|
Caribbean:
Bermuda
Drug
Chief
Leans
Toward
Downgrading
Marijuana
Offenses
4/21/06
https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/432/bermuda.shtml
Bermudan National Drug Control
Minister Wayne Perinchief has called for marijuana offenses to be downgraded.
The Bermuda Royal Gazette reported that Perinchief is calling for Bermuda
to follow the British example and treat marijuana as a less serious drug
than drugs like heroin or cocaine. Bermuda currently lumps all drug
offenses together.
"We are moving now to dealing
with drug use as a health issue rather than something criminal," said Perinchief.
"If you are going to do that, you need to keep people out of the criminal
courts. First offenders with a small amount -- possession for their
own use -- could be dealt with outside the criminal court. They could
be referred straight to rehabilitation."
Perinchief views marijuana
smokers as "victims" of drug dealers, but they are also victimized by the
criminal law, he said, citing the inability of people with even a minor
drug conviction to travel to the United States. He also conceded
that marijuana use is here to stay. "It's a blight that will never
go away," Perinchief said. "The punitive effect of a marijuana conviction
outweighs the crime. We are not saying the health issue is not still
there. But we would like to deal with the treatment rather than the
punishment to avoid criminalizing such a large section of the population."
Perinchief spoke to the Gazette
following a meeting of the National Steering Committee on Drugs last week
where moving to a British-style drug classification scheme was discussed.
No word yet on if or when a decision will be made.
-- END --
|
Issue #432
-- 4/21/06
Feature:
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Feature:
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In
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Francisco
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Feature:
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Marijuana:
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Marijuana:
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Medical
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in
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Africa:
Mozambique
Official
Rejects
Calls
to
Destroy
Farmers'
Marijuana
Crops
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Caribbean:
Bermuda
Drug
Chief
Leans
Toward
Downgrading
Marijuana
Offenses
|
Errata:
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Driving
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Drugged
Driving:
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State
of
the
Research
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Weekly:
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Reformer's
Calendar
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