Jamaica is known for its amazing white sand beaches, reggae music, rum, and of course Ganja. Ganja, a slang term for marijuana, is synonymous with Jamaica, particularly with Rastafarianism. But until recently, it was 100% illegal.
Despite widespread use by Jamaicans and tourists alike, marijuana was classified as illegal in Jamaica. The plant has been consumed or smoked as a medicinal herb and in religious sacrements for decades, and on Tuesday, February 24, 2015, the Jamaican parliament voted to decriminalize it in amounts up to two ounces.
The new law also paves the way for a to-be established “cannabis licensing authority,” which will regulate the cultivation and distribution of marijuana for medical and scientific purposes.
The new marijuana law is a victory for Jamaicans pushing for religious freedom, and Rastafarians will now be able to smoke marijuana legally for the first time on the small Caribbean island. Rastafarians use marijuana in religious sacraments, and religious followers say that smoking the herb induces a meditative state that brings them closer to Jah.
Bunny Wailer, the legendary co-found of the reggae group “The Wailers” with Peter Tosh and Bob Marley, is excited about his new religious freedom, saying:
“Rastas have treated marijuana as something legal all along, even though we have been sent to prison for using the herb in our prayer. But this is the time for all these pressures to stop. The world is catching up now…Rastas have gone through a lot of hassles for years, getting criminalized and locked up for using the herb. But things are changing because ganja is what the world needs now.”
Peter Bunting, the island’s national security minister, says that Jamaica has not softened the laws against international drug trafficking, saying:
The passage of this legislation does not create a free-for-all in the growing, transporting, dealing or exporting of ganja. The security forces will continue to rigorously enforce Jamaican law consistent with our international treaty obligations.”
Regardless of the tough stance on marijuana trafficking, the decriminalization is a major victory for Jamaicans, especially Rastafarians. I am sure that the late, great Peter Tosh is smiling.
