Effects Of Criminalization Of Marijuana In The Caribbean

In the Caribbean, there are many people who are criminals because they are, in one way or another, involved in illegally growing, picking, packing and distributing marijuana. Many of these are farmers or people who worked on farms and who have lost markets for their products such as bananas or citrus because Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) countries were disadvantaged of better contact to the European Union market because of tasks by Latin American countries and the United states encouraged by large US-owned corporations that conquered the banana market. They have turned to working the marijuana business because without it, they would not last hence they develop crooks. Sir Ronald Sanders is a Consultant and previous Caribbean diplomat indicated that “Marijuana should be brought into the legal system of regulation and control and education and taxation”. (http://www.caribbean360.com/opinion/46668.txt#axzz2xq9iw44b) This would reduce the rate of criminals in the Caribbean.

George Soros expresses the subject and says: “The criminalisation of marijuana did not prevent marijuana from becoming the most widely used substance in the United States and many other countries. But it did result in extensive costs and negative consequences”.

Soros goes on to observe “Regulating and taxing marijuana would simultaneously save taxpayers billions of dollars in enforcement and incarceration costs while providing many billions of dollars in revenue annually”. He also makes a point that is substantiated by expert studies that “it would also reduce the crime and violence associated with drug markets and the violations of civil liberties and human rights that occur when large numbers of law abiding citizens are subject to arrest”. (...

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... for personal, would still be illegal, but if caught, the accused would not have to go through the criminal justice system where he could otherwise be remanded or jailed or be marked with a criminal record. Instead, he pointed out, such a person would have the drug repossessed and could possibly be sent for treatment, thus avoiding the normal course through the criminal justice process, where the act would be treated as a violation rather than a violation or felony. In this way, Justice Randall Worrell said, “such a measure would free up the police, court and prison resources for the more serious matters.”

In conclusion the pros and cons of decriminalizing marijuana are both good and bad. The ideal way to look make a decision would be to carry out research in those areas which have already decriminalized it such as California and see how country is doing with it.