NCDA urges ‘Good Ganja Sense’
April 20, 2021
KINGSTON, JAMAICA, Monday, April 19, 2021: On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, some Jamaican citizens and residents will be joining in the “4-20” celebration of ganja across the globe. Recognising the significance that this day has taken on globally and locally, the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) calls for Jamaican nationals and residents to continue to exercise good ganja sense.
Ganja has had tremendous social and cultural significance to Jamaica and Jamaicans, becoming an integral element of the country’s folkways since its introduction to the island by Indian indentured servants and its adoption by emancipated Africans in the 19th century. The NCDA urges Jamaicans to build on and enhance folk knowledge of the plant by now embracing science-based approaches to its use. These include research activities that drive industrial and medical applications of the plant with spinoffs for commercial-scale farming.
In recent years there have been many promising studies on ganja, some of which have revealed that it contains a variety of compounds with potentially beneficial uses. These, however, must be explored within the context of rigorous scientific studies to determine potential benefits or harms, and provide the information necessary to maximise the former and minimise the latter.
In this regard, the NCDA is pleased with the continued work being undertaken by local research institutions on the plant and its derivatives, and encourages even more initiatives in that direction. In particular, the Council joins Minister with responsibility for gender, the Hon. Olivia Grange, who at its March 16 ‘Women in Ganja’ virtual forum called for more research on the use of ganja derivatives in the treatment of gynaecological conditions.
Caution against Recreational Ganja Use
Yet, even as the Council supports the development of a robust regulated cannabis industry for Jamaica, it continues to be concerned about the challenges posed by recreational use of the plant. The decriminalisation of possession of small quantities of ganja should not be interpreted to mean that recreational use of the plant has no negative consequences. On the contrary, this is especially the case where this use involves adolescents and those most vulnerable to its harmful effects. The Council therefore cautions against recreational use of the plant, especially among these groups.
Research into the effects of recreational use of the plant on the brain as well as on behaviour continues. The NCDA commits to helping to disseminate new research findings in this regard, and to help the country to make the most productive use of the plant.
This is one of the main objectives of the Council’s Good Ganja Sense Campaign, launched last month by State Minister of Health and Wellness, Mrs. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn. The campaign jingle urging good ganja sense was released today and can be found on YouTube as well as on the Good Ganja Sense website.