| That's what SSB Chairman Doug Singh had to say on the recent loan approvals. He also wears the hat as a member of the Committee looking into the Decriminalization of Marijuana. So, we took the opportunity to ask him for an update.
As we've shown you months ago, the committee is proposing to the Government to decriminalize the possession of 10 grams of marijuana or less. The committee is also proposing to lessen the penalties of this quantity of week. Instead of being jailed and being given a criminal record if convicted, a person will be given a fine.
But in the era of mass decriminalization and legalization of weed in other parts of the world, pro-marijuana persons say that 10 grams is too limited a quantity to remove criminal penalties for. They are pushing for larger amounts, and since Jamaica, as of February, has decriminalized up to 2 ounces. That's almost 57 grams, six times the amount in this proposal, and so since then, has the Committee revisited its figure to Cabinet? Singh said "no" in our conversation yesterday. Here's how he explained why not:
Dough Singh - Member, Committee Looking Into Marijuana Decriminalization
"The bottom line is that the committee was tasked with looking at the decriminalization not the legalization. I think there are tremendous differences between what Jamaica has done and what Belize is recommending. One I think, Jamaica is allowing a possession of a certain amount of plants also and they are also allowing possession of certain amounts for medicinal purposes which is essentially legalization. The committee looked at decriminalization which is essentially changing the penalties for possession of a small amount so that you don't have any possibility of jail time or you don't end up with a criminal record. That really is all the committee is recommending."
"The question that was asked is if that the committee go far enough, there are suggestions. I am not sure, if there's a movement that others feel passionately about, relative to legalization or certain quantities or decriminalization of larger quantities. I suspect that that's a process what they will have to take up. Cabinet has asked us to do a bit more consultation, so to speak. There are some issues that they believe are relevant such that they don't believe that it's clear enough to the public, the distinction between decriminalization and legalization. People still think that this is a process to legalize. The sense we get through the consultation is there's tremendous support for decriminalization but not necessarily across the board for legalization. And we then have an obligation to ensure that people understand what the recommendations mean and the implications of the recommendations. But I can't speak to the direct question."
Singh told us that the committee continues to conduct consultations to make the distinction to members of the public that there is a very important difference between decriminalizing marijuana and legalizing it. He said that this was an important distinction that the Government wants to make clear in everyone's mind.
| 