Douglas Wheatley wants VI to discuss marijuana decriminalization
“In the BVI I think we ought to be facing this matter squarely and it should form part of our discourse. We shouldn’t wait until it is upon us,” said Wheatley on his programme Speak Out BVI on ZBVI Radio 780 AM last evening July 8, 2014. “There should be discourse and education about this matter,” he stressed.
“There was a [CARICOM] meeting in Antigua recently and a number of things were discussed there including a strategic plan and one of the things that came out was a discussion on marijuana. As you know in the air now there is talk about the decriminalization of marijuana perhaps also the legalizing of marijuana,” he said.
“They agreed that there economic opportunities available in terms of medical marijuana. You hear what is happening in Colorado in the United States, the amount of money that has been made out of it and what percentage has gone to Government through taxation. Also in the State of Washington they have just followed suit,” he said.
“Across the pond in the UK we know there are steps being taken to deal with medical marijuana. Caricom has a commission dealing with this and the BVI is an associate member but I have not heard any of our officials speak of this particular subject or whether they have been to any of the meetings,” he said.
“We know that Jamaica has taken the lead in the Commonwealth Caribbean in the decriminalizing of marijuana and intending of course to benefit from the benefits that would accrue from the production of marijuana for medical purposes,” said Wheatley.
Wheatley pointed out that marijuana was not always an illegal substance. “That occurred in the United States in 1937 and there are reasons why it was made an illegal substance. But prior to that it was not and the argument has always been that a drug is something that goes through a manufacturing process and marijuana is a herb, a natural thing that grows out of the earth and therefore it is not a drug,” he said.
“In the US Virgin Islands there is an attempt to get it on the ballot for the November elections to have it decriminalized and perhaps even legalized. They are trying now to get the necessary support from the public to get it on the ballot,” said Wheatley.
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20 Responses to “Douglas Wheatley wants VI to discuss marijuana decriminalization ”
It is a victimless "crime"
rather than using your talent more wisely.
I think Doug, edmond & donald should form them own party JAP jackassparty.