'We shouldn’t damn somebody’s life for smoking a joint' - Hon Walwyn
The controversial minister made a recent call for decriminalising small quantities of marijuana during the House of Assembly (HoA) on April 27, 2018.
He said, “I’ve said before and I mean this with every fibre of my being. It is time that we have the courage to look at decriminalising marijuana, small quantities of it. I’m seeing it too often, particularity with the young people who call me all the time trying to get a simple visa waiver to go to St Thomas.”
Hon Walwyn pointed out that when job personnel see that a young person have a criminal record despite how minimal the charges are, they treat it like a serious offence, while adding that it “interferes” with potential jobs and opportunities.
“When they see that you have a file for cannabis possession that’s the end of that. Even when you try to get a job people ain’t reading to see the fact that it was just marijuana. When they see a fine there and you have a criminal record they are treating it like it is murder. It is interfering with the job prospects and opportunities for the young people of the country,” said the education minister.
“There are models out there”
Meanwhile, Hon Walwyn indicated that other Caribbean countries such as Bermuda have relaxed their marijuana-related laws, adding that the VI should follow.
“There are models out there. I think it was Bermuda or the Bahamas that has a very good model, rather than fining people and putting it on their criminal record, those persons who they see have a problem with substance abuse, they have to go to some sort of educational training.”
He further explained that after they attend the educational training, a criminal record is not created.
“Those are some of the type of approaches we have to take in the territory because we are damning the lives of people for very simple things. We shouldn’t damn somebody’s life for smoking a joint. Let us try to help them and get them over that,” said the cultural minister.
Caribbean nations such as Jamaica have decriminalised possession of marijuana and under their laws, persons found with two ounces or less will be ticketed instead of being criminally charged.
.png)
.png)
.png)
Follow Us On
17 Responses to “'We shouldn’t damn somebody’s life for smoking a joint' - Hon Walwyn”
jail time will not be for weed its for corruption
There must be a well thought out plan implemented to monitor its use. I think medical marijuana is the solution and it should be carefully implemented. Instead of demonstrations and complaining we need intelligent action. Its sad that people are so small minded that they always see and jump on the negative side of things. If we remain stuck on stupid there's an awful price to pay. Time to network and take Positive Action.