Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Bodden Town MLA Councillor Alva Suckoo has begun a public campaign to solicit views on whether he should bring a motion on the legalisation of medical marijuana in Cayman.
Yesterday Mr Suckoo announced on his Facebook page that he was asked to consider moving a motion to allow the use of medical marijuana in CI and asked for opinions.
By press time he had near 100 likes and comments ranging from full support for medical marijuana to blatant rejection of the idea.
Mr Suckoo, when contacted by the Cayman Reporter about the Facebook post, said he was merely doing research and assured that no definitive position was made on this issue by the Progressives-led government.
Bodden Town MLA councillor Alva Suckoo mulling whether he should bring a motion on the legalisation of medical marijuana in Cayman.
“I think it is a bit early to talk about moving a motion, I am doing research and will discuss with caucus,” he said in a Whatsapp message to the Cayman Reporter.
He said after the issue is discussed in caucus he will inform the public, through the Cayman Reporter, “If it will move forward.”
The councilor added, “I do not want to set any expectations prematurely.”
This debate of the legalisation of medical marijuana is not a new one here in Cayman. In fact, individuals such as architect Burns Conolly, who created the Facebook page-Cannabis Cayman, have long lobbied for medical marijuana be legalised.
When contacted yesterday about Mr Suckoo’s post Mr Conolly said that “Medical marijuana has proven to be very useful.”
However he declined to comment further on the issue, “I would prefer not to say anything about it.”
This is a far cry from his previous public statements promoting the use of medical marijuana which was prompted after his cousin died from cancer.
The medical benefits and the “adverse impact” of marijuana use has been a long standing debate around the world and especially within the Caribbean region.
However Jamaica took the bold move earlier this year to approve legislation to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes and decriminalize recreational possession of the plant.
The bill was approved by the cabinet in January and amended the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1948, which had confirmed that importing, exporting, using, growing and transporting ganja was illegal.
In Jamaica the possession of up to 2 ounces of cannabis is now decriminalized for adults, punishable by just a ticket.
Additionally home cultivation of up to 5 plants has also been legalized. However the laws against exporting and trafficking marijuana remained intact.
The issue has also been raised at the Caricom level with other countries, such as St Vincent and the Grenadines, pressing for the regional body to revisit its position on medical marijuana as well.
In August, the Caribbean Collective for Justice (CCJ) organisation issued a statement claiming it had obtained a leaked copy of the 2014 report from Caricom’s Marijuana Commission which recommended regional leaders consider decriminalising marijuana possession and permit the development of a marijuana industry for medicinal purposes.
The report, according to the CCJ organisation, recommended that leaders “explore any commercial benefit from a potential multi-billion dollar industry including research and development and also production of medicinal marijuana products.”
The CCJ organization had called on Caricom Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque to tell the region if the report is in fact authentic and why he has not made the findings of the Marijuana Commission public.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Cayman Islands: Medicinal Marijuana Motion Mulled
Author: Reshma Ragoonath
Contact: Email Website
Photo Credit: Happy Fish Divers
Website: The Cayman Reporter
Yesterday Mr Suckoo announced on his Facebook page that he was asked to consider moving a motion to allow the use of medical marijuana in CI and asked for opinions.
By press time he had near 100 likes and comments ranging from full support for medical marijuana to blatant rejection of the idea.
Mr Suckoo, when contacted by the Cayman Reporter about the Facebook post, said he was merely doing research and assured that no definitive position was made on this issue by the Progressives-led government.
Bodden Town MLA councillor Alva Suckoo mulling whether he should bring a motion on the legalisation of medical marijuana in Cayman.
“I think it is a bit early to talk about moving a motion, I am doing research and will discuss with caucus,” he said in a Whatsapp message to the Cayman Reporter.
He said after the issue is discussed in caucus he will inform the public, through the Cayman Reporter, “If it will move forward.”
The councilor added, “I do not want to set any expectations prematurely.”
This debate of the legalisation of medical marijuana is not a new one here in Cayman. In fact, individuals such as architect Burns Conolly, who created the Facebook page-Cannabis Cayman, have long lobbied for medical marijuana be legalised.
When contacted yesterday about Mr Suckoo’s post Mr Conolly said that “Medical marijuana has proven to be very useful.”
However he declined to comment further on the issue, “I would prefer not to say anything about it.”
This is a far cry from his previous public statements promoting the use of medical marijuana which was prompted after his cousin died from cancer.
The medical benefits and the “adverse impact” of marijuana use has been a long standing debate around the world and especially within the Caribbean region.
However Jamaica took the bold move earlier this year to approve legislation to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes and decriminalize recreational possession of the plant.
The bill was approved by the cabinet in January and amended the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1948, which had confirmed that importing, exporting, using, growing and transporting ganja was illegal.
In Jamaica the possession of up to 2 ounces of cannabis is now decriminalized for adults, punishable by just a ticket.
Additionally home cultivation of up to 5 plants has also been legalized. However the laws against exporting and trafficking marijuana remained intact.
The issue has also been raised at the Caricom level with other countries, such as St Vincent and the Grenadines, pressing for the regional body to revisit its position on medical marijuana as well.
In August, the Caribbean Collective for Justice (CCJ) organisation issued a statement claiming it had obtained a leaked copy of the 2014 report from Caricom’s Marijuana Commission which recommended regional leaders consider decriminalising marijuana possession and permit the development of a marijuana industry for medicinal purposes.
The report, according to the CCJ organisation, recommended that leaders “explore any commercial benefit from a potential multi-billion dollar industry including research and development and also production of medicinal marijuana products.”
The CCJ organization had called on Caricom Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque to tell the region if the report is in fact authentic and why he has not made the findings of the Marijuana Commission public.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Cayman Islands: Medicinal Marijuana Motion Mulled
Author: Reshma Ragoonath
Contact: Email Website
Photo Credit: Happy Fish Divers
Website: The Cayman Reporter
