LETTER: US Federal law and Jamaica

DEAR EDITOR, Madam,

The Observer is a favourite newspaper of mine, so when I am not pleased I will say it.

A few days ago the Observer carried an article, ‘Jamaicans in US support ganja decriminalisation but urge caution’ that I found very disturbing.

The Jamaican Government is in discussion on whether to legalise ganja for medical purposes, and maybe a small amount for recreational use. People will have differing views, but the slavery mentality and thinking behind the utterances reported is very frightening.

I would not let Joan Pinnock and Irwin Clare teach me geography, not even basic geography. Joan Pinnock, who is an attorney, said this: “We need to be reminded that while some states have legalised the use of marijuana to some degree, the Federal law against its use remains in place.” Any non-Jamaican reading this quote would think Jamaica is the 53rd state of the USA. Joan Pinnock said Federal law against its use remains in place. Why is this person talking about Federal law even though we are not talking about America? If Federal law could not stop Colorado, a state that belongs to USA, how is it possible that Federal law can stop an independent country doing what it wants to do?

Then here comes Irwin Clare, more clueless of what is good for Jamaica. He suggested “that the Jamaican Government be wary that US Federal laws do not recognise the use of ganja”. Now you understand why that these two could not teach me geography. Is Jamaica a part of the United States of America? Does Federal law also concern Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, or even England? Why should American Federal law concern only Jamaica and no other country? This is the part that is baffling me. Name one Federal law that can stop Jamaica legalising ganja within its borders?

Joan Pinnock says she is an attorney. My daughter is a lawyer working, living and studying in Helsinki, Finland, and if she ever utters such nonsense, for example, Finnish law is against the use of ganja, so Belgium and Holland better be careful how they go about legalising ganja, I would disown her.

Clare and Pinnock failed to understand the truth or they were afraid to say, “Jamaica beg too much to be going down this road, and the USA might not like what it is doing”. Instead, they brought in another country’s laws to rule in Jamaica. Didn’t Pinnock and Clare learn in school that Jamaica is not a part of the USA?

Hero Scott

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