EDITOR’s NOTE: In light of the public attention which the issue of the decriminalization/legalization of marijuana is once again receiving, DNO thought it appropriate to revive this article written by Dr. Irving Pascal and which was first published on this site in 2014.
A specialist physician here is calling for an objective look at the issue of cannabis to make informed decisions, rather than the hysteria that it is currently being treated with.
“I would suggest that as mature individuals in a developing country we need to look at situations dispassionately as much as we can or objectively, get the required information to make the decision and then make the decision based on the evidence or the facts rather than hysteria, fear and a lack of knowledge,” Ear, Nose and Throat specialist, Dr. Irving Pascal said in an interview with DNO.
Pascal, who is also a member of ORACLE (Organization for the Reformation of Anti-Cannabis Laws in Dominica), said any reasonable society would want to look at a situation, get the information, get the evidence “and make a decision going forward on it.”
“As more information comes along, you have to change your position,” he argued.
Dr. Pascal admits he is not a smoker and no expert on medicinal cannabis “but an ordinary human being of African accent performing my sacred duty in the country of my birth, in the context of my time.”
He used himself as an example of “his level of ignorance” concerning marijuana and how it all changed when he was invited to give a medical perspective on the plant.
He said during his research he found out that he lacked credible knowledge of a plant that was probably used “since the dawn of mankind for its medicinal properties.”
“So I was quite amazed at the level of my ignorance,” he stated “It somehow struck me that I had been poorly educated on the medicinal aspects of the cannabis plant. So I decided to research it further and joined ORACLE to help to disseminate and share information that was useful especially with the ongoing debate both nationally, regionally and internationally on the decriminalization/ legalization of the cannabis plant.”
He said it also occurred to him that his lack of knowledge on the subject just goes to show “how limited we are; how we base decisions, without accepting that we don’t know all the facts.”
According to http://abqmedicalmarijuana.com/ there are a host of proven medical benefits of marijuana. Among them the well-known benefits are a pain killing or analgesic effect, an anti-anxiety effect, and the suppression of nausea and vomiting, particularly in those suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy or other nausea-inducing medications.
Others include: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cancer, cervical dystonia, crohn’s disease, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, hospice care, intractable nausea/vomiting, multiple sclerosis, severe anorexia/cachexia, spinal cord damage with intractable spasticity, glaucoma, hepatitis C infection currently receiving antiviral treatment, inflammatory autoimmune-mediated arthritis, painful peripheral neuropathy, severe chronic pain and post-traumatic stress syndrome.
However there are negative sides to it cannabis as well, as one can become addicted or have a psychiatric illness.
Pascal said that this is “sort of a confusing situation to be in especially as a physician.”
He pointed out that his role as a physician is to relieve pain and suffering and there is a plant that produces substances that “has been shown and demonstrated from history, as well as modern scientific research, to have beneficial effects yet the plant is illegal.”
“It is illegal in places like Dominica,” he stated. “A young 21-year-old could get locked up, while at the same time in other parts of the world, the same plant people are using it to get them well and improve their sense of well-being or even make money. And so it is a sort of difficult situation to have to deal with.”
Apart from the healing aspects of marijuana, Pascal is of the opinion that the country owes it to those who have suffered for utilizing cannabis such as the Rastafarian community, “and those who may end up suffering for the persecution, like young people who may get criminalized.”
“We owe it to them to look at these things in a dispassionate way, with the evidence, especially if we can find an economic benefit as well,” he stated.
But Pascal’s view in the matter is facing an uphill battle.
“Marijuana will continue to be an illegal substance in Dominica in the foreseeable future,” Attorney General Levi Peter said recently.
Here is some research report on the use of Marijuana. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/cannabis-the-facts/
I am never surprised that we Black people, are concentrating more on things which can pull us down, instead of concentrating on things that can uplift us.
Why is that?
It is that we have no ambition?
Dr Pascal, would be better advised, to talk more about the negative side effects, on our society, and exhort us to avoid its use, rather than searching for flimsy medicinal advantages. Most drugs have positive and negative advantages. We have to make a judgement, that on the balance of probability, a drug is good for the community.
So far, the “scales” indicate that negative advantages outweigh positive ones. Therefore right minded, positive people, avoid Marijuana. That is why legislators have banned its use until recently in the USA.
Our people in Dominica do not need to spend time hallucinating. We have to make economic progress, like self sufficiency in…
‘You’ve completely missed the point.
One of the most important things that Black People have been encouraged to do is READ. Seems to me that you have let them down miserably. With the ability to READ you then research and educate yourself. No longer do you have to walk to a library, let Google, Yahoo etc be your friend. You will quickly find out that it’s not a ‘Black People’ thing. You and I do not have to become smokers but you should become educated on how we got to where we are on this subject today. Alcohol was prohibited and you know what transpired. It has its mind altering drawbacks and potential for abuse but was legalized for recreational use besides cleaning of horses hooves. Same can be said if Marijuana also with potential for abuse. It’s not a white or black thing. Get educated on the subject.
Mr Irving Pascal wrote a well informed article, Marijuana has positive as well as negative benefits. It is associated with the Rastafarian movement. Most of these people however, are not the most economically advanced people in our society. This is not a criticism of them. It is a fact. I am not sure to what extent this plant is holding their economic progress back. We have to dispassionately balance the benefits with the adverse side effects.
Black people in particular as a race, are using substances, (eg Codeine in Cough Medicines, in Nigeria),( eg. Cocaine in the USA), which inadvertently keeps them in a dazed for long periods. They tend to get hooked on them, and spend lots of their life dependent on these substances. Consequently, their socio economic progress is lower than other racial groups. For example the Arab, or Chinese, or Indian, communities in the West |Indies, are more economically advanced, and use less marijuana.
Maybe we should concentrate on upliftment.
This rambling sounds kinda off topic, no need to comment any further.
gee joseph just a dam ***
The benefits of cannabis by far out weigh any potential side effects and that’s a fact!!!
U surfaced!
Just back from the States or elsewhere with a few passports? just joking Barbs however good to see u have lalean
For what it is worth I take warfarin every day and it is a known fact that one of the best rat poisons is warfarin.
What’s all that stupid talks about marijuana let them have it and eat it, give them a bottle of RUM all will be fine, By the way this don’t apply to Labour supporters, Only to dopes such as the opposition leader and his supporters.
Pascal is wrong.
A harvard study on use of marijuana shows it cooks your brains and alters consciousness, anybody advocating the legalize of marijuana is a weed smoker who does not want to go to prison looking for a Green light to quench his addiction.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/medical-marijuana-and-the-mind
I know two people who have developed debilitating mental illness from smoking strong weed. People do need some protection against it. Not everybody can take it
This isn’t about smoking your high THC weed. It is about the CBD strains and oil for medicinal use. There are people that when they start smoking weed in their teen years do have mental setbacks. Whereas seniors that use it in the same way, it actually helps their brains. Go figure. There are studies on this.
There is a lot of new information that has come out on Cannabis. It should never have been a class I drug as the FDA has it classified and they all know that. Money talks.
Agree. Your comment is right.
Typical Dominican. No respect. Dr Pascal went to great lengths to express the limits of his understanding of the effects of marijuana on the individual but you must grade the professional. You are entitled to your opinion but can’t you express it with civility?
I am very proud of Dr. Pascal, having grown up with him in Didier Lane and DGS. He is a learned man of courage and conviction. His insights on cannabis is of great value.
Of note, I like the very balanced approach: appreciation for the proven health benefits as well as the known risks of psychological destabilization, demotivation and much more as per reputable sources. http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/drugs/Pages/Cannabisdangers.aspx Likewise, as for me, I have better things to do with my brain than to fumigate it.
Overall, ORACLE is doing good work. I have no doubt that in short order Caribbean governments will see the light. Several physicians attended the excellent program at the UWI open campus, including Dr. Dorian Shillingford. It is fair to say there was a general consensus. We anticipate lawmakers will make wise adjustments toward decriminalizing marijuana with caution. This will allow law enforcement to focus on suppressing hard-core destructive drugs like cocaine and heroin.
Once again, keep up the good work, Dr. Pascal.
A personal effort starts by recognizing and saying No to Marijuana (derogatory) and Yes to Cannabis!!!!
nd the Doc said “However there are negative sides to it cannabis as well, as one can become addicted or have a psychiatric illness”.. Doc is that a medical fact or is this a personal opinion from you. It would be intersting to read from peer journal articles where that argument is coming from.
Why would you put it in quotes(“….”) and say he said it.The article never said he said that.You can see that what he said is either reported as he said or put in quotes i.e “….. “. .Don’t misquote the man to try to belittle his contribution. Tonnere!
You can use the simple, common sense terms. By ingesting these illegal drugs, they could develop a mental disorder.
In the case of women and girls, they could become crazy (feminine gender). In the case of men and boys they could become mad. This is the psychiatric illness. If I erred the doctor could correct me.
Everyone knows that when people commence taking these drugs, they do get addicted. This is a fact.
I have heard and read of some extremely sad stories, most of which led to the demise of some young people. Their parents of all are distraught that their young children have succumbed to illegal drugs. A few others committed suicide. The government should never legalize them.
I cannot speak for he good doctor but I can assure you he is right simply because he would not make these statements if he didn’t know they are correct.
I have known of people who had a latent mental illness that was triggered by smoking marijuana. However, LSD is much more dangerous.
Sincerely, Rev. Don Hill
Just,like all medications that cure your illnesses, even and especially cancer, have side effects, of course there will be one or two down sides to marijuana. But nothing like what the opponents lead us to believe. It’s propaganda, and people need to open their minds, read and understand about the plant, and at least try to discern fact from the propaganda.
There are two types of dependence, or what we call addiction.
There is PHYSICAL dependence, which marijuana does NOT induce, and there is PSYCHOLOGICAL dependence, which it does induce.
But it’s the physical dependence of heroin and crack and others which land you in hospital and make you kill your mother to support your habit. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED WITH MARIJUANA! Look around you, people. you have known people who smoke for decades. They don’t go into withdrawal and end up in hospital when they stop smoking. Try that with cocaine or heroin or alcohol
This is a short lesson, more to come.
I am not sure if marijuana is the same as mandrakes but if it is, this was used by the patriachs of old.
i support the doc 100 percent.
There are many natural herbal medicine that has no side effects. Pot,, like alcohol, is a slow poison that affect the mind and body.
Welcome back Dr. Pascal…… We need that level of discourse on important issues in Dominica . Intelligent and knowledgeable people must step forward and lead such discussions. Otherwise our nation and people will be doomed due to the low standards inflicted on us by that dunce bat government which controls the media….I look forward to your next topic of discussion.
This is what people as you state when you do not support the government. This does not mean you are correct. You may be more of a dunce bat than the government because you support what is radical wrong. I believe you are.
Money and control are the reasons that MJ is declared illegal.
High time it is legalized. The doc said ‘negative sides to it cannabis as well, as one can become addicted or have a psychiatric illness.’ There’s No such thing, it’s the coke and hard drugs that cause this. On weed you just get high, feel nice, hungry, later sleepy and later feel like taking a shower to freshen up and smoke another hit.
It is not that dangerous as we have heard from the people who are bent on suppressing/persecuting marijuana and weed smokers relentlessly, failed at it over the past 40 years but just causing misery to it’s users.
Moderation is the key as with all forms of medication or stimulants. Take too much of anything and you get a negative effect, it’s hard to overdose on marijuana. If you take too much paracetamol, aspirin, use too much pepper sauce, all could have negative effects on you.
It is easy to have too much of many substances that are legal in our society. Do we go about indulging in too much of anything? If we get burnt we fear the fire and move on not having to ban fire at all. It is time to legalize Marijuana. The AG in Colorado came around, so will Levi.
The Doc is thinking and thus speaking his piece. You do not have to agree with him.
The fact that those who ingest it can get high on it and it is health destructive, it should never be legalized.
There are those who also abuse of it by selling it in great quantities and getting rich off the avails of trafficking in it. Legalizing it will not decrease that criminal element.
We must also consider the youths and the effect it could have on them. The more it should never even be considered for legalization. I would not waste my time to debate about it.
i see nothing wrong with using Pot…i am not a pothead but surely many who use pot seem to be brilliant thinkers..
these so call christians don’t even know that pot is spiritual it has a connection to the heavenly father..
Dominicans keep using Pot, a friend with it is a friend indeed//// Pot must rule…
There is nothing wrong with smoking ganja. It does have a spiritual connection. It has a medical benefit as well. Ganja is good for you. Boyd smoke the good weed.
Collie Weed is going to rule in the next year or two. Legalize the Collie weed. Collie Weed has to burn…
Sorry, but pot is NOT spiritual.
It goes into the blood stream and affects the brain and body. It affects the central nervous system, impairs the behavior, and can damage parts of the body.
Like alcohol and other mind altering drugs it causes people to let their guard down against bad influences. When used for the wrong reason (to get “high”) marijuana or any other consciousness altering drug can open the individual to the influence of evil spirits and (depending on their surroundings at the time) lead to demon possession. This is the only “spiritual” thing that can be said about marijuana.
Marijuana does not help you connect with the Father in heaven. It does not open your soul to God or tune you in to heaven above. We are born sinners separated from God. Only faith in Jesus Christ and the blood He shed on the cross can put our sins away, and reconnect us with God. We must receive HIM as our Lord and Savior to have a relationship with God the Father!
Jesus Christ is the only way to God! He said: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in he shall be saved, …” (St. John 10:9)
“…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (St. John 14:6)
The Apostle Peter preached “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men , whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Jesus Christ accepted our guilt and suffered the punishment we should have borne according to Romans 5:6-8! Read it for yourself
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (St. John 3:16)
We cannot earn salvation by doing good works or religious deeds. It is a gift! We receive it by BELIEVING – in other words by FAITH according to Ephesians 2:8,9! Again, read it for yourself.
This SALVATION also known as ETERNAL LIFE or THE GIFT OF GOD is IN Jesus Christ. How do we receive it? We receive it by receiving HIM!
The Bible says …
“And his is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:11,12)
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
Genesis 1:29- JAH said, “See, I have given you EVERY plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the Earth, and EVERY tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.
Revelation 22: 1-3
1- Then the Angel showed me the river of the water of life,as clear as crystal flowing from the throne of JAH and of the Lamb.
2- Down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the Nations.
3- No longer will there be any curse.
Sorry! Not Our God, Our Almighty Father, Creator and Ruler of the world. He takes no pleasure in the works of sin/darkness which could destroy the body and soul. All such works are perishable and punishable.
You do not know what is contained in the Holy Bible. Whoever gave you that information is totally wrong.
I agree. The rabbi’s are more educated as to what the Bible really says.
The other day the papers had skerrit front page for that same review into the law ….now Levi talking saying it will never change……den man worst than cheating women….full of tricks…..grow up…. Big men u guys are and all u always contradicting each other…. Dominicans really need to be educated cause is pure foolishness I seeing den leaders doing and we der …..”waiting till some shit happen to us” before we do wats needed to be done!!!
“den man worst than cheating women….full of tricks…’… who peepee in your cornflakes? Hahhaha that’s was too funneeee.. I read it in my Dominican accent! My people are the best.
You do have some valid points, Levi however has the propensity to speak out of turn from a highly ignorant position and is always contradictory, sometimes I feel much to the delight of Skerrit. The PM has made representation even at OECS level for revisiting laws on ganja.
I think its time for an honest conversation in Dominica about the medicinal and the economic benefits of marijuana in the global economy.
If we are going to reap the true benefits. Then we need to think about producing an end product for the consumers in the economic environ rather than just selling the raw marijuana.
So policies has to be established, infrastructural marijuana medical plant built, markets, quality methodology and all these different moving parts will take time to form a synergy.
Therefore the earlier we engage this opportunity the better …….because allot of ground work has to be done to have a proper controlled, functional and profitable medicinal marijuana industry in place.
There’s no need to centralise all of that. Simply legalise it and entrepreneurs will take care of the rest.
The reasons to legalise is that it makes a lot of money and governments cannot control it. It is a fun and recreational activity that people enjoy, not for its medicinal properties. So who is fooling who. The drug cartels are not selling medication , they are making money, a lot of money world wide.
If we want alternative medication we should develop natural herbal medicine as an industry, and eat only locally produce fresh organic foods with no homones or fertilizer.
If there was no money in pot, it would disappear. Pot is a slow poison like alcohol and cigarettes that destroy the mind and body.
Marijuana has real medicinal value, which may sometimes be exaggerated, but is still considerable. I agree with you that a society like Dominica that is blessed with natural resources can eat what we grow and grow what we want to eat. But whether money is involved or not, many people will still grow and smoke marijuana, for medicinal, recreational, and spiritual reasons.
Are there any DRUG and ALCOHOL ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS in Dominica?
Don’t jump in the water if you can’t swim.
The programs you mentioned are for alcohol (legal) and hard drug users. You ever heard of a marijuana program or aspirin program? You only had paros in D’a when hard drugs came in. Is only the gov’t funded anti marijuana hype you, like others are basing your opinions on.
Bottoms up, the AG is not the law of the land. I’m confident a more progressive and broad-minded government will explore the medicinal benefits in Marijuana. It’s great that at least the politicians and professionals in the region are addressing the issue. It may well be one day contribute economically to the Nature isle.
Dominica is a fourth world country. Praising religion but hiding behind bibles. I’ve seen how people praise the lord and turn around and cheat and steal. Everything is corrupt and getting worse.
It is not run by the government. It’s run by the Chinese. The day Dominicans stop being lazy and continue to accept handouts will be the day this lazy country can start over again. Until then crime, corruption, poverty and counting on foreign handouts will continue to rule.
Pathetic,
Look to yourself and your conscience. God knows that you are no holy of holies. I am certain you are no exception. You could never be a perfect person.
When you cease criticizing people, finding faults with them, generalizing them, sticking to the issue of the article, not deviating from it and comment accordingly, Dominica will be a better place and everything will be put in its right perspective.
Only God can change that and is capable of it. Not you. Your obligation is to pray that God will change situations. God will not approve of marijuana because it is destructive as He knows too well and others knows but some ignore the truth of it.
so why put it on the earth? why has it been used since the before Jesus walked the earth (if we are speaking biblically)? Even the coca plant has its use and is being used daily in hospitals and pharmacies in different forms like novacane for example. All plants and herbs have their uses and properties. Marijuana is not destructive. Like anything the abuse of its use can be destructive. If i use my car to kill people, who is destructive? me or my car? just like if i abuse marijuana who is the problem? me? or the marijuana? You cannot speak for God. You are no authority to begin to speak on what God will and will not do especially when it comes to the issues of Man; nor can I. So go read your bible and look for where it says “the grass was made for the cows and ass; and the HERB on the land for use of man”.
How do you know what God thinks of marijuana? Unless you’re a latter day prophet, it’s not like He came down on a cloud to tell you Himself. You call it destructive as though that were the end of the story, but like many things it has both bad and good uses.
There is nothing to fear from an “objective study” of marijuana. I guess what some of us fear is that all the facts will not get figured into the equation.
With so much pain and suffering in the world one cannot blame Dr. Pascal for wanting every possible weapon to use in the war against disease. He is calling for a more reasonable approach and I agree with this. The medical potential of marijuana is not well known. Dr. Pascal has done us a favor by bringing this to our attention. Yes, it has been proven helpful for some diseases. We want to know if
an already existing drug is equally helpful and how the government will guard the availability of medical marijuana against abuse.
Without turning a blind eye to the potential for good that may exist in cannabis I hope the following will not be ignored.
Marijuana is an “entry” drug. Because it is considered a “soft” drug is the first drug that many people experiment with before moving on to the a “harder” drug. Many confirmed addicts today started with cannabis and regret the day they first smoked the weed.
It was once thought that marijuana was only psychologically addictive. We know now that it is physically addictive as well. I counselled a young man years ago when I was on staff of a large inner-city church in Toronto. He told me about his cannabis addiction. Believe me he was a total wreck. I remember thinking “This is not suppose to happen.” Yes, it is physically addictive!
In Canada about 40% of fatal car accidents with young people involve alcohol. The alcohol is blamed because it is easier to detect but sometimes marijuana is also involved. For people who smoke and drive marijuana alone is just as dangerous as alcohol. When the driver has been drinking and also smoking marijuana the weed compounds the effects of the alcohol.
I know of a man working with heavy machinery in a factory during a night shift when there was poor supervision who was smoking marijuana and badly injured himself.
Marijuana causes some cancers. It has been found that it also causes certain respiratory illnesses.
Studies have revealed that there is a higher dropout rate among high school students who smoke marijuana three or four times a week than among non-smokers and over all their grades tend to be lower.
It is known that the more available any substance is the more people will use it and the more it will be abused. Alcohol is a case in point. The decriminalizing of marijuana for recreational purposes would give a tremendous boost to the abuse of the weed. I don’t think any caring person who knows the harmful effects of marijuana would want to be responsible for making it more available.
My own observation is that people who want marijuana for “medical” reasons smoked it to get high long before they even needed it for medical reasons (if they do). Those who have never smoked cannabis and now need a drug for their current illness are usually satisfied to use a conventional drug that is already available and has a record of effectiveness. Their are exceptions.
Some are already talking about taxing the sale of marijuana for recreational purpose as if enough people are not already dying from the use tobacco and alcohol. Once an unethical cash strapped government realizes there is a tax profit to be made from the sale of any product or service the breaks are off!
Governments would be wise to move – but move cautiously – with the studies on “medical” marijuana. Many of us would like to know that there is not an already available drug that is just as effective. Then governments should be able to show that they have sufficient checks and balances in place to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands for recreational purposes.
Voters at election time should know where their political candidates stand on the decriminalization of marijuana for recreational purposes and every other social issue, and vote for those who share their values.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill, D.D., International Evangelist. (Diploma in Drug Studies)
idk anymore and Steve Foerster:
As it is said, as many heads there are it is as many opinions there will be, pro and con and everyone has a right to his/her opinion. Opposition is to be expected. This should be the stance of a matured person, knowing that there are some people who have a knack of opposing everything said and everything good. One day, when all will be revealed, everyone will know and see the truth. You better believe it!
If you think you are so intelligent, I should not have to inform you about this, that there are many animals, mammals and plants which are on the earth. They are not all edible. If eaten they could kill you. Obviously, these illegal drugs can do much physical harm to those who take them.
Those who are intelligent and godly spiritually minded will know that anything that is harmful to the body as illegal drugs, is not approved by God. It is simple common sense for those who possess it. If you are a practicing Christian and a genuine, faithful one at that, this is what you will fairly and accurately conclude. God also inspires.
The Church does not approve of these drugs and since not, then obviously God does not approve of it.
As some people, let your children take them and become dunce, mentally ill and also bodily, you will state something else. As long as it has not yet hit home, you will oppose what others state against illegal drugs. If you know someone whose family has been affected by illegal drugs, you would agree with them.
Thank God I know of no one who has that problem. I uphold the Law as long as it a moral one which will avoid nationals from becoming mentally and physically sick. Those drugs are destructive to the bodily system. Those who cannot see that have a problem. They may be ingesting those drugs or know of others who do. Therefore they oppose my making these comments. Too bad. I stand by my conviction. To each his own.
Cannabis is a plant. People are and have always been the problem. When they finally reach a higher consciousness, then they will be rewarded. And that is the masses, not just a few. However, it doesn’t look like it is in the cards for this particular civilization. Many other previous civilizations have perished before this one and it looks as though this one is no exception. God is watching all right and not liking what is happening. It is up to the people to change themselves.
Stick to the point you all are too damn hypocrite always ready to criticize and judge people when they make a valid point . What is your contribution to the issue at hand?. Only in Dominica with less than 70,000 people everything has to be like pouring molasses.
Levi need to taste a joint.. All that is how we try to kill our race will alcohol and cigarette.. Why not legalize marijuana!its nature..no added flavours..
Great reading and for sure it should be decriminalized, for he small amount people go to jail for should not be more time should be spent on going after the harder drugs that cause way more damage the herb. I don’t smoke but I know people that smoked for over seventy plus years and never broke into anyone’s house, but I must say great read again.
Learn how to type bro
I think you mean “Learn how to type, bro.”
“Marijuana will continue to be an illegal substance in Dominica in the foreseeable future,” Attorney General Levi Peter said recently.
That’s typical “labour party” talk. Remember Pierro, “ladies and gentlemen, I am in it for the long haul.”
Patrick John, “let me make this fundamentally clear, ‘I shall not resign’ “.
And now, Levi Peter!
it reminds me you know the United States has Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder and Bob Hope – Dominica has no cash, no Wonder why we have no Hope with people like Levi Peter. I mean the AG should have had a real good construct rebuttal but just to make a blanket statement is so empty reminded me of ” I like it I really like it at the College” they just have so little to say that they appear dumb.
You forget to mention that Edison James promised, “I am ready for election now.” Next thing you know Linton puts him on ignore.
Very informative Doc. Speak your mind and let no one intimidate you.
Nice try doctor playing devil’s advocate. LOl.
Oh this article is hilariously hysterical
did he really admit that?
marijuana is been used in hospitals in Israel since the 70’s medicinal marijuana does not only mean smoking. the plant has over 456 chemical that can and is used as medicine…
when ignorant people like you speak Dominica cries.
Ignorant people like you do not know that those who are in pain and who take marijuana for medicinal purpose, in the long run, it does not prevent them from increased pain and suffering as they get progressively worst and die. Therefore, there are some things you know nothing about, what you have not yet heard that others have heard.
DO NOT CALL PEOPLE IGNORANT BECAUSE YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THEM. Be fair and treat others as you expect them to treat you and address you. You have not yet learned and mastered this Golden Rule for peace and harmony among other godly virtues..
Homeboy your talk is based pure on the money that can be made off of cannabis. I don’t need you or any other proffesional to tell me whether I can use cannabis or not. If grown people can drink alcohol & smoke cigarets then I would want to think that grown people can smoke cannabis too. And to those who say its illegal speeding is illegal but you don’t get put in prison for it.
Not since the Cold War have I seen such an effective propaganda campaign against anything or any country as there has been perpetrated against marijuana.
For those of us who have studied the history of the plant, what it has suffered is nothing short of a major injustice.
But to say there will be an uphill battle for change in Dominica is an understatement; we are conservative, ignorant (uninformed), and too influenced by religion.
Levi Peter ,need to get up to the modern day laws.
@ Grell, out of the whole story you read the only thing you got out of the whole is the last line about Levi? people with your kind of thinking when will we ever move from that kind of mentality?
It is because at the end of the day, people like IP can talk and talk and talk and raise these kinds of points. but it is people like Levi Peter (AG) who must approve the decriminalization of it. He has a bigger part to play in this process than the regular doctor who would only advise his decision. So he must get up to the time.
The story extols the medicinal properties of the herb which is great but one sentence in the article stood out very starkly- i.e.
“However, there are negative sides to cannabis as well as one can become addicted or have a psychiatric illness”
Perhaps this explains the hysteria because this is the more common manifestation of the use of the herb in Dominica. A new paro on the streets every day or in the psychiatric hospital. Until someone can identify where the resources will come from for the system to monitor individuals in order to limit their usage to medicinal quantities and purposes or small quantities which will not make them addictive and become a burden on the same poor society that we rail at every day, the hysteria just might continue.
The Doc is back lets see what they will bray about this time.
For what it is worth I take warfarin every day and it is a known fact that one of the best rat poisons is warfarin.