Cannabis has it positives, law should be constructively amended

Nov 15, 2022 Letters

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Dear Editor,

The amendment to the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (Control) Act of 1988 by Bill No 2 of 2021 falls short of the expectation of full decriminalisation of cannabis under 30 grams.  It appears that the members of the Committee, who had to go through the bill are visionless about the benefits of cannabis.  They blinded themselves with the prediction that if they fully decriminalise cannabis, they may create vexation from persons who are against the using of cannabis in any form especially smoking, and also lose votes in an election.

Editor, while I must say thanks to the Government for removing the jail sentence for up to  30 grams of cannabis and done better on this matter, than the previous Government, at the same time I cannot believe the Committee send back a bill to Parliament with oppressive clauses to oppress persons who use cannabis for medicine, food, tea, wine and also smoking which can get you high and the Government MPs who were the only ones in Parliament passed it without examining the recommendations with a fine-toothed comb to find the defects.

I must say it is sad to see how the educated mind operates in Guyana when it comes to making decisions about our future, I cannot believe the lack of commonsense I am seeing.  We have a billion-dollar industry which can create thousands of jobs, bring foreign currency in for the sales of medical cannabis, medicine, cannabis cigarettes, and cannabis food products, and it is being held back because some citizens smoke cannabis. Editor, the Committee failed to understand that sending a person to rehab when they are not an addict would not stop a person from using cannabis in their daily life if they so wanted to do.  Especially with the present-day knowledge of the benefits of the use of cannabis in other forms than smoking.  The amendment discriminates against persons who used cannabis for other health benefits, the amendment treated all who are held with 30 grams of cannabis or less as a smoker and this should not be.This unjust law of Guyana from 1988 to now, which forced Magistrate and Judge to jail our citizens for their leisure of smoking cannabis, should have been removed from the law books for small quantities of cannabis a long time.

As I read the amendment, I ask myself why the educated mind in parliament wants to send a person who is not addicted to cannabis to be rehabilitated. Where will the Government find all the experts in the different regions to deal with the rehabilitation process of persons, and why the opposition didn’t stay in parliament to make representation on behalf of the people who paid money to have representation?  Is it because they see the persons who used cannabis as not worth representing?  Or are they afraid of the PPP lambasting them for not making an effort to amend the act when they were in government? I am disappointed in the duty of the opposition in Parliament at present.

The new amendment states in section 4 (b) (2A) “The court shall make an order requiring a person who has been convicted for the possession of a narcotic under subsection (1) or (2) to undergo mandatory counselling by a certified counsellor specified by the court where that person had a quantity of cannabis or any substance represented or held out by that person to be cannabis which does not exceed fifteen grams for a period as determined by the counsellor after an assessment.”

Editor, the new clause 2B, which forces a person to the forced labour of community work, or pay $200,000 if he or she is convicted of 15 to 30 grams of cannabis (and does not appear to work) is madness.  While this section does not take you away from your daily work, it takes you away from your family responsibility time.  Most persons leave for work at 7 am or as early as 5:30 am and back home after 5 pm or 7 pm to prepare dinner for the family, or washing of clothing to wear the next day.  Especially when you don’t have much, and also spending time with the children on the school work.The amendment is just intended to punish an offender for the possession of small quantities of marijuana with the hope that the person may stop smoking, but the forced labour will just bring on stress and forced the person to take a joint to ease the stress by relaxing the mind.

Cannabis is not as evil as it is painted to be and continues to be demonised by oppressors, some of whom may be alcoholics dictating other people’s lives, I am sure that studies will show that alcohol helps to create the energy for more violence and accidents than cannabis.  Yet no law is made to force anyone who is an addict to alcohol to go to counselling and do community work.  What the new amendment will do is put more burden on the court to deal with such cases, and more money for the police from the person who does not want to do community work or go to rehab.  It also gives persons a criminal record for 30 grams of cannabis or less because the AG has to satisfy the people who are against cannabis. It is so sad, where are we going. I am calling on the Government to revisit the amendments and remove the oppressive clauses.

Sincerely

Michael Carrington

Former MP

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