Do you support decriminalizing marijuana?
Tonight’s question is: Do you support decriminalizing marijuana? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post your vote on our e-poll at channel5belize.com. You can also send an email with your comments to questions@channel5belize.com.
It’s not a simple “yes” or “no” matter to me — marijuana sounds harmless, but it doesn’t improve anyone, only makes them lazy, stupid and clumsy, at best. I’ve seen it among friends and family.
What would legalisation look like? [Decriminalisation is just a made-up word that means the same thing but is supposed to fool us.] Would it or should it include:
1. HARSH punishment for providing or giving it to a minor.
2. Access controlled like alcohol is supposed to be.
3. HARSH punishment for growing more than a VERY small amount for personal use only.
4. HARSH punishment for driving while smoking it or while under the influence, with MANDATORY confiscation of the vehicle [which should be the law for drunk-driving, too].
And that system doesn’t deal with the bigger question — who will supply the “small quantities for personal use?” Will it be plantations, cartels, etc.? BEFORE WE GO DOWN THIS PATH, WE BETTER ANSWER THESE HUGE QUESTIONS. Or do we just want to surrender Belize to be a sanctuary for cartels? Then no police or politician who doesn’t go along with them will become a target. Look over our northern border!
It should be tax,retailers and planters of ganja must apply for there permits,
Certain standards must be met to get these permits.a new source of revenue for gov.
Personally, I do not smoke marijuana and I don’t encourage anyone to do it, certainly not my own family. This should be a very interesting discussion moving forward, I think there are good points on both sides. However, as is the case in most things in Belize, it will boil down to how it is managed and we have not done a good job at executing a lot of things here in Belize – look at the tint law!! By the way exactly what does 10 grams look like???
I totally agree with you Cruffy, this will not only reduce the crime rate but will save the gov’t revenue and they would be able to place their efforts in other things like job creations,increase of tourism,and transforming the country of Belize into the Jewel which we believe it should be and not a gangster paradise as it is now. I hope when they decriminalize Marijuana the adults should become more responsible on how to at least show the gov’t they are willing to comply with the law and not become lawbreakers so the gov’t will again have to babysit them, nuff said…..
I would also like to hear from the Council of Churches in Belize to give their 2 cents on this issue as well.
i do not support this issue think? what will happen to our students, imagine in school students with marijuana being in possession with ten grams come on where are we heading too this is my country belize let keep it crime free NO, NO .NO AND NO, AND if i am not mistaken it those drugs user saying yes to it MR POLICEMANGET YOURS TOO
As a young person growing up amidst the violence and crime plaguing Belize, i must say I’m 50/50 with the issue decriminalizing marijuana. firstly, in a sense, i simply see it as a waste of time imprisoning someone who is caught with little amount of weed. The fact remains that marijuana smoking, despite the sanctions put in place, will always be an issue because some of the rich and poor, educated or uneducated smoke weed( including police officers). i think it is a waste of tax payers dollars to send someone to jail for a joint of weed when bigger crimes are being committed and then the person is allowed to walk free.despite, the effects that smoking marijuana can have on the brain and body, the effects of murder is worse. however, one must also consider the possibility that if a person is caught with a marijuana in a small amount, that there is a possibility that that person might have more stash somewhere in much larger quantities. so then, our government must time the time to examine and consider both sides of the spectrum.
Belize should definitely consider joining the rest of the world in allow it’s citizens to make their own informed choices. Alcoholics and Drunkards are at every corner store and create far more issues (and Crime) than Marijuana Users. Cigarettes are legal and a much worse Killer of our People. Taxing and regulating it creates revenue for the Country and as with everything else, users would have to be of age! So thinking our kids in school will have weed in their pockets shows how small minded some of our people really are. Done in moderation the side affects are only Sleepy, Hungry or Focused but if your mind is already weak – then procrastination can occur. No to mention the help it is to people with eating disorders, MS or other Nerve disorders, Stress reliever, or even the recreational pleasure when conducted in your home!!! Aye my people – when will start to worry about the really important issues – Education! and increased standard of living for our Poor??!?!!!?
….and BTW – if taxed and regulated, there are NO cartels that can make money from it! The Police can then focus on truly harmful drugs and serious crimes instead of bogging down our legal system with the personal vendettas cops use as excuses to harass citizens!
We need a drug free Belize. We don’t need decriminalization of marijuana, we need rehabilitation for addicts to win the war against drug. In the name of justice to Society we don’t need a decriminalization committee. Our elected members are failing the war on drugs and all crimes that are related with drugs and the end result is placing our future in jeopardy since our youths are the most vulnerable. Stop this di-service to our beautiful nation we call BELIZE.