Darby Etienne MA Diplomacy
Whilst our country people are crying, there is need to improve our economy, create new industry, time for St. Lucia legalize marijuana, think of the revenue on 20% VAT. It will take a brave Caribbean leader to take a decision becoming the first Caribbean country to legalize Marijuana.
Our police will spend more time dealing with the real crimes plaguing our country today instead of climbing Morne Gimie spending money the country doesn’t have burning marijuana plants making Caribbean news.
Britain downgraded Marijuana from class A to Class C then embarrassingly reversed it leaving a slap on the risk for small usage amounts. Some American states created exemptions for medical use and decriminalized non-medical use but Colorado and Washington made possession and sale of marijuana (otherwise known as weed, ganja, pot, Cali Herb, Sensemania) legal. What I don’t understand is how a plant naturally grown so freely can be so illegal? Maybe you can tell me…
The marijuana plant threatened by the gavel. Photo courtesy www.cbsnews.com
Holland or rather the Netherlands earns an average of Euros 600 million through taxes from the legal sale of marijuana to tourists and statistics have shown that domestic usage has never increased. Who eats banana daily when banana grows in your backyard.
Let us celebrate the launch of the new green gold, “Volcanic Weed” see a 200% increase in visitors.
Did we Lucians implement this law by our own will or did we simply adopt it from elsewhere…? In my view whoever wants to smoke weed regardless of their social standing, would they not do it anyway, legal or not?
I think our policy makers not just here in St Lucia but across the Caribbean should think seriously about how to manage this issue. Think about the pros and cons for legalisation, public interest, the cost to the treasury, public opinion and so on and make a decision that is best suited for us. What are your thoughts…?
Cover photo courtesy www.livescience.com
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