by Curlan Campbell
- Last year, Minister for Agriculture informed that government is prepared to stage public consultations on marijuana decriminalisation
- Government accused of dragging their feet
- Rasta community, Grenada Herbal Foundation and regular citizens want input into that bill
- University of South Carolina researching various properties of cannabis extracts
With no end in sight to the spread of the Covid-19, experts are currently researching medicinal benefits that can be harnessed from cannabis as a means of treating complications of the coronavirus.
Using cannabis to treat symptoms of Covid-19 comes at a time where many countries are softening laws that criminalise its use. Researchers from the University of South Carolina have shifted their focus to researching the benefits of Cannabidiol (CBD) extract which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties which can be used to treat Covid-19 symptoms such as pneumonia, while Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could help prevent harmful immune responses that causes Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
In Grenada, Syisha Williams of the Grenada Herbal Foundation and a well-known cannabis activist, is eagerly anticipating the start of the consultative process. He said it is high time that we start the process amidst the continued spread of the virus.
Last year, newly appointed Minister for Agriculture Peter David informed the nation that the government is prepared to stage public consultations to gather feedback on the legislative changes necessary to see that marijuana is decriminalised. Minister David indicated that he leads a 3-member Cabinet committee which is tasked to review regional and international treaties to help guide the process.
However, Williams fears that the government might be dragging their feet on this important issue, especially at a time where experts are researching ways the cannabis plant can be utilised to treat the coronavirus. “I would like to see that process expedited,” Williams said. “If we had started the process already maybe we could have done something by now to even have research going on into the legitimacy of whether or not cannabis can be used to treat it, so it will be nice to see that we move on that”.
Williams believes the Grenada Herbal Foundation can be instrumental to this consultative process and continues to stress the need for ordinary people, especially Rastafarians to have input into the legislative process. “We of the Rasta community, Grenada Herbal Foundation and regular citizens of Grenada need input into that bill. It cannot be a bill that is just given to our people,” he said.
Scientific studies carried out on mice by the University of South Carolina have revealed that not only can THC prevent ARDS, a potentially lethal coronavirus complication, but can also significantly increase in healthy lung bacteria. The study was published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, the British Journal of Pharmacology and the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. While the compounds in marijuana can potentially treat symptoms of the Covid-19, researchers are not advocating that people with Covid-19 should self-medicate.
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Who use weed but white ppl..the blak body have no use for drugs in the body eat healthy and keep the body chase and pure enjoy the natural vitamin D..take seabaths is enough betta dan any herbs to damage the brain.
Marijuana will affect your brain if a person start smoking it under the age of 25. A person suffer from mental illness cannot use marijuana whatsoever.. there are lots and lists of research for years of medicinal use of this herb. CBD is great for inflammation for the body. The human body is very inflamed that’s why we have to eat antimflammatory foods every day. My doctors prescribe marijuana for therapeutic treatment before it was legalized. The government had given them permission to proscribe the herb. All herbs ave side effects. They have to use accordingly. Pharmaceutical drugs are put together by all types of chemicals instead of putting all kinds of herbs together to create a medicine.
I have never use marijuana in my life neither as I had lived in Grenada. Had no interest but there are lot of awesome things it is good for as I had read a lot of research from doctors and they had traveled to many countries doing they research and is continuing researching the international herb.
Please tell me what is new in Grenada .This government shows no sense for anything that’s good for the people of Grenada unless the Four Mafia heads off this Clan .Not A government ..unless these four Mafia heads have a whole LOT to gain from it shame these people has No SHAME
Weed should have been legalized decades now!!! The Government has lost years of billions of dollars from weed! If marijuana had been legalized Grenada would have been a very wealthy country. Now that it is legalized the Government now needs to allow locals to build and construct Weed Farms to process Marijuana for legal use for Medical Marijuana. It is time now we take advantage of what we have!! MARIJUANA!
I call on the Government to open up marijuana production farms and factories for the planting and manufacturing of weed for medical, recreational and personal use! This is time that we plant and make use of what God had given us!
I also call on the Government to compensate back to those who had been arrested, jailed and most of all those who have lost their lives for the use of Marijuana. Cut back on operations of crackdown on weed and cocaine. Please we need to start making use of the plants god gave us to make use of!
Oh yes… the quality of Grenada marijuana is very weak compared to that found in America. Growing techniques could be far improved in Grenada if growers had no fear of arrest for a few small trees and they would profit from their growing skills as any farmer should. The Rasta community knows what we all should: smoke ganja, be healthy and happy. Alcohol make people do foolish things, ganja makes one calm and content.
Frist of all ganja an be found within minutes in Grenada, we all know this to be true. We all recognize ganja as a wonderful medicine which is far safer than many of the pills doctors prescribe. We are old people, and we find relief from pain when smoking marijuana. In America is is legal in may states and the taxes collect from legal sales provides much money for schools and investing in community. Grenada can also step into the future and legalize and realize the benefits is so many ways. Just keep a close eye on government officials that control the money taken in from taxes, account for every penny I say.
Do it ASAP
