Kingston, Jamaica: A government commission is expected to once again recommend that Parliament remove criminal penalties outlawing the possession of small amounts of cannabis, according to an Associated Press (AP) report published this week.
The report warns that any liberalization of Jamaican pot policies would likely yield harsh criticism from US officials, and could jeopardize the island’s ‘anti-drug certification.’
In 2001, the Jamaican National Commission on Ganja recommended that Parliament decriminalize the private, personal use of cannabis for adults – determining that the “criminalization of thousands of people for simple possession for consumption [of cannabis] does more harm to the society than could be done by the use of ganja itself.”
In 2003, Parliament held a series of legislative hearings debating the Commission’s recommendations, but failed to enact them.
For more in formation, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, or Keith Stroup, NORML Legal Counsel, at (202) 483-5500.