I recall an incident in Guyana as a youth. An older relative of mine used a “hookah” for many years. Unknown to me at the time, hookah used an ingredient called ganja, made from the hemp plant, commonly called marijuana (cannabis sativa). Today, marijuana has fast become an acceptable drug use of choice in Guyana. More countries are decriminalising the use of marijuana but Guyana is yet to do so, even at a time the drug has proven to have medicinal value and our laws heavily penalise its users.
I had previously written a piece in response to Clairmont Lye’s call for the legalisation of marijuana and his recommendation that Guyana embark on large scale production of the hemp plant for international export. Though I support decriminalisation, I opposed plans for large scale private cultivation and production of marijuana as a boost to the economy for a number of reasons: the international regime does not facilitate the marijuana trade, the negative effects of marijuana have been documented, marijuana is considered a gateway drug, and Guyana simply has too many societal vices to worry about rather than taking on additional problems related to the drug trade.
A few days ago, several groups, including the Guyana Hemp Association, Neurvana (note the fancy name) and Green Acres Team, made similar calls for large scale hemp production, presumably to secure a niche in an anticipated world market. They claimed that there’s need for “sensitising” the public. Its members argued that the hemp trade will benefit our struggling economy. Yes, Guyanese need to be sensitised to the effects of the marijuana trade, both negative and positive. But, there is no doubt in my mind that these individuals have not carefully thought out the consequences, risks and impact a “legalised” expanded hemp trade would have on Guyana. Some may be anchoring for potential economic gains from the hemp trade.
It is possible that Guyana may move towards this direction in the future. But the time is not now. We do not yet have the infrastructural safety net to accompany the negative effects of marijuana and other drug use. As it stands, the drug trade involves a) the production and manufacture of drugs, b) sophisticated money laundering techniques to hide the income earned from the illicit drug trade, and c) the use of precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit drugs; all of which require global cooperation through an international regime on narco-trafficking to contain their proliferation. It is highly unlikely that an anticipated legalised trade will significantly impact the economy, particularly since other countries will perfect their technique to manufacture “high value” marijuana.
Any attempt to engage in legitimate large scale production of marijuana will encourage traffickers to shift attention to illegal drugs, like cocaine and heroin. Guyana is already a trans-shipment point for illicit drugs destined for other countries, primarily the US. As the US International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, repeatedly recognised, Guyana is a long way from controlling the illicit drug trade and domestic resources to address addiction are limited. Despite a more aggressive role by the GPF, CANU, GRA, strengthening FATF and AML/CFT laws, and the presence of the US DEA in Guyana, weak enforcement measures and endemic corruption within the Police Force make it difficult to engage in illicit narcotics control. Sophisticated and organisational network and resources controlled by traffickers can potentially corrupt the most moral citizen.
The US National Academy of Science concluded that cannabis and its derivatives (hashish and hashish oil) have shown promises in the treatment of glaucoma, asthma, seizures, nervous system disorders and nausea and vomiting resulting from cancer chemotherapy. However, potential long-term effects of marijuana include euphoria, loss of memory, paranoid delusions, laughter, visual illusions, hallucinations, cancer, emphysema and bronchitis. Perhaps this is why most countries are not yet comfortable with a globalised marijuana trade.
Any decision to engage in large scale cultivation to meet demands of a future growing international consumer market must be carefully weighed against its impact on Guyana and the international narcotics regime change, not by a few citizens guided by personal gains.
Guyana has a narcotics expert in Professor Ivelaw Griffith, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana. A good place to start would be to establish a task force, headed by Professor Griffith, to study this issue.
