Pressure mounting on govt. to legalise ganja – Minister Jayasena
Parliament Affairs Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena says everybody including Buddhist monks in her electorate demand that ganja (cannabis) be legalised.
Addressing a public meeting on Saturday (18) to mark the opening of a rural electrification project for the benefit of 320 families in the Saragama and Helmulla areas in Siymbalanduwa, the minister said it was difficult to find a person who did not grow ganja in Thanamalwila area. “Even Buddhist monks of the area demand that ganja be legalised. These Bhikkhus come to us and request that laws be amended in Parliament to remove legal barriers to allow free cultivation of ganja,” she said.
Minister Jayasena said the main Opposition UNP was rudderless and there were several bigwigs vying for the leadership. All the capable politicians had left the UNP and joined forces with the government which was developing the country at an unprecedented scale, she said. “All those who were convinced that the UNP would never come back to power have joined us. Those chased out from our party have become the leading figures of the UNP.”
UVa Provincial Council Housing and Cooperatives Minister Kumarasiri Ratnayake, Chairman of the Siyamblanduwa Pradeshiya Sabha Saman Warnakulasuriya, Deputy Chairman Ajith Pushpakumara, politicians Ananda Dharmathilake and Asanka Buddhika were also present on the occasion.
(Courtesy: The Island)
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No problem. Minister of Buddha Sasana (also PM) will endorse it.
The poor farmers in Bolivia, Columbia and Chile cultivate coca plants from which cocaine is produced. However, the farmers make little profit from it though they do all the hard work and take risks.
Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan by the poor farmers only enrich the Taleban leaders who produce opium and heroin from it for their war effort.
Both cocaine and heroin are Class A drugs banned throughout the world because it is addictive and harmful to physical and mental health. But they have limited medical use.
Ganja/Marihuana is a Class 3 drug. It has medical use also. It is not so harmful as the other two. However, heavy smoking of ganja/marihuana can lead to schizophrenic like mental illness with strong symptoms of paranoia, aggression and violence. Holland and some EU countries allow it for personal use on a limited scale. A certain State in USA has also allowed it for personal use on a limited scale, on a trial basis.
Sinhala Ayurvedic and medical opinion has also to be sought before lifting the ban on its cultivation. What are the pros and cons?
The poor farmers in Bolivia, Columbia and Chile cultivate coca plants from which cocaine is produced. However, the farmers make little profit from it though they do all the hard work and take risks.
Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan by the poor farmers only enrich the Taleban leaders who produce opium and heroin from it for their war effort.
Both cocaine and heroin are Class A drugs banned throughout the world because it is addictive and harmful to physical and mental health. But they have limited medical use.
Ganja/Marihuana is a Class 3 drug. It has medical use also. It is not so harmful as the other two. However, heavy smoking of ganja/marihuana can lead to schizophrenic like mental illness with strong symptoms of paranoia, aggression and violence. Holland and some EU countries allow it for personal use on a limited scale. A certain State in USA has also allowed it for personal use on a limited scale, on a trial basis.
Sinhala Ayurvedic and medical opinion has also to be sought before lifting the ban on its cultivation. What are the pros and cons?
I am happy the proposal to legalise Ganja is coming from the Hon Parliament Affairs Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena.
Parliament is where Ganja is needed most to provide intellectual enhancement and inspiration to the politicians in whose hands the destiny of the nation lies.
We do not have to worry about “schizophrenic like mental illness with strong symptoms of paranoia, aggression and violence” because these characteristics and mannerisms are already prevalent amongst occupants of the parliament.
Thanks to Sumedha for attempting to boost leadership behaviors through the natural and local products.