Ganjapreneur

[Sir X]

ganjapreneur
An American capitalist profiting from the recent pseudo-legalization of marijuana in the U.S. by opening up a dispensary that sells the plant in smokeable form to registered medical marijuana patients. With low overhead and endless demand for their product, ganjapreneurs — as opposed to less successful entrepreneurs — have almost a zero percent chance of their business failing through typical channels. Used recently by Atlantic Monthly and Denver Westword magazine to describe marijuana retailers in Colorado, but can refer to any legal ganja shopkeeper in America.
"Colorado's Marijuana Economy: An Explosion of Ganjapreneurship"
—Atlantic Monthly headline from August 2009

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/...eurship/23899/

"Many (medical marijuana dispensaries) are operated by what insiders are calling a 'second wave' of ganjapreneurs ..."
—Denver Westword magazine, September 2009

[Hortical]

A program featuring the industry just ended on CBS 60 minutes.

[Sir X]

60 min overtime

Medical Pot: Will Colorado's "green rush" last?
September 15, 2013 4:59 PM

Denver, Colo., has more medical marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks, but the budding business defies federal laws. Steve Kroft reports


http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50155080n


So we missed the canal , now we are going to miss the ganjapreneur boat.

[HL]

Hope you are doing your homework so you just don't ongle cheer-lead on this topic...but make some serious money.

Don;t have to tell you there are several business areas in this "industry" ...from breeding, propagation, actual farming etc etc...

[Sir X]

The Observer refuses to print my retort to Mr Gomes !

The case for medical marijuana

Anthony GOMES

Wednesday, September 04, 2013



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"I am for managed, controlled research into marijuana. I am not into smoking ganja. Smoking has its own dangers, but I have always maintained that marijuana has strong medical uses." Dr Henry Lowe chemist and cancer researcher in another opening salvo at the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) for not decriminalising ganja use expressed at the recent Gleaner Editors' Forum.

The latest round of marijuana (new US acronym,(MJ)) adulation has resulted from the volte-face by Dr Sanjay Gupta, the CNN celebrity doctor, endorsing the virtues and properties of medical marijuana now legal in certain US states. Dr Henry Lowe makes a clear distinction between marijuana and smoked ganja, which remains harmful to health.













The case for medical marijuana

1/1



For years, Drs Manley West and Albert Lockhart have legally used marijuana in the preparation of a number of outstanding products, for the treatment of glaucoma and asthma, which have been successfully marketed at home and abroad. However, it should be noted that the Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the psychoactive ingredient in ganja has been previously extracted. The success of these products demonstrates that marijuana possesses beneficial qualities and is employed legally with official approval.

The repetitive reference to the US regarding the GOJ's attitude to decriminalising ganja is not without concern, of possibly being decertified as the president can act without further ado, if it is considered Jamaica is not playing by the rules. Our present economic plight is not consistent with mounting any challenge to the US at this time. Each year a report is presented to the US Congress on the state of Jamaica's compliance with UN conventions, of which Jamaica is also a signatory. In the event of a negative report, the US — within its sovereign right — can declassify the beneficiary territory and withdraw its voluntary aid.

The following summarises some of the international legal agreements governing the control of narcotic substances which relate to decriminalisation and/or legalisation of cannabis, to which Jamaica is a signatory. These are the Single Narcotics Convention, the Convention of Psychotropic Substances, and the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. As stated earlier by a previous Attorney General Michael Hylton: "Jamaica would be in breach of its treaty obligations if Parliament were to remove criminal sanctions with respect to these activities."

A national poll conducted by the print media would be useful to determine the current attitude to decriminalising or legalising ganja. The two polls in 2001 by The Gleaner/Don Anderson poll and the Observer/Stone poll asked: "Should personal use of ganja be legalised"? The respondents indicating "no" were 53.3 and 48.3 per cent, repectively. The GOJ should commission such a survey before attempting to decriminalise ganja.

The US National Drug Control Policy reports: "Smoked marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system. It impairs learning and interferes with memory, perception and judgement. Smoked marijuana contains cancer-causing compounds and has been implicated in a high percentage of automobile crashes and workplace accidents. Now being challenged, is the US Federal Supreme Court, that is examining their past rulings on constitutional grounds that states: "Marijuana remains in schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act because it has a high potential for abuse, a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and no currently accepted medical value".

Doctors at the University Hospital of the West Indies found, after a three-month study of trauma victims, that ganja was the most prevalent substance found in their bodies, occurring in 50 per cent of victims of road crashes and 55 per cent of victims of violence-related injuries. By comparison, alcohol was found in 43 per cent of crash victims and 27 per cent of violence-related injury cases. The study was published in the West Indian Medical Journal, December 1999.

The belief that once decriminalised, ganja use would decline is not supported by recent numbers furnished by the National Council on Drug Abuse. Drug abuse among 11- to 19-year-old youths in a 2006 survey shows that alcohol accounted for 71 per cent of abusers, and 24 per cent in the case of ganja. This suggests that alcohol is the most abused drug because it is legal and readily available, as opposed to ganja, that is still subject to criminal sanctions.

The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has reported: "Congress has designated marijuana as having no medicinal value. The Federal Supreme Court affirmed this designation." In June 2005, the US Federal Supreme Court, by a six-to-three decision, designated that state-grown marijuana is illegal, and producers, users and abusers will be prosecuted.

In Jamaica the Drug Courts were established by The Drug Court (Treatment and Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1999, and reported to be producing good results. People detained for possession of small quantities of ganja are put before the Drug Court, of which there is one in every parish, and given a warning. There is no criminal record, and if detained a second time the person appears again at the Drug Court, and may be referred to a Magistrate's Court if they do not agree to enter a rehabilitation programne. If the programme is successful no criminal charge is recorded. It must be emphasised that the forgoing commentary relates to the use of smoked ganja and casts no aspersions on the value of medical marijuana for the treatment of specific illnesses.


Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...#ixzz2f0q853zn

The Retort

“Colonial Hypocrisy or Colonial Schizophrenia against ganja ”

DR : Gomes

Isn’t that what you are arguing for, twisted facts to justify an outdated policy, a policy brought in to justify institutionalizing the poorer class which happens to be dark skin afro Jamaicans, if not in a jail cell then in a mental institution?



You open your justification for medical use with the salvo from Dr Lowe the chemist and researcher, you need to ask Dr Lowe if he has any conclusive evidence that ganja causes cancer and exactly what clinical evidence he has that ganja is harmful to ones health.



Keep in mind your own reference to another Dr Gupta who stated in his presentation on CNN that the American people have been misled, lied to by its own government.



Whether it has THC properties or not, it has been found to be medically beneficially and that is a scientific fact .It only argues well for its versatility and use.



Insinuating that it’s only good for use after its psychoactive ingredient has been extracted after being employed legally and beneficial is disingenuous, when Dr Gupta presentation was based on the illegality of use and its medical beneficial use, in patients with neuro generative diseases among others.



The implication that decriminalizing would leave us vulnerable to legal economic challenges based on treaties is laughable when one considers that a typically ganja fine in Jamaica is less that 1cents U.S and the cost to hold and prosecute (court costs feed and clothes) run in the 100ks, It is estimated to incarcerate an individual on a ganja charge in Jamaica is twice the cost of tuition at U.W.I.



Whatever convention and treaty we are singed to we cannot justify this colonial schizophrenia, where ganja was used to take young men off the streets and institutionalized at Bellevue in the colonial era of the 30 to 60s a noted psychiatrist at the time whose name escapes me, came out against it, declaring “you cannot institutionalize” young people for smoking ganja.



It’s amusing again you use “the colonial master as your references” the USA to justify that same colonial schizophrenia, it makes one wonder how deep is it rooted in our society? You reference the US National Drug Control as an arm of objectivity in declaring it damages the “brain, heart, lungs and immune system” The same arm in unison with the US Bureau of Narcotics that declared, as Dr Gupta pointed out was at the forefront in criminalizing ganja because minorities specifically Mexicans and Blacks were prone to sexual and physical aggression towards white women? The same arm that rejected President Nixon Schafer report where it stated “We would deemphasize marihuana as a problem. The existing social and legal policy is out of proportion to the individual and social harm engendered by the use of the drug “and President Carter recommendation that is should be decriminalized Jimmy Carter U.S. President Message to congress 1977 "The amount of money and of legal energy being given to prosecute hundreds of thousands of Americans who are caught with a few ounces of marijuana [1 ounce = 28g] in their jeans simply makes no sense - the kindest way to put it. A sterner way to put it is that it is an outrage, an imposition on basic civil liberties and on the reasonable expenditure of social energy."



The university study on trauma victims needs to be made public evaluated as per bias, selection and publication. I find it hard to believe alcohol as a mixture or dominant medium is not the major factor in car traumas i.e. accidents.



As for further studies by the National Council on Drug abuse see Dr Gupta documentary again or do some research on the predated HARRY J ANSLINGER Commissioner of the US Bureau of Narcotics 1930-1962
"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races."
~Harry J. Anslinger
"marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death."
~Harry J. Anslinger
"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."
~Harry J. Anslinger
"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."
~Harry J. Anslinger
"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others."
~Harry Anslinger, 1937 testimony to Congress in support of the marijuana Tax Act.
~If people let government decide which foods they eat and medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny."



Anything coming out of the National Council on Drug Abuse needs to be looked at from its foundation of misinformation and rejection by Presidents Carter and Nixon report.



In Jamaica the Drug Courts were established by The Drug Court (Treatment and Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1999, and reported to be producing good results. People detained for possession of small quantities of ganja are put before the Drug Court, of which there is one in every parish, and given a warning. There is no criminal record, and if detained a second time the person appears again at the Drug Court, and may be referred to a Magistrate's Court if they do not agree to enter a rehabilitation programne. If the programme is successful no criminal charge is recorded. It must be emphasised that the forgoing commentary relates to the use of smoked ganja and casts no aspersions on the value of medical marijuana for the treatment of specific illnesses. Gomes Anthony “The case for medical marijuana” Sept. 2013





It’s shocking that you would advocate the continued institutionalization of good citizens when you admit that they are essentially forced to choose rehab or a criminal record, the question begs what would you do if given the choice? These are numbers used to justify rehabilitation and criminality? Again colonial schizophrenia, more akin to putting a gun to someones head and asking him to choose rehab or prison! and then state the individual has an addiction problem or is a criminal because he has a record! Overlooking the fact your system (the gun at his head) institutionalized him/her.



Your facts are basically disingenuous and erroneous to justify an economic and mental system that’s outdated and rooted in classism and racism, colonial schizophrenia, as for the mental aspect of ganja which I agree there is some psychotropic effect, the question that has yet to be answered from over 50 plus years of research is, does it induce or inhibit psychosis i.e. schizophrenia, that science on it is inconclusive.



Do as they do in India,Uraguay,Mexico,USA and soon to be puerto rico.Legalise and Tax it , one thing we shouldn’t do is use it as an excuse to blame our lack of productivity , the politicians have that market corned ,another topic of colonial schizophrenia. I believe our institutionalizing of our good citizens is a human rights, it would be good to hear from the human rights organizations on the issue

[Sir X]

CC: Above .....propoganda is my forte ,doesnt pay much ,its a labor of love

[HL]

Maybe a simpler Opinion piece would be more suitable.

Tea-spoon doses to the reluctant is always more effective.

[Sir X]

LOL....colonial schizophrenia/hypocrisy...haha.Gomes need help ,spin im a try spin and weak at it.

It is a human rights issue.Funny how quiet the human rights org are, literally in bed with the Gomeses.

[Historian]

Legalizing Marijuana in Jamaica

HL, trust me on this, my friend: we are playing a very, very dangerous game with this notion of legalizing ganja in Jamaica! I realize that the legalization choir is growing on this forum, but I have seen too much of the negative effects of ganja on ordinary Jamaicans! This is one case where I do not need documentaries and studies to inform me; I have actually seen alarming effects repeatedly.

The day we legalize marijuana in Jamaica is the day our crashing country drives the final nail in its coffin. Mark my words!

[Sir X]

Our unemployment rate and political wars has done more harm to Jamaicans than ganja ever has and will, you can hide like politicians and disregard the science to justify the colonial schizophrenia,for not doing anything about our economic and political mess.Like others ,criminalise them and institutionalise them.Unemployment and wars will drive you mad !

I have seen more schizophrenics in your life time ,worked with more psych MDs you will ever see and the common theme is inconclusive!

That said the tone in the profession is since we dont know dont use it ,well I have seen thousands of individuals use it and I can count on my one hand how many became schizo and that is questionable giving all the other hard drugs including alcohol they have consumed.Yes Alochol has an induced schizophrenia when used over time , that is something to see.

I put you on a Sass list of believability.

[Sir X]

Jamaican ganja tours driving the tourist crazy

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Monday, September 16, 2013

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Those ganja tours
DIANE ABBOTT
Sunday, September 15, 2013


THE classic attractions of a Jamaican vacation are sun, sea and sand. But, for the younger tourist, almost as attractive is an abundance of ganja. So it is not surprising that some enterprising tourism operators are offering specialist ganja tours of the island.
Apparently visits to hidden cannabis plantations are combined with a little local history and plenty of free samples.
One website with the title 'Jamaica Max' tempts tourists as follows: "Wanna see some ganja fields in Jamaica? Would you like to take a ganja tour in Negril and a trip over to Orange Hill or Cave Mountain for some sweet Jamaican weed and maybe a cup of ganja tea to wash your ganja cake down with? We might have heard about some ganja tours in Jamaica that would interest a ganja fan or marijuana connoisseur like you".
The website adds some helpful botanical information: "Marijuana is still cultivated in Jamaica by small-time farmers amongst other crops usually such as pumpkins or Jamaican squash. The pot plants grow in short single-stem plants called "one sticks" that are normally between 12 and 24 inches in length when harvested.
The days of huge pot plants and large plantations are long gone. Governmental controls and American drug money have broken up the large growers and made it so that an army of small farmers now does what a few used to control."
The writers add helpfully: "The idea that one ganja farmer has better marijuana than another is not new, but the real difference here in Jamaica is in the cure. Many ganja farmers in Jamaica are not allowing the plants to fully mature and the seeds to drop.
Many are plucking the plants early in attempts to offer sinsemilla or seedless pot. The trouble here, of course, is that the THC is not quite mature at this stage of development and the plants' potency suffers from a premature harvest."
The operators also explain how they eliminate police infiltrators from their tours by insisting that every would-be participant must smoke a spliff first. The idea is that no policeman would actually want to break the law.
Apparently amongst the highlights of the tour are a marijuana garden outside the Peter Tosh mausoleum in Belmont. The tour guide claims that the Tosh family keeps a small patch of marijuana there in his honour.
Other ganja tours apparently go through Nine Miles, the birthplace of Bob Marley, and some are offered in and around Negril. A recent Guardian newspaper article quoted a happy young American female participant in such a tour as saying: "I can get stronger stuff at home, but there's something really special about smoking marijuana in Jamaica. I mean, this is the marijuana that inspired Bob Marley!"
The disadvantage with these ganja tours is that they are actually promoting an illegal activity. But they seem to be moneymakers. And the tourists who go on them are able to flatter themselves that they are botanists and plant connoisseurs, rather than just people who want to get high on ganja.
Of course, if ganja was actually legalised, these and other marijuana-related activities would flourish. But that is an extremely controversial proposition and seems a long way off. Meanwhile, these tours mean that some intrepid tourists are potentially able to sample the full range of the delights that Jamaica is able to offer. And not just sun, sea and sand.
— Diane Abbott is a British Labour party MP and spokeswoman on public health

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[Mosiah]

...well I have seen thousands of individuals use it and I can count on my one hand how many became schizo and that is questionable giving all the other hard drugs including alcohol they have consumed.

I know people who have used it all their lives. These people not only work hard but are dependable, on-time and all the other things they are not supposed to be. A couple of them are academically smart. For the rest who aren't, they are no dumber than several non-users I know. None have moved on to harder drugs, they are good fathers and are as healthy as other non-users.

On the other hand, I know a nurse who works at the Chest Hospital in Kingston who says she has seen a lot of ganja smokers pass thru that hospital. She says it's a myth that ganja is not as harmful as tobacco.

So...where do we go from here? Gupta has forced a lot of people to take a second look.

[Sir X]

I have no doubt that nurse is as backward as her institution,if you do the research on the institutionalizing of citizens in Jamaica, it will show it started at Bellevue in the 30s as a means to deal with our unemployment situation! What has changed? Psychiatrist at the time came out against it another issue is that Jamaicans as a society find it convenient to blame ganja for any mental illness, that is cultural.

That nurse needs to read her Government study and recommendation on decriminalizing ganja.

[Sir X]

I will give you an example you get a patient in the ER acting belligerent and hallucinating smell of alcohol and ganja ,the lay person might think its due to the above what we do is a drug screen ,what you might find is opiods ,benzos, amphethamines,codienes, etc. In the blood but ganja and alcohol gets the blame and some of those are legally prescribed meds.

Yuh think Jamaican hospitals have the resources? So we diagnose them as substance abusers and pick one that we like as the primary reason be it ganja alcohol benzos etc,its a billing issue... Lol

[Mosiah]

Egads! I shall pass on your views!