[420 Girl]

Jamaica - Government Senator Dennis Meadows has suggested that legislators find a way of amending the law books to ensure that persons found in possession of 'small' amounts of ganja are punished but not to the extent of being left with a criminal record.

Meadows, in a resolution tabled during Thursday's sitting of the Senate, said the government should, "as a matter of urgency take steps to decriminalise the use of ganja by adults in well-defined circumstances and specific use".

The government senator made the call against the background of the recommendations of a 2002 Joint Select Committee of Parliament which was appointed to examine the report and recommendations of the National Ganja Commission headed by Dr Barry Chevannes in 2001. The report of that committee, however, is yet to be debated by the Parliament.

According to Meadows, debate on the matter was necessary, given the frequency with which "many Jamaicans particularly young men have been criminalised for the possession of less than an ounce of a ganja spliff, resulting in a criminal record thereby causing them difficulty in obtaining employment in some entities".

He that the report, not only should be debated in Parliament, but and a vote taken on the recommendations.
In the meantime, Meadows said the government should pursue diplomatic efforts in order to avoid international repercussions.

Said he: "If the government, because of its obligations to international conventions and treaties is unable to effect decriminalisation of ganja, it could amend the Dangerous Drugs Act to make offences under the Act punishable by fine without the creation of a permanent criminal record."

Speaking with the Observer after the sitting, Meadows insisted that the change he advocates was for the benefit of the habitual user and spoke to "minute amounts". He said persons with a criminal record because they were caught with small amounts of ganja were prejudiced when they seek jobs or attempt to travel.

"I am talking about minute amounts; the legislators can agree on the amounts but I am talking about small amounts. My focus is limited to the spliff user where there is an amount that they can't conclude that you are trading in or dealing in," Meadows added.

The Ganja Commission, in its recommendations, argued for the decriminalisation of ganja for personal uses in private places, religious sacraments and defined medicinal purposes but said that issues of lawful access would need to be further explored.

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