Sir Richard C.N. Branson applauds progress in legalising weed
In the United States of America (USA) several states; California, Massachusetts and Nevada have leagalised marijuana. In the states of Florida, Arkansas and North Dakota medical marijuana has been approved. “States that have legalised marijuana are reducing some of the worst harms of the war on drugs, and raising substantial new revenues too,” said Mr Branson.
In an article yesterday November 9, 2016 in the online newsletter ‘Virgin’, captioned ‘Progress on the war on Drugs’, Mr Branson stated, “As the Drug Policy Alliance pointed out, no other reform was approved by so many citizens on so many ballots as marijuana reform. In a watershed moment for the movement to end marijuana prohibition, these results could speed efforts to legalise marijuana in states across the US, at the federal level, and internationally.
I wholeheartedly welcome the news, as a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy and a committed advocate to treating drugs as a health issue, not a criminal problem.”
According to the billionaire businessman, there could be more positive news, as votes are still being counted for legalisation initiatives in Maine (which looks likely to pass) and Arizona (which looks less likely). He said that a medical marijuana measure in Montana to improve the state’s existing medical marijuana law also looks likely to pass.
Quoting Branson’s publication in ‘Virgin’, these states follow in the footsteps of Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon, which have all previously passed legalisation measures. A recent Drug Policy Alliance report found they have seen reductions in marijuana arrests and convictions, increased tax revenues, and no increases in youth marijuana use or traffic fatalities.
‘Positive effects of legal marijuana’
He sees California’s Proposition 64 as particularly good news as, in addition to legalising the adult use of marijuana, it enacts across-the-board retroactive sentencing reform for marijuana offenses. By focusing on public health rather than needless arrests, states that have legalised marijuana are reducing some of the worst harms of the war on drugs, and raising substantial new revenues too.
There are now 27 states with medical marijuana laws, seven of which have also approved legal regulation of marijuana for adults (eight if Maine passes.) The world is starting to shift drug laws to prioritise health over punishment. For the first time, the US Attorney General has stated that marijuana is not the gateway drug it has been made out to be. The US legislation follows marijuana legislation everywhere from Jamaica to Uruguay.
“But there is a long way to go. After the US election, this progress could be under threat. I have long argued that we need a different approach to drug policy, one that, one that looks at the available evidence and draws the right conclusions. Let us hope the current movement towards sensible drug policies continues,” said Mr Branson, who was a fierce critic of Donald J. Trump, the President-elect of the USA.
Calls for legalising marijuana in VI
Recently, talk show host Mr Doug Wheatley said Government should stop putting people in jail for marijuana.
“First of all I think we need to stop putting people in jail for marijuana and that will create quite a space in the prison. We don’t need to do that because we understand it has been said over and repeated times that marijuana is not a drug and we should not be locking up people for smoking them and that will free up a lot of cells,” Mr Wheatley pointed out on his ‘Speak Out BVI’ radio programme on ZBVI 780 AM on October 4, 2016.
Also, in May of this year, local attorney at law Jamal S. Smith raised eyebrows in the High Court when he said the Virgin Islands (VI) has some of the highest grade of cannabis sativa in the world and this is why he is against the importation of the drug while being a proponent of its legalisation.
The Rastafarian community in the Virgin Islands in August also proposed the use of marijuana on a commercial level as a possible solution to the current fiscal challenges facing the territory.
Speaking on the 3D show on ZBVI 780 AM with host Doug Wheatley on Friday August 26, 2016, Halstead L. Lima, also known as Cool Lion, said on a regular basis more and more countries are coming to recognise the value of the herb both as a medicine and on a commercial level. He suggested that the Virgin Islands should do the same.
“We have been at this thing a while now. It’s not a marijuana concern; it is just about the economy. I’m just using some alternate survival techniques for the economy,” he stated.
He likened the territory’s economy as standing on a stool with two legs- offshore banking and Tourism- and in his view, commercial marijuana should be the third leg.
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14 Responses to “Sir Richard C.N. Branson applauds progress in legalising weed”
So as I see it, we will import it and not the other way around. This would not be an economic pillar for BVI.
Tourism will increase too. We just need to keep it higher end and all is well. We pay less for prisoners and the courts for these petty things. We drive down imports of it too if we grow here. We can go for a premium product it sounds like too. Remember coffee, tobacco etc down't just have the high volume producers but also the niche, high value stuff like Blue Mountain coffee and St Lucia has Hotel Chocolat. Let's go people. And i never even smoke!