A councillor says the Ministry of National Security's current national consultation on marijuana would be more effective if it was done in at-risk communities where he believes the majority of people use marijuana.San Fernando City Corporation (SFCC) councillor for Springvale/Paradise, Naigum Joseph, made the comment during the sixth session of the consultation, hosted by the ministry's National Drug Council (NDC), at the Harewood/Doorly Auditorium, St Paul's Parish Hall, San Fernando, on Tuesday.
"I would like to see these consultations carried to people in communities that are at risk, like Embacadere, Marabella, instead of here where the people that would come out really are not the marijuana-users," Joseph said.Joseph said as a councillor many of the youths he had tried to assist were marijuana-users and he believed their opinions should count in the consultations.
"I have had the experience as a councillor trying to get employment for youths and because marijuana is illegal and most companies are using drug tests, I couldn't get anybody from these at-risk communities a job," he added.Joseph also raised the issue of the low public turnout, saying it was because the SFCC was sent a late notice of the arrangements.However, speaking to the T&T Guardian following the consultation, NDC manager Esther Best said it was a case of a "breakdown of communications.
"We had a meeting with all corporations in June, asking for their assistance in setting up the consultations. The SFCC was represented by Junia Regrello (deputy mayor) but all efforts to contact him afterwards were unsuccessful," she added.Best said dates for the consultations could not be set until after the necessary approvals and after failing to contact Regrello, the NDC went ahead with its planning and sent notice of the consultation on Monday to the corporation.
Despite the low turnout, several members of the public aired their opinions on the issue. One woman urged the NDC to think through the legalisation of marijuana for recreational and social use.The woman, who asked not to be identified, said while she would support the usage of marijuana for medicinal purposes, she was strongly against marijuana for recreational and social use."I don't think our social services are equipped to deal with any fallout from the marijuana use. she said.
"For example, we have a lot of vagrants on the street, some of them are there because of drug use, some are there for psychological reasons but all of these things need to be taken into consideration when treating with this issue," she added.