Jamaica to go the US way and relax cannabis laws

#jamaica #marijuana #cannabis #ganja Jamaica plans to go the US way and relax laws relating to cannabis or ‘ganja’ as it is known locally. The Jamaican cabinet has approved a bill that would decriminalize possession of small quantities of cannabis and gradually pave the way for a legal medical marijuana industry.
The bill would create a cannabis licensing authority that would handle the regulations necessary to cultivate, sell and distribute the herb for medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes. Jamaica wants to position itself suitable to take advantage of the significant economic opportunities that is offered by this emerging industry.
Under the terms of the proposed bill, the possession of 2 ounces or less would be treated as an offence but, it would not result in a criminal record. Permission would be given to cultivate maximum of five plants on any premises.
Rastafarians, who use marijuana as a sacrament, could also legally use it for religious purposes for the first time in Jamaica - the spiritual movement was founded in the 1930s.
Incidentally, the debate has raged on the Caribbean island for a long time over laws that govern use of marijuana and, with several countries and US states relaxing their laws on the herb, Jamaica plans to follow suit.