps of Jamaica, Canada and other nations, in decriminalizing the use of small amounts of marijuana.

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