With all the recent talk of marijuana being beneficial to health, I want to know of its nutritional benefits. Also, how can I adjust my diet to move out of my weight loss plateau phase?

Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flower, stem and seed of the hemp plant, cannabis sativa, which is indigenous to central and south Asia. Recently, there has been more interest in it in Jamaica and the world. The smokers want more of it, the scientists want it, and pharmaceutical companies want to get more medicinal value from it. Overall cannabis has now become the subject of discussions around the world.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 22, 2015 -- BioTrackTHC the leading provider of seed-to-sale software solutions for medical and retail marijuana businesses and state governments, today announced that it has retained Cannabis Global Initiative (CGI) to expand the reach of BioTrackTHC's cannabis tracking technology to new domestic and international regions.

"CGI and its president, Wanda James, are primary movers in this sector and we know that this agreement will bolster BioTrackTHC's already rapidly growing business," said Steven Siegel, CEO, BioTrackTHC. "In fact, just this week Wanda James was named as one of the 20 most influential people in the cannabis industry by International Business Times, a tremendous and well-deserved honor."

Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism and Cruise Shipping, Shahine Robinson has called on Tourism Minister Dr Wykeham McNeil to pull together a working group to exploit the new provisions of the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act as it relates to the use and cultivation of ganja. 

“I am calling on the Minister to establish a small and efficient working group, inclusive of the Health Ministry, Customs and other critical stakeholders to review and assess the amendments and put in a place of programme of work ultimately aimed at enhancing the benefits to Jamaica,” said Robinson in a release.

ST ANDREW, Jamaica — The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ganja Growers and Producers Association as a prospective partner in the growing of ganja.

The signing is scheduled for Friday at UWI at 12:00 pm.

On Monday, UWI was granted a licence by the Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell, which permits the Mona campus to engage independent contractors or other approved bodies in the growing of Cannabis Plants for the purpose of conducting research.

Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, Sat Maharaj, is calling on Government and the relevant authorities to begin discussion and seek public referendum on the pros and cons of decriminalising marijuana.

The outspoken Maharaj said members of local law enforcement spend a lot of time carrying out marijuana eradication exercises and searches of persons for small amounts of the narcotic who are prosecuted and sent to jail.

Berkeley-based Steep Hill Labs Inc. is raising $5 million to expand into two states and Jamaica this year as well as pursue innovations in its testing equipment and genetics-related products.

Steep Hill, which employs 30 people, generated $1.2 million in revenue in 2014 and has raised $4 million since its founding in 2008. The company is taking advantage of the Jobs Act to raise its next round of financing from accredited investors, who meet SEC qualifications involving their annual income or net worth to participate in the offering.

According to what we are hearing, it seems that the decriminalisation of marijuana will do a great deal of good to Jamaica; but the primary purpose we are being told, if it comes in effect, will be for medicinal use.

We are also being informed that, marijuana is a very vital ingredient, pertaining to health, in which people can be cured of certain ailments, which seems to be true and has already been proved.

But, more important, one of the major concerns about this herbal stuff, is that it will open widely a door for vast employment, which will be very beneficial to the economy.

Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Archibald McDonald, has moved to quell fears that the decriminalisation of marijuana will result in an increase in the number of emergency medical cases at hospitals in Jamaica.

Speaking during a ceremony surrounding the symbolic planting of Jamaica's first legal cannabis plant at the UWI, McDonald, who is a medical doctor by training, argued that the use of alcohol and cigarettes is far worse than ganja in terms of their deleterious effects on health.

The planting of the cannabis plant coincides with the granting of licences by the Government to the UWI and the University of Technology (UTech) that will allow them to cultivate marijuana for research purposes.

Minister of Justice Mark Golding (right) and Courtney Betty (left), president and CEO of Timeless Herbal Care, jointly plant a ganja seedling at yesterday's launch for the symbolic planting of the first legal marijuana plant at the Lecture Theatre Two, Faculty of Medical Sciences Teaching and Research Complex. Overseeing the activities are (at back, from left) Jamaica Labour Party representative Delano Seiveright, Richard 'Dicky' Crawford and herbalist Basil Hylton.

Ahead of being granted a licence to cultivate marijuana for research purposes, the University of the West Indies (UWI) is set to establish an institute to coordinate research efforts on medicinal and commercial products of marijuana.

JUSTICE MINISTER Senator Mark Golding says the Government is aiming to create an inclusive framework for the operation of the medical marijuana industry.

He said the system would be designed in a way to allow for small farmers to operate within a lawful industry.

"We don't want a design which is going to be prohibitive in terms of its requirements that would exclude especially small farmers from participating. That is where we think that there (will) be tremendous economic benefits," he said.

The justice minister was addressing the Rotary Club of Kingston's luncheon held on Thursday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.