Cannabis debate moves to Morocco
(CNS): Lawmakers in Morocco are the latest group of national leaders to begin examining the use of marijuana for medical purposes. According to the local media, politicians there will look at cannabis consumption for medical and industrial purposes for the first time on Wednesday at the request of those campaigning for its partial legalisation. The special research day session will look at the positive uses of cannabis cultivation "in creating an alternative economy" in Morocco, one of the world's top exporters of the drug, known locally as"kif". Meanwhile, the latest research also states that cannabis may help to reduce brain damage following a stroke.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham conducted a meta-analysis of experimental studies into cannabinoids, chemicals related to those found in cannabis, some of which also occur naturally in the body. The findings showed that the compounds could reduce the size of stroke and improve neurological function. The research, announced at the annual UK Stroke Forum, indicates that all three classes of cannabinoid could be effective in shrinking the area of the brain affected by stroke and in recovering neurological function.
In Morocco, Mehdi Bensaid, an MP with the Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM), a liberal opposition party founded by a politician close to the king which is promoting the campaign for medical marijuana there, said, "The idea is to start a debate on that, to see what others' experiences in this field can tell us, looking at controlled rather than total legalisation."
Cannabis is cultivated in large quantities in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco, where it was only outlawed in the 1970s. Those campaigning to have cannabis legalised again say it would boost much needed development, benefiting poor farmers rather than people illegally trafficking the drug.
Cannabis use for medicinal purposes has been authorised in a growing number of Western countries, including Holland, Spain, Germany, Italy, Britain, Canada, Australia, several US states, and most recently the Czech Republic.
The legalization of medical marijuana in New Hampshire has led a college in Portsmouth to create a class about the subject. The medical marijuana industry is projected to generate $600 billion in the USA annually. In an era in which most businesses have reached saturation and stagnant profits, medical marijuana represents an array of opportunities. Robert Calkin, one of the nation's premier medical marijuana experts and one of the school's instructors, said dispensary owners lawfully growing medical marijuana can potentially earn upwards of $10,000 per day and a master grower can realize $250,000 a year.
Meanwhile, here in Cayman the Facebook page created by Burns Connolly, who is trying to get discussions started locally, is going from strength to strength and a recent CNS poll came down 80% in favour of legalisation for recreational as well medical use. Only 7% of the 514 plus voters supported the current criminalization of its use.
Category: Health
Go tru mr burns..I’m a young caymanian and I have a different overstanding than anyone on this, I suffered tru this drug war all my life in cayman: I acted up in school and I had to submit to random urine test. And I wasn’t even smoking,only till after I got out of school(believe me or not) I can’t get a job because I didn’t graduate and cause I smoked a spliff and got a police record.but if i went to the bar and bought a pack of ciggs and shots of rum It might be different,like killed by a light-pole,like half of the people I went to school with. But the governors son got arrested and its ok,and quickly got a job ritz. And it has a lot to with who you belong to,gov targets you (ie: young caymanians). Its a “easy-job” and easy-money scam for polo-tics (paid not to even talk aboutganja but go home and mix a drink and call a old friend who got weed and say “wa happen?”)and gov,police from all over (ie:jam)come here arrest us for weed cuz the can’t in their own place. If they find one seed in your house, car,boat, or on you they want to take it and you away and your life done in cayman.these polo-tics and their supporters can’t overstand that getting arrested for smoking weed is more harmful than the weed it self.just imagine if that idiot got his way with the 3 strikes law!The old generation is afraid to say sorry,we messed up. can you forgive us? Why cuz in the bible its a eye for and eye (they will have to suffer like we did)so they can’t say sorry. we as tru ganja smokers, we can and will always forgive you old creeps.no matter how much times you vote to keep it like this. we still love you with all of your faults and ignorance.let’s pile up in town slow your perfect cayman down 4/20/14.
Its a well recorded fact that the war on drugs has and will continue to fail. We all know the two biggest drugs in Cayman are, cocaine and ganja. Cocaine is clearly very harmful and for the most part from what I've seen is avoided by most ganja smokers. On the other hand ganja really isn't that bad for you in moderation, much like alcohol. Regardless our youth will continue to smoke weed so why not take advantage of the situation and improve our economy while we're at it. We can either regulate it or leave it to the drug dealers Its all the same to me really…well until I get arrested.
It's not all about smoking. The medicinal application of this organic product can be done with oils in nebulizers and edible items for people with varying needs. It's not about the high and forfeiting reasonability, it's about curing the sick. (Babies, children and adults)
Read your bible, Jesus used anointing oils to heal. (Those very oils were made from cannabis, even up to this day)
People get so worked up over things they either don't understand or hold on to beliefs without trying to update the information.
Also on a side note for the transgender/ homosexuals getting married. (Not that it's any of our business what consenting adults do) What's wrong with all adults having equal rights and protections under the law?
Or with having the right to form legal agreements with others? Where would businesses be today, if this was restricted?
We are noted for being Islands with a Christian foundation, but I don't read and hear allot of this foundation when it comes to accepting everyone's human equal rights. What's Christian like about bashing everyone and being oppressive towards their legal rights?
#justathought
Studies shows that Ganja damages the brain before a stroke why do you want the help after the damage? The weed is illegal in most countries best to keep it that way. If you want to smoke to your hearts content where it is legal go to Amstetdam. Please refrain from trying to push this drive to legalize weed in Cayman since we are open to everything why don't we push for same sex marriage the world over. This life style is of lesser harm to the greater population than drug, yes while trying to be a advocate to legalize weed, why not prostitution? That too has great benefits.
Abuse of anything can cause damage. If you overdose on any prescription med given to you I guarantee it will cause some damage. Many drugs currently prescribed cause the body a great of harm, e.g. chemotherapy drugs. There is more of a case to campaign against them.
Regulating the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is not about smoking to your heart's content. You are missing the whole point.
Your arguements make NO sense. What study shows Ganja damages the brain before a stroke. What about ALL of the studies show that obysity is growing in Cayman at an alarming rate amongust our youth? That is WAY more a concern that weed, but fast food it legal. You rather tie up our cops with a teen smoking some grass, and give him a criminal record, so he can leave the island for school, or stay on the island without a record? why not get the cops more focus on viloent crimes. DONT BE AFFRAID OF CHANGE!!!!!!!
Listen here… you cannot sit there and choose for other peoples choices and rights. I have cancer and marijuanna helps ease my pains, more than any giving medication that the doctors has prescribe for me, not forgetting the many side affects that go along with taking those medications. That's your business if you want to push for same sex marriage I dont hate nor discriminate against your rights to support gay rights, its your choice!
Legalizing medical marijuanna should had been done a long time, it is a healing substance and it eases pains in which I am a living proof of. So, instead you bashing and talking all of that trash study your history first and get knowledge about this great medical breakthrough, before you speak. and start making outrageous assumptions Let's take for example if you had cancer like I do , you would want anything to ease your pains right? I thought so….there is your answer. I suppport this cause and will always continue to support this great cause! One luv!
So if we were to extraoplate your thinking (not with your apporval I might add) then we could legalize a homosexual/trangender getting married to a prostitute while smoking a joint. Well it's not my suggestion but I suppose it's a start.
The world has changed and once the politicans find a way of approving it without their uptight constitutents having a hissy fit we will all see how silly it's prohibition is – remember America and alcohol. Even they admitted it was silly – and made the criminals very rich. Taxing it will yield billions. Just like alcohol, tobacco and gaming – the harmless activities 🙂
First of all, marijuana is not legal in Amsterdam, it is actually just over looked. There is a difference between being legal and being decriminalized. Most countries have or are looking at decriminalizing it. Simply meaning that possession or consumption does not give you a criminal record, but a fine. On the other hand, anyone caught drunk driving in Cayman, has not committed a crime, but a simple traffic violation – despite having put everyone else on the road in jeopardy.
Most of the civilized world has realized marijuana use should not saddle a person with a lifelong criminal record but risking lives by drunk driving should. Cayman is a few decades behind.
If marijuana is not legal in Amsterdam then they need to close all the coffee houses that sell it in the open and patrons that buy and smoke in the open this I'm not asking about 'be seen with my own eyes. You go and advocate to make it legal here in Cayman and I and many others will vote to keep it illegal.
Obviously you have internet access. Regardless of what you saw, marijuana is illegal in Amsterdam. Google it!
I fully agree with your points.
Why should we help stroke victims after the damage? Also, because it is “illegal in most countries” is a very convincing argument. When no country allowed women to vote, it would have been best left that way (their small brains and PMS and everything).
I also think that if Cayman were to “push for same sex marriage the world over” it would be a game changer. Our influence would devastate the naysayers.
It is also awful that countries that have legalized prostitution, benefit from tax revenues and those women have access to safety and affordable healthcare. Again, women…
" Studies shows that Ganja damages the brain before a stroke." Please show me this study. Perhaps you're refering to the on where the pumped marijuanna smoke 24/7 into a cage with monkeys in it. A rigged study which they knew would cause brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. You're clearly a religous nut based on your other points brought up. Brain washed. Its a shame because you're the generation holding Cayman back now, the genration today's politicians are still trying to appease.
Burns should host a public debate. No doubt becuse it'd be on cannabis that the masses would show up! Let's get the conversation going people!