There is a huge debate taking place in Barbados, and we suspect across the Caribbean, in relation to marijuana. We suspect that much of it is being fuelled by developments in relation to this drug in North America as well as the challenging economic times in our neck of the woods.
The problem for us, and one that is likely to grow for some time, is that the debate is occurring without any input from authorities – and it is very one sided. And at the current rate, unless alternative views are brought to the table, not so long from now the use of marijuana will become generally accepted by the majority of our population, for better or for worse.
It is time for the “experts” in law enforcement, medicine, finance, counselling and rehabilitation and otherwise to let their voices be heard. And not just at the “official” level in fancy conference rooms and annual gatherings where the preaching is to the converted, but at the level of the “man in the street” who will never be found at these fancy events.
Here’s the reality: we have an undefined, but not insignificant, number of our children going to school today who already believe that there is “nothing wrong with ganja”, even if they have not themselves used it. In many instances it’s used in their presence without even the slightest bother.
They are the young adults of tomorrow, the parents of the next generation and the national leaders beyond that – and their minds are being shaped today by the relatively one-sided conversation.
Last Thursday afternoon police from the Northern Division were alerted to the large-scale growing of marijuana in a greenhouse-type set-up in a residence at Prospect, St James. By the time their operation was concluded, we are told, they took away more than 300 plants that were growing in buckets under artificial light.
We published the story the following morning. It was read by more than 40 000 persons on our Facebook page, and just under 10 000 on our nationnews.com website. If we accept that at least three persons read each purchased copy of our Weekend Nation last Friday, that means potentially another 100 000-plus people read of the seizure.
And here’s the rub: of the scores of persons who chose to comment on the news item, only two agreed that authorities were right to disturb “the small man weed”, as one person described it. Readers slammed the cops, the legal system, the Government and anyone they deemed to be conspiring to keep ganja illegal.
There is a huge, and growing, segment of the population whose minds and thoughts are fed by social media, and unless those who claim to want to influence youth in another direction join the debate where it is taking place and not where they want it to occur, they will forever fight a losing battle.
Criticising social media will not make a difference. Labelling those who chose to “flog” the system from the social media platform will not help. What will is our professionals and experts wading in when someone posts on Facebook: “Seems counter productive. Countries are legalising this and getting ready for mass production and worldwide distribution. We’re locking people up?” – because that was all it took to set off the social media avalanche.
Barbadian youth aren’t listening to the speeches at Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre or Hilton Barbados, but they are following the chatter on social media. Where are the experts?