Legalise cannabis in Trinidad and Tobago

The Issue

Jail is no place for non-violent offenders who break a law whose very basis was highly immoral and contravenes the Constitutional right to freedom and to enjoyment of one's property, among others. The prisons in Trinidad are already extremely overcrowded and conditions are inhumane. People in Remand Yard have been waiting for years for a trial date. The Dangerous Drugs Act permits possession, use, sale and cultivation of marijuana - all that is required is for the Minister of Health to write the regulations by which licences can be issued. With numerous studies showing that marijuana has therapeutic and medical benefits, and many countries moving towards legalisation or decriminalisation, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago must address the fact that as long as ganja remains illegal, it will always be under the control of criminal gangs because demand continues to grow for marijuana locally, regionally and internationally.

avatar of the starter
Nazma MullerPetition StarterI have been a journalist, editor, publicist, writer and now an activist. I am the founder of the Caribbean Collective for Justice, a registered NGO in Trinidad and Tobago. An eco-warrior at heart, I believe we all have a purpose.
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The Issue

Jail is no place for non-violent offenders who break a law whose very basis was highly immoral and contravenes the Constitutional right to freedom and to enjoyment of one's property, among others. The prisons in Trinidad are already extremely overcrowded and conditions are inhumane. People in Remand Yard have been waiting for years for a trial date. The Dangerous Drugs Act permits possession, use, sale and cultivation of marijuana - all that is required is for the Minister of Health to write the regulations by which licences can be issued. With numerous studies showing that marijuana has therapeutic and medical benefits, and many countries moving towards legalisation or decriminalisation, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago must address the fact that as long as ganja remains illegal, it will always be under the control of criminal gangs because demand continues to grow for marijuana locally, regionally and internationally.

avatar of the starter
Nazma MullerPetition StarterI have been a journalist, editor, publicist, writer and now an activist. I am the founder of the Caribbean Collective for Justice, a registered NGO in Trinidad and Tobago. An eco-warrior at heart, I believe we all have a purpose.

The Decision Makers

Faris Al-Rawi
Faris Al-Rawi
Minister of Legal Affairs

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Petition created on July 25, 2015