“Legalize it, don’t criticize it,” officially bellowed reggae great Peter Tosh in 1975 when he recorded what would later become one of the most popular songs of all time.
Four decades later, lawmakers in Jamaica are finally getting the message. Although elected officials are not fully legalizing cannabis like in Colorado and Washington, a bill was approved by the Jamaican cabinet that would drastically overhaul the island nation’s draconian laws. Per the Weed Blog:
It would decriminalize the possession of up to two ounces of ganja; allow its use for religious, medical, scientific, and therapeutic purposes; prohibit smoking it in public places; and provide for the granting of licenses for the development of a legal hemp and medical marijuana industry.
Yes, it’s hard to believe that in Jamaica — a place virtually synonymous with weed and a country that has produced more pot advocates than anywhere else on Earth — smoking a joint is illegal. Its been that way since the Ganja Law of 1913, but that could all change in the next few weeks.
On Friday, the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act of 2015 was presented to the Jamaican Senate where it will then be debated on and for the sake of Rastafarians and almost every dancehall artist, passed. Jah no, it’s been a long time in the making.
(Photo: loe.org)
