President and CEO of the Canada-based Timeless Herbal Care Courtney Betty (left) makes a point to Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Dr Wykeham McNeill at the 6th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James last Monday.

ROSE HALL, St James -- The president and CEO of Canada-based company Timeless Herbal Care Courtney Betty is confident that yearly tourist arrivals to the island could surpass the three-million mark if Jamaica is promoted as a health and wellness destination, featuring marijuana.

The government is to mount a public education campaign aimed at discouraging irresponsible ganja smoking and protecting vulnerable persons.

Justice Minister Mark Golding says the the National Health Fund (NHF) and the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) have already finalised details of the programme, which is expected to get under way shortly.

Golding says the campaign will discourage ganja use by children, pregnant women and persons with certain mental disorders.

He also reiterated that the smoking of ganja in public spaces or within five metres of such areas is prohibited in a manner similar to cigarettes.

THE medical and recreational use of marijuana has been legalised in some states in the USA, and even after elements of its use have been decriminalised locally, it is still a hot topic.

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, has recognised potential for therapeutic medical use. However, it is also a public health concern with significant potential for abuse.

But, what effects can marijuana use have on the oral health of those already using it, as well as those who may start?

Poor oral health

Marijuana use, along with alcohol dependence, has been strongly linked to poor oral health, whether because of dietary choices, attitudes to oral health care or general hygiene habits.

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Government’s move to make possession of small quantities of ganja a non-criminal offence will reduce the number of marijuana cases going before the courts by about 15,000 a year.

That’s according to Minister of Justice Senator Mark Golding.

The amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act will, among other things, make the possession of two ounces or less of ganja a ticketable offence. Anyone ticketed by the police would have 30 days to pay the money online or at a tax office.

Golding said dealing with minor ganja cases, over 1,000 per month, was contributing significantly to clogging up the court system.

Justice Minister Senator Mark Golding is refuting claims in some sections of the media which suggest that the government is trying to make money from the implementation of a ticketing system for persons in possession of small quantities of marijuana.

With the amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act earlier this year, the government has decriminalised the possession of less than two ounces of marijuana.

Instead of being charged with a criminal offense, persons found with less than two ounces of the herb will be issued a ticket.

According to the Justice Minister, the government has no intention of benefiting financially from the change.

With an alarmingly high percentage of youth having psychotic episodes from ganja abuse, the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) is now rolling out a national public education strategy specifically targeting the younger population.

In fact, Jamaica's leading addiction psychiatrist, Dr Winston De La Haye, said he was seeing an increasing number of young patients experiencing ganja-related health problems following February's passing of the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act 2015 (also referred to as the Ganja Reform Law), which took effect on April 15.

The Ministry of Justice has scheduled a town hall meeting aimed at raising awareness of the amendments made to the Dangerous Drugs Act, often referred to as 'the Ganja Law' at the St Luke's Anglican Church Hall in Cross Roads, Kingston, tomorrow evening.

The ministry said that the meeting will seek to address misconceptions held by the public about the law relating to the possession of ganja and will provide an opportunity for questions on the controversial subject.

Topics to be discussed include the possession of ganja, use of ganja as a sacrament and cultivation for personal and medicinal/therapeutic use.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary condition caused by a mutation in the haemoglobin gene, which leads to symptoms of anaemia, extreme pain, and organ damage if unmanaged. Individuals suffering from SCD are far more likely to use cannabis than the general population, potentially for its analgesic properties.

What is Sickle Cell Disease?

In SCD, a mutation in the haemoglobin gene causes red blood cells to become distorted, from the usual pliable, concave disc to a rigid, sickle-shaped form. In normal conditions, the cells temporarily deform in order to be squeezed through narrow blood vessels.

Rastafari: What comes to mind when you see the word? Jamaica? Dreadlocks? Bob Marley? Chances are one of the first things that comes to mind is marijuana. Culturally entrenched with the Rastafari movement since it began in the 1930s, marijuana – or ganja, as it’s more commonly called by Rastas – is considered sacred and is often referred to as the wisdom weed or holy herb.

The ‘Healing Herb’ of the Nations

With the view that there is wide-scale misunderstanding on the rules governing the smoking of ganja in public, some stakeholders believe more needs to be done to clearly outline the new regulations that came into effect earlier this year.

"I am finding that there is a lot of confusion as it relates to the smoking of marijuana in public," stated David Wan, president of the Jamaica Employers' Federation.

"I am still going places, gas stations, for instance, and seeing persons smoking marijuana publicly. Too many persons are confused about whether the no-smoking rules apply to marijuana and we have to address this."