DON’T?give in to any pressure to legalise marijuana in Barbados!
This admonition came from Senator Reverend Dr David Durant during his address at a seminar organised by the National Committee for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency in conjunction with the National Council on Substance Abuse at Solidarity House on Monday.
He said Barbados must resist any threat that undermined it as a small developing state.
“The abuse of legal and illegal drugs is a disease that not only kills the potential of individuals and families, but also has the subtle and insidious ability to cripple private enterprise and hinder the progress and productivity of a nation.”
He added that the purpose of the seminar was to reaffirm the participants’ commitment to the fight against substance abuse in the country.
“In the Bible, it is said that ‘we are called as living stones, building up a spiritual house’. I would like us to employ this same analogy as it relates to our society. For too long, drugs have been knocking down too many of our ‘living stones’ – those individuals with purpose, vision and talents, who could contribute to building up our nation.
“For too long, illegal drugs have been taking from us – taking our teens, taking our parents, our friends and our family. Every time another person succumbs to this addictive practice, our social structure is weakened.
“This is why I feel very strongly that marijuana should not be legalised in this country. Its insidious, addictive properties deem it a high risk substance, especially for our young, school-aged youth.”
He said Barbados “must guard against any international pressure exerted on us to legalise marijuana”.
The senator added that drug and alcohol abuse was a global epidemic and no country was exempted.
“It is essential therefore that the focus of national policies and strategies be on helping affected individuals regain control of their lives. The youth who are particularly vulnerable must be encouraged to channel their energies towards wholesome activities in which their talents can be maximized . . . .” (JS)
