Legalise marijuana – says Doug Wheatley
On his radio programme, “Speak out BVI” aired on a local radio station last evening May 15, 2012, a caller informed Mr. Wheatley that Marijuana in the Virgin Islands (VI) should be legalized, where Mr. Wheatley agreed and added that there should be a discussion about the particular subject among government officials.
Mr. Wheatley, in response to a caller said the time has certainly come when there should be a discussion about making Marijuana legal.
The caller told the Host of Speak Out BVI that it doesn’t makes any sense for people to be all over the VI killing themselves with alcohol while marijuana which is less harmful and “is good for us” is illegal and if caught with it, is heavily penalised.
The caller added that the young people in the Virgin Islands are throwing away their lives with the alcohol, and soon there will be no one to turn over the country to. He added that both young and old are killing themselves with the amount of cigarettes they are smoking. “This shouldn’t be, and they need to put a stop to that.”
Mr. Wheatley agreed with the caller by saying the time is now, he stated that in a number of countries, governments are now in a process of decriminalising marijuana use.
“I think the time has come for all of us to sit and have a debate and discussion on it.”
Wheatley stated that if marijuana continues to be labeled as an illegal activity within the Virgin Islands, then the government will continue to be of the view that the local prison needs more room and will eventually add more rooms.
He said it is normal for the Virgin Islands to do things backwards, as “Society has become use to doing things in a backward way.”
In relation to drinking alcohol and cigarette smoking, the Speak Out BVI host stated that the people of the VI have condoned the acts. “More and more we are learning through science that these things are extremely disastrous to one’s health, but they can still go anywhere and buy them very freely.”
Wheatley reiterated that the time has come where a discussion should be held in a very dispassionate way, to sit down like mature people and look at all the ramifications of "these things" and come to an understanding.
He added that this decision shouldn’t be made on the views of another country and what they might say, the decision should be made off of facts and scientific information.
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