EDUCATION Minister Ronald Thwaites has made it clear that decriminalisation of a small amount of marijuana does not mean smoking of the weed will be allowed in schools.

Thwaites, speaking this week at a back-to-school conference for administrators at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, charged school managers to be more vigilant as there is no place for ganja in these institutions.

"When the law was changed I got an indication from several school principals that a number of young persons were saying now that it is free [they will be able to use substance] to help them have a clear mind and stronger exam performances," Thwaites told the Jamaica Observer.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall on Saturday caused quite a frenzy on social media website Twitter.

The NFL player, who was in Jamaica for his sister’s wedding, in what was an apparent attempt to be comedic, tweeted that marijuana was being smoked around him.

This resulted in mixed reactions and heavy criticisms from some Twitter users.

Marshall tweeted: “What ull doing? I'm in Jamaica at my sisters wedding and It smells like Denver over here!!! I better not fell my drug test.”

After that tweet, Marshall proceeded to tweet again, this time he made sure to include the NFL in his tweet.

Bob Marley’s son and roots reggae artist Julian Marley has released a new music video titled “Lemme Go” to celebrate the recently passed law to decriminalize marijuana in Jamaica. The video is directed by Dameon Gayle and was shot in Jamaica. It includes the island’s iconic comedy actors Ity and Fancy Cat.

The song “Lemme Go” appears on the album On The Corner Riddim (produced by his brother Damian Marley), that includes the latest crop of rising reggae artists: Chronixx, Black-Am-I Jesse Royal, Kabaka Pyramid, Wayne Marshall and many more.

Julian will be performing at the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise, leaving twice this year either on November 30 or December 5 from Miami, Florida.

Julian has also launched his own cannabis line called JuJu Royal

In calling for the crafting of a road map to develop the fledgling ganja industry, Delano Seiveright, a director of the Cannabis Commercial and Medicinal Research Task Force, has renewed his warning that foot-dragging could result in the loss of potential economic advantages.

Speaking at the 'Imagine Jamaica: Unlimited Possibilities A Brand Jamaica Symposium' at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Seiveright suggested that the economic benefits of liberalising the ganja industry were huge.

"We can, in very short order, reassert our position as the world capital of ganja and move to spreading the obvious economic benefits across the board."

Marijuana decriminalization and legalization initiatives are not only sweeping through the U.S. — countries across the world are beginning to signal the green light for cannabis policy reform.

Here are 10 countries where lawmakers and public sentiment are changing the tide on cannabis policy.

1. Jamaica

Jamaica — home to the Rastafarian movement — recently joined the list of countries to decriminalize marijuana, and this year it will be hosting the World Cannabis Cup in Negril Nov. 12-15.

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Communications consultant Delano Seiveright says there is a need for a clear roadmap for the overarching development of the local ganja/cannabis industry.

“We need now a clear roadmap for its overarching development, further reforms, immediate enactment of a simple, efficient and transparent regulatory structure that favours traditional farmers, investors, new businesses, and increasing tax revenue, and the clearing away of bureaucratic obstacles and anti-ganja impulses by hostile forces,” says Seiveright.

Speaking at the the Re-Imagine Jamaica: Unlimited Possibilities A Brand Jamaica symposium at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona on Friday, he argued that Jamaica is ripe for an “amazing, mind-boggling economic windfall” from ganja.

In my lifetime, the island nation of Jamaica, which gained its independence from Great Britain in 1962, has been one of the world’s most cannabis-friendly nations, both for locals and for tourists. While technically marijuana, or ganja as they call it in Jamaica, was until recently illegal, in fact marijuana and marijuana smoking was largely ignored by authorities, and one could not get through the airport at either Negril or Kingston without being offered marijuana by several local entrepreneurs, competing for your business.

I know because I accepted the hospitality of these “Welcome Wagon” connections on a couple of occasions, and found the product to be excellent, and the cost was a bargain, at least compared to high-quality home-grown marijuana in the US.

San Juan, July 18: Julian Marley, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley, has released a new song celebrating the decriminalisation of marijuana in Jamaica as a liberating experience. The song “Lemme go” focuses on how the amendment to the 1948 Dangerous Drugs Act benefits Rastafarians, who consider smoking marijuana a sacrament.

Julian uses the song to praise marijuana as a “stress reliever, natural healer”. ”Lemme go” was produced by another Marley offspring, Damian, and is expected to be on Julian’s next album to be released in 2016.

KINGSTON, Jamaica –  Jamaica's justice minister has signed an order to expunge some marijuana-related convictions now that the island has partially decriminalized small amounts of pot.

Justice Minister Mark Golding said Wednesday that he signed an order to provide a path for people to get criminal records purged if they have minor convictions for smoking or possessing marijuana.

In April, drug law amendments went into effect that partially decriminalized small amounts of pot and paved the way for a lawful medical marijuana sector in Jamaica. The act made possession of up to 2 ounces of weed a petty offense that would not result in a criminal record.