Not convinced!

CHILD activist, Faith Marshall-Harris, does not believe that the decriminalisation of marijuana would bring about the type of transformation that is being purported by advocates.

 

In fact, she expressed the concern about the impact that it could pose to young children who are exposed to the drug.

 

“It has been argued that decriminalisation is only for adults. I say ‘no matter’. My concern is that like alcohol, how would you keep it out of the hands of children? The policing would be very difficult and will add to the burden we have of protecting our children.”

 

Marshall-Harris, a retired magistrate in the Juvenile Court, said she has found juveniles with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder seemed more likely to self-medicate with marijuana usage. “It has become a social drug of choice and is being used openly at fetes, shows, Crop Over. I found among children and young persons it was almost normative to see it being smoked,” she said.

 

She noted that there have been several studies which have shown the link between marijuana use among young people and the development of psychosis later in life.

 

“In young persons who use heavily, studies have shown deterioration in their learning and cognitive thinking that persists into adulthood, even after they have stopped using marijuana.

 

“One study showed that persons who smoked as teens were two to four times more likely to develop schizophrenia as adults. Though most marijuana users will not develop dependence and addiction, these diseases correlate to use in teenage years in the same way that tobacco use correlates with lung cancer.”

 

She stated that while scientists are still researching whether the marijuana use actually causes the psychosis, in the meantime it is still worthy of note that marijuana use is also linked to poor school attendance, higher dropouts, and poor self-esteem.

 

The UNICEF consultant while stressing she is opposed to marijuana, believes that if there are medicinal properties, then research can be carried out into how to extract as was done with morphine.

 

“However, I do not believe that legalisation will bring this amazing transformation that its advocates are advertising. In the first place, legalising will not fix the hopelessness, lack of competence, and poor values that make some young people turn to drugs in the first place. In the second, given that Barbados does not have significant agriculture, I do not believe that it will bring us the great profits predicted.

 

“Production will simply shift to the big South American countries as has already happened with sugar and other produce. One juice manufacturer buys its Bajan Cherries outside of Barbados. I think we are better off growing healthy food for ourselves, and teaching our young people how to think for themselves,” she said. (JH)