Commentary

Weed, weed, weed

P AND I are not smokers. We are very smart people who can't understand why anyone would want to have soot settling on the surface of their lungs. So we don't smoke ­ except when forced to by those who are stupid enough to do so and are in our presence.

While we think that people who smoke are stupid, we don't chastise them for it ­ but that is the cigarette. There are others who think that they should smoke weed, ganja, the good 'ole sensi'. Well, as for me, I hate the stench of that thing; it makes me nauseous, and the smell is inclined to give me a headache after prolonged exposure.

But obviously, if I don't smoke cigarettes for the reasons above you really don't expect me to be smoking weed now, do you? For people who smoke weed, again I say, more power to you if that's how you get your kicks, then knock yourself out.

Except for one small thing. Smoking weed under the Jamaican law is illegal. Shall we say under the stupid Jamaican law it is illegal? I say stupid because big and serious, if cigarettes can be legal, I can't see why weed isn't. My choice obviously would be to make both of them illegal ­ but as we know, there are so many special financial interests balled up in the production and sale of cigarettes in the world and locally, I guess there is no point of even engaging in that debate here.

What I do find strange though is the clear double standard, and what is the sheer ridiculousness of how the police and the courts deal with ganja as an illegal drug.

Weed all around

It is illegal to smoke weed. But if you go to any major stage show, inclusive of the humongous Reggae Sumfest in the tourist capital of Montego Bay, or to any major political rally, you will smell the aroma of weed all around. And you will see in clear view people selling the so-called illegal drug. Police are always present there ­ but do they arrest anyone ­ hardly ever.

Imagine I climb Dunn's River Falls two weeks ago and there was the smell of weed all around me. Yup when I got to the top, I was really ­ high.

But then the police will hold some youngster or in recent times their preferred choice ­ an entertainer ­ and charge him for having a spliff, a portion of a spliff or a plant.

The court, continues the trend of flexi standards because some people charged, pay dearly with their records being branded with their conviction, while other people pay a fine and go off and smoke some more.

Some months ago in this paper, a man suggested to a judge that a ticketing system be applied to this possession of spliff charges. He argued that it would save the court's time and his time too. The man is right. What do you think?

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