Ganja, Rasta links to crime rejected
Members of the Ratafarian community have rejected as inaccurate, suggestions that violent crimes in Barbados are linked to the smoking of marijuana by Rastas.
The trustees of the National Rastafari Registry Secretariat and Trust met with the Sunday Sun on Thursday and rejected broad statements they have associated with local media, which have suggested there is a link between the Rastafarians, the smoking of marijuana and violent crimes involving young people.
“The Rastafarian community is not known to be a violent community,” Ras Ilive told the newspaper.
“We want people to know that dreadlocks belong to all African people,” the trustee of the organisation said. “All people with dreadlocks are not Rastafarians,” he said.
Ras Simba and other members of the trust repeated calls made for decades for marijuana to be regarded as a fruit or herb that is grown legally.
Rastafarians use marijuana as a cultural or religious act and regard the plant as a medicine.
Ras Ilive argued that licences had been granted by the Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Authority and a medicinal industry based on marijuana was under way.
“Licences have gone out. The industry has started in Barbados. We know that is a fact,” Ras Ilive said.
Ras Simba noted that marijuana was a legal plant and its use was legal in parts of the world.
“Government has refused to make marijuana legal,” adding the views were representative of the Rastafarian community.
Ras Simba said some youth were using marijuana mixed with other substances as well as cocaine. He and Ras Ilive said new forms of marijuana – which
had been described as “not being wholesome” – were coming into Barbados illegally from North America.
Empress Victoria and as Ilive said Rastafarians who had used the illegal import had reported having headaches.
Ras Simba added: “What we are seeing now is an influx of cannabis that has been scientifically modified. The canaboids levels in the plant have been altered.
“Local plants are more healthy for us than those grown overseas.”
He said it was “hypocritical” that he was hired and paid by the Cannabis Licensing Authority, in association with the Technical and Vocational Educational and Training (Council) under a project involving overseas individuals to design a course in cultivating cannabis.
“My qualification came from the planting of marijuana. I had done that with the intention that a cottage industry would have been set up,” he said.
He made note of an elder who was recently brought before the court for marijuana possession.
“The Rastafari community is still being disrespected and vilified, which leads to the stagnation and development of the community,” Ras Simba said. (HH)
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