What Will Marijuana Legalization Cost Us?

Louis Wade

Pastor Wade also addressed what he sees as the economic risks associated with the Cannabis bill.

Pastor Louis Wade, National Evangelical Association of Belize

“There is a cost to legalization of marijuana and we don’t think that the country is ready to pay it.  The former prime minister has actually come on record, very clearly, on the de-risking and [the] economic issue.  Lord Michael Ashcroft has tweeted, he is the largest banker in this country.  This man is recognized worldwide.  His comments along with the former prime minister’s comment shows that the church is not barking up the wrong tree.  So there is a cost to legalization that we believe Belize can’t pay.  There is a cost to trying to trigger a referendum against a very popular, super majority government and I am telling you, they are using every trick in the book, including deception, by helping people to think that it is too late or that deadlines have gone.  It is nothing but deception.  But the people who are close to this issue understand both the ramifications, as well as the internal timelines that we have set.  It is a matter of urgency and so the people have responded as such.  Historically, there has never been a one-week obtaining of so many people signing and voicing their opinion on any issue and I really want the government to hear the voice of the people.  I don’t just want to hear it in a referendum, I would really want them to hear what thirteen thousand signatures in five days should be telling them.”