There is a book called The Tipping Point which surmises that once any event, product etc reaches critical mass, then it becomes part of mainstream life.In terms of the issue of the legalising of marijuana we have certainly hit that point on the world stage. We see that 20 states in the US now allow marijuana use for medical reasons, and some also for private use. Several countries in Europe, such as Holland, also allow similar medical and recreational usage. Additionally, in Central/South America, Mexico, Guatemala, and Uruguay have now legalised marijuana usage in their countries.
In the Caribbean region, the Prime Minister of St Vincent has now asked that we also follow suit. In our own country our Chief Justice has recently rung the bell on the legalisation of this issue.Clearly, I think from a world perspective we have crossed the tipping point threshold, and the ball is now rolling downhill on this issue.It is no longer a question of if, but merely a question of when!Why would I say this?A Time article about two years ago estimated that the drugs passing through the Caribbean en route to the US to be in the vicinity of US$1 billion per year, with a certain percentage staying in T&T and other Caribbean islands as a handling fee. For argument's sake, let's say this handling fee is ten per cent, or roughly TT$664 million.This equates to a whole underground economy, which can hire men, buy guns, pay off cops, buy property, and bribe others.
If we were to legalise marijuana, allowing companies such as WITCO and Caroni estates to grow & supply specified quantities of this product in a monitored environment to certain approved merchants–geographically dispersed throughout the country–then individuals can only purchase say only 12 grams per month, similar to what they are doing in other countries.The additional benefit to this is government will now create a new income stream via taxes being collected.Theoretically, this would reduce the crime rate by a certain percentage, because there is no pay-off for the crime gangs in distributing legalised marijuana. The mystery, and "bad-boy" effect becomes muted, demand falls and the selling prices shrink. Therefore with less cash floating around to buy guns, pay for hits, defending other gangs incursion then we should see a corresponding reduction in this nefarious activity.
The real justification for legalising marijuana, however, if you were to google all the research articles on this topic, is that marijuana is less addictive than either cigarettes, or alcohol. Therefore, technically, if marijuana is illegal, then all cigarette, cigar smokers, and alcohol drinkers are also breaking the law.So Mr AG, if we could cut our crime rate by whatever percentage, without contributing to any further addiction, wouldn't this be worth the risk? You seem to be a person with political courage, so what's the worst that could happen?If it doesn't work you just revert to where we are now with the current rate of crime intact.But what if it does work? Just think about how many people's lives can be saved?Again I ask you, my fellow citizens, do we have the courage to make a change?
Roger Gordon,
Cascade.