Do All Jamaicans Smoke Marijuana?
Visions of sunny beaches, the blue-green sea, palm trees and gorgeous sunsets come to mind for many of us when we think of Jamaica. For some, the first images are those of pot-smoking men on the street corners. Believing that “all” Jamaicans smoke marijuana, potential visitors are either turned off or even more intrigued. It begs the question, “Do all Jamaicans smoke marijuana?” Lets look into that…
Granted, marijuana use, also called “weed,” “smoke,” “ganja” and a myriad of other names in Jamaica, is widely VISIBLE to even the most casual observer. A tourist will barely step foot on the beach before he is given the chance to buy it.
While not technically “legal” in Jamaica, marijuana was “decriminalized” in 2015. What does this mean? Well, you are allowed to carry up to a 2 oz pack of weed safely. I’m told that because it’s still not legal, in theory, you could be charged with possession but it won’t go on your record. Okay. That’s confusing.
The reality is, if you are sitting quietly on your verandah smoking a spliff and the cops walk by, they will likely tip their hats, say hello and be on their way. Nobody is going to bother with small-time users, Jamaican or tourist. This works out pretty nicely for those wishing to partake because, in the tourist areas, every other vendor who approaches them will be offering “smokes.”
For some foreigners, being able to freely enjoy a “blunt” is part of what draws them to Jamaica, both those deciding to live there and those going just for vacations. Finding that it relaxes them, they say it enhances the laid back atmosphere that they hope to enjoy while they recover from life in the rat-race.
Still others, those with life threatening illnesses and painful injuries or conditions, flock to the island in search of “therapeutic herbal treatment.” This doesn’t necessarily mean they are getting medical grade marijuana but they are willing to take what they can get, simply looking for healing and relief.
Okay, so thus far, we’ve looked at why foreigners smoke pot in Jamaica. What about Jamaicans? Are they all pot heads? Do they lay around, high, without a care in the world? Is ganja use at the heart of the poverty issue in Jamaica? Where does weed use come from and just how prevalent is it? You’d be surprised.
Those living with cancer often find great relief from their nausea and pain when smoking or ingesting quality MMJ. There are also a number of studies that suggest that elements within MMJ suppress the growth of cancer cells. Hey, it’s worth a try, right?
Take my friend, David, for example. Told in 2008 that he had terminal liver cancer, he sold out and moved to Jamaica in 2009. You’ll note, I speak of him in the present term as “my friend” because we only met last year. The point being, it’s been 10 years since his diagnoses and yet he’s still alive. In fact, I never even knew he was “sick” until I interviewed him for a future blog post.
No conversation about ganja usage in Jamaica would be complete without visiting the cultural usage it among those in the Rastafarian movement.
Marijuana use in Jamaica actually predates the Rastafarian movement, having been brought to Jamaica by West Indians who replaced the slaves as the workforce. However, since the beginning of the Rastafarian in the 1930’s, it has been considered sacred. It is also referred to as simply “herb” or “the wisdom weed.”
Pointing to Genesis 3:18 “Thou shalt eat the herb of the field,” and Exodus 10:12 “Eat every herb of the land” as confirmation as to the sacred roots. Based on these beliefs, the use of marijuana, or “ganja” as the Rasta’s tend to call it, plays an important role in their religious ceremonies.
Surprisingly, and against what would seem obvious, my true Rasta friend, Carver, tells me they do not believe in the use of ganja to become “high” or as an escape. Instead, they believe that it lowers ones concerns about the cares of life that are not important. This allows him to can focus on the more spiritual aspects of life.
I did some research on marijuana use around the world, figuring that Jamaica had to be in the top 10 countries for “per capita” use.
Note: Per capita is a term used to equalize countries despite their size. It looks at the percentage of a population, NOT the actual numbers of people. If they didn’t make the adjustment, large countries would always be at the top.)
Nope, Jamaica was not number one…or even number two. Guess who rates as number one? USA? England? Canada? Holland? Wrong again.
The country with the highest (pun intended…couldn’t resist) marijuana usage rate per capita is ICELAND. Yes, Iceland. Wha??? According to a recent assessment done by the UNODC or the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime task force, Iceland has a per capita marijuana usage rate of 18.%. (Keep reading before you book your ticket to Iceland!)
This is despite the fact that, in Iceland, cannabis in any form is illegal; possession, cultivation, transportation or sales can result in jail time and/or heavy fines. That kinds takes the fun away, doesn’t it? (Turn off your booking app now and read on…)
Who tops the list for per capita usage of marijuana?
Jamaica doesn’t even make the TOP TEN!!! Myth busted, huh? Jamaica comes in at #22! The funny part is that many Jamaicans are so proud of their pot smoking “image.” When I read the comments on the articles that I researched for this post, Jamaicans were commenting to say the study HAS to be wrong. They insisted that Jamaica MUST be number 1. Ha ha.
Seriously, though, while the smokers may be very visible compared to the non-smokers, the study showed that less than 10% of Jamaicans smoke pot. I know. It make me question the stats, too, but as they say, numbers don’t lie…but maybe Jamaicans do!
There is a strongly held belief that the lax laws regarding marijuana in Jamaica help to boost the tourist trade. Lord knows, the Jamaican economy needs any “draw” it come up with to bring more money into the country. So, if anything, marijuana sales should help boost the economy, not cause poverty.
If you build it, they will come, right?
It would make sense that the government of Jamaica would get out in front of this movement. They should be working towards licensing medical marijuana growers and dispensaries. This is the point where I usually slap my forehead in disbelief at how the Jamaican government mismanages opportunities for growth.
Good news! They have proved me WRONG! A number of farms have now been licensed to grow medical marijuana (MMJ) through the Cannabis Licensing Authority of Jamaica. TImeless Herbal Care has a full-fledged business set up in Kingston to meet your MMJ needs. This is seen as a trend that will only grow over time.
If only 10% of the Jamaican population smokes weed, why does it hold such a prominent position in Jamaican culture? Is this just an illusion?
A big part of that surrounds the life of Bob Marley, arguably the most famous musician Jamaica ever had. His “love, peace and harmony” image was usually augmented with liberal doses of weed smoking. Seen as a cultural icon, Marley is seen as an image to model oneself after.
Additionally, there ARE a lot of people in Jamaica who are either smoking, selling or both in the areas that most visitors find themselves. That 10% of the smoking population congregates in the resort towns. Especially now that the stigma of possible arrest has been played down, it’s extremely easy to find a variety of marijuana products. Wine? Edibles? Oils? It’s all there.
Having witness a high percentage of Jamaicans who seem to suffer with untreated ADHA, mental illness and uncontrolled pain, I’d guess that a lot of people are self-medicating with marijuana. They may not even think of it as treatment, but they know they think more clearly and get more done while “high.” Contrary to popular belief, many users report feeling that they can think more clearly and can organize their thoughts while smoking.
A word of caution: Be very careful when purchasing any of the above items.
Just like elsewhere, there is always the risk of ending up with a product that has been tainted or laced with something else. More likely, you will end up with lousy “bush weed,” or all of the junk that Jamaicans don’t want to smoke.
This is why the advent of MMJ farmer and dispensaries is such a fabulous business idea. Selling only high quality, regulated, clean weed, overseen by a doctor and a certified “Buds-man,” at least you will be guaranteed to get a safe product.
So, in the end, the answer is clearly that NO, Jamaicans don’t ALL smoke ganja, not even close.
Even if the stats of the study are way off and 20% of the population smokes, that’s still a long way from 100%! So, those of you Jamaicans who are reading this and feel upset that the world looks at Jamaica as a “Pot Stop” on their travels, take heart. It might just be the marijuana business that puts Jamaica on the map for all of the “right” reasons, too.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Feel free to drop me line in the comment section below. If you enjoy Jamaican at Heart, please subscribe to our email newsletter so I can touch base upon occasion. Please Pin, Post or Tweet these posts to share it with your friends, too! If pinning, hit the Pinterest button and find the hidden pin! Thanks so much.
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3 Comments
Jeremy
Jamaica used to be known for the quantity of weed moving to the US markets, rather than weed use per capita
Anna chin
I do believe that allowing legal ganga dispensories is the way to go in Jamaica. Glad to see they r. I visited Bali’s dispensary KAYA and the regulations are tight and so it should be but it is a start. The industry is there already and it is just a matter of making it official. The rest of the world is doing so, so why r we supressing, depriving n obstructing something that is synonimus n benificial to our economy. The notion that all Jamaicans r weed heads is a myth. When I migrated to Toronto in the 70s the first things people thought was how come u dont smoke weed and your not black, both myths. At 58 today I now say that i have started to smoke about 3 years ago. I have worked hard all my life tried drugs over the years but never been an addict to any. Neither am I a addict to weed but I do like to relax listen to live reggae music or music in my down time. Why then in our country shoulh other people tell us what we can and can not do when they are doing the same thing, legalizing and using it at a higher %. Alcohol has more negative side effects on my body than weed these days n its legal. Theres no known benifits to alcoholo use either. Get with the program people. Light it up.
Young enough to have a vision old enough to be entitled.
Jamerican
Amen! Jamaica should’ve started working on these legal dispensaries long ago. Not enough bribes got paid, I guess.
It’s true that people make all sorts of assumptions about Jamaica and Jamaicans. That’s why I’m trying to dispel a few in my posts. Thanks so much for your comments!