That seems to be the message that’s coming here: US softens –
Hints at ways Ja could avoid punitive measures for ganja
Instead of belching fire and brimstone, the Obama Administration yesterday appeared to be treading softly on Jamaica’s plans to decriminalise ganja.
A key US narcotic agency also hinted at ways the island could avoid punitive measures under US federal law that remain on the books, as the administration turns a blind eye to the quickly growing number of US states that have been decriminalising or legalising marijuana.
In separate statements responding to Jamaica Observer queries, both the State Department and the Department of Justice sidestepped direct comment on how the US would react to decriminalisation of the weed.
“The US respects that different nations have varying approaches on the matter; it is the duty of each nation to determine drug policies that meet its specific needs within the framework of International Laws,” the State Department said in its response.
Not a full-throated approval, of course. But merely to be that… respectful… in this area is a huge shift.
Interesting. The INCB must be throwing a fit right now.
I’m surprised the rest of the world puts up with America’s meddling in their affairs as much as they do.
If other countries did to the U.S. one iota what we do to them, there would be all out war.
Could you imagine other countries flying drones over U.S. soil? I hate the double standard America stands for.
All you have to do is claim it’s in ‘our interests’ or ‘national security’.
It’s nice to see Argentina, Uruguay and now Jamaica deciding they have the freedom to decide THEIR own policies.
This isn’t policy, it’s grade school flirting. Those coy “memoranda” are shutting down the MMJ programs of Oregon (and maybe Washington) without any attention from national media.
This isn’t a comparable situation, Frank. Those J.D. Memoranda to the State prosecutors are just that, they are coy, and they have had a disruptive, uncertain quality entirely able to plague these States for years.
The case is much, much different in international relations. The DEA can’t raid on Jamaica without the Jamaican’s consent. The Prosecutors can’t bring a case in defiance of those memos, if the Jamaican government doesn’t willingly cooperate. In fact, the only option short of sending U.S. Troops to invade, is to go wring our hands at the U.N. or enact sanctions. Neither of those options will fly, they’d have to set up a provocation to justify it, and Jamaica doesn’t have oil or mineral wealth enough to potentially pay for something like that. Now, in the past we’d have sent a stern warning to try to influence them to reconsider. We didn’t even do that. This is thudworthy. International relations are their own language, and translated this says…”We’re just not that interested.”
@ Frank (and any other So. Oregonians lurking), from our friend Lindsey Rinehart:
This sends a message to the other SA countries that have recently used threats of legalization and a check showing up has ended,,,now they will have to go ahead and get more money the best way they can,,,no more US bureaucrats will be bringing them more enforcement funding.
Told you there was another “Thud” coming.
New Research: marijuana’s anxiety relief effects explained
There you have it. Marijuana reduces the type of stress that kills people.
The very reason it is outlawed. Stress most likely doesn’t kill, quickly. It does damage first. This damage is treated by Big Pharma. Stress is the foundation of all diseases. More treatments. Left to the people they would prevent stress and there goes daddy’s new yacht. Common sense took a hike. Profits rule even if we have to compromise on sanity. Go down the list. Booze- infrastructure, diseases, crashes more ER care and profits. Drugs in the store, side effects for more drugs in the store. Fossil fools and exported cattle leaving the pollution and trashed land for us tax payers to cover. It’s all an airplane movie. Up is down and over is under. Cannabis reduces stress. See I told you so, now you see why its illegal? They must protect their phony baloney jobs.
Imagine if America helped the nations of Iraq and Afghanistan to grow hemp and establish hemp factories/businesses. Imagine how much less our end of the war(s) would have cost and how much more stable their nations would have been with jobs, thus decreasing death from both sides.
I don’t get it. In what way could US federal laws have anything whatsoever to do with what goes on in another sovereign country? Sounds like the DEA are implying they could go down to Jamaica and arrest someone for a marijuana violation, in Jamaica, under US law. Not that they wouldn’t want to, but I don’t believe they have jurisdiction to enforce US laws in foreign countries. It’s like there’s not a darn thing the DEA or DOJ can say about the situation in Jamaica, but that’s not going to stop them from saying something about it and trying to sound relevant.
Yeah “we =(Nixon)” pushed the whole world (via the U.N. to accept the 1961 Single Convention Treaty), And despite all the talk today of treaties being violated on the other side of the planet. Sabet and friends think we CAN’T violate (or change) that *Uber-Dusty Garbage* – posing as a sensible, enforceable, “Treaty”.
Who’s gonna sanction the U.S. over it?
And more to the point why??
And lastly how???