Leader of the Democratic National Alliance Branville McCartney speaks at a rally to celebrate the party's fifth anniversary and officially launch its 2017 electoral campaign at Christie Park last night. (Photo: Torell Glinton)
Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader Branville McCartney said he believes marijuana ought to be decriminalized and although it's not the official position of his party, it's something that has been discussed internally and should be looked at.
McCartney, who was a guest on the Guardian Radio 96.9 FM talk show "The Revolution" with host Juan McCartney, took note of the number of people who have been arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, and subsequently left with criminal records.
He also suggested that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes.
"Decriminalization of marijuana is something that has been discussed," McCartney said.
"Young [supporters] have put it to the party and they have been campaigning within the party for that to be a policy position taken by the party.
"Personally, I think that it's something we need to look at... And I don't make the final decision, believe it or not, but I personally think it ought to be decriminalized."
Proponents of decriminalizing marijuana have argued that current drug laws are out of step with modern times and that non-violent drug offenders, who could possibly be rehabilitated in other ways, clog the court's time and unnecessarily burden jails.
They're also left with criminal records - something McCartney took note of.
"Many of our young men have been criminals because of having criminal records for a small amount of marijuana when, in fact, other modes of discipline or punishment can be levied against them that will not cause them to have a criminal record for the rest of their life; so I think that is something we are going to have to address," he said.
"... And I think even going further, we need to look at having it for medicinal purposes."
Back in February 2014, after Jamaica announced its intention to decriminalize marijuana for medical purposes, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said the government would study the matter and is open to discussing the issue.
"The Bahamas was present at the table in Trinidad when the issue was raised with regard to medical marijuana at the CARICOM meeting," Mitchell had said. "We agreed that the issue should be studied then and signed off on the matter in Guyana last month as an agenda item at the next CARICOM heads meeting... We note the developments in the United States and have canvassed the potential policy changes with United States officials."
Currently in the U.S., 24 states, as well as the District of Columbia, permit the use of medical marijuana.
In 2013, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves had asked CARICOM to discuss the medicinal and other uses of marijuana. He said it's "high time" that CARICOM address the matter, regionally, in a "sensible, focused, [and] non-hysterical manner". That same year, then Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez acknowledged The Bahamas is more conservative than many other countries in the region.
"There are other countries, which have actually abolished it (marijuana use) as an offense... We haven't decided to go that far, but that is the trend internationally," he said. "It is likely that Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica will be at the forefront of the issue and we will be the last to move."
Gomez acknowledged, however, that reducing the number of years for the possession of small amounts of marijuana in the Bahamas would unclog the criminal justice system.
Dana Smith, Guardian Staff Reporter
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