FATHER James Palacious
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FATHER James Palacious is a reluctant supporter of marijuana decriminalisation, warning yesterday that legalising the psychoactive substance may be fair for some reasons but harmful to the country.
“I wish we could ban alcohol,” he said yesterday, “but that’s not possible, it’s not practical, they tried it, it went underground during prohibition and of course it persists today, so if alcohol is legal, marijuana perhaps should be too.”
The draft preliminary report of the Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana recommends the decriminalisation of up to one ounce of marijuana.
Several religious figures have expressed their views since the report’s leak.
Bahamas Christian Council President Delton Fernander said he will comment when the official report is released.
“Unfortunately, people see marijuana as another means of changing their mood and that is extremely unfortunate, but I think that as an adult you have a right to that,” Father Palacious said.
“I don’t agree that you should use it. I don’t think it is a good thing for the country to have people smoking marijuana but if that is your choice, especially since we’ve legalized alcohol and cigarettes, which appear to be killing more people than marijuana, then that’s your choice. But it is not good for our young people because I don’t think we need something else to alter our mood, something else messing with our heads and whatever effect marijuana has, it is a fact that it has some negative impacts on people’s behaviour. It can be addictive and can be an introductory drug to other things. Like they did with the numbers, are they going talk about how you’ll have more counsellors available to deal with this? We ain’ see that happen with numbers yet.” Research is inconclusive on whether marijuana is a gateway drug.
Father Palacious expressed concern that the drug users with flaunt the substance in public.
“If you at the party, you could be inhaling weed, if you on Bay Street, people could just be passing you smoking your weed if it’s under one ounce,” he said. “Ten fellas could be coming down Bay Street just smoking. You could be out on the church porch smoking your weed. I think that’s an extremely bad image, a bad thing to see.”
More than anything else, the retired archdeacon is concerned the government won’t adequately enforce the rules it ultimately applies.
“Part of my reluctance is that enforcement processes in this country is so weak, that even when you say certain things, we don’t enforce them,” he said. “People don’t do what’s expected, they do what’s inspected and our inspectorate programme is just about zero. Look at how many people are running red lights. How are we going to enforce these rules?”
Comments
Hoda 4 years, 3 months ago
This is interesting to see Bahamians persepctive on marijuana, all while we will watch our friends and family getdrunk as a skunk and then help them into their cars to drive home alone all year round. All the while we block up the road to get kentucky and bamboo shack and then demand free hypertension and diabetes medication from the state.
bogart 4 years, 3 months ago
...and to go along with the two piece chicken and conch snack is a drink of suggary soda, one of the well documented known drink causing top five illnesses and known to govt medical doctors, legislators, Govt Executives in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
Chucky 4 years, 3 months ago
While it’s true that there are marijuana users who want legalization, and morally that is likely just fine.
It should be noted that all these big mouth figures pushing for legalization are doing so solely for the pursuit of profits.
mandela 4 years, 3 months ago
Why should a person be locked up for something that has no evidence of harming oneself, a God-given herb, we in this country need to take our heads out of the sand like ostriches and start facing reality, the reality is we are destroying this country by locking up persons for a joint, giving them a record, making it hard or near impossible for them to survive in a Bahamas without a job and then set them up to do what? ROB, STEAL and be a nuisance to themselves and the country at large. We would prefer to spend thousands of $$ locking up and destroying people's lives for a mere $5.00. How stupid is that?
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 3 months ago
God gave us poisonous plants and insects too.
The real problem is people who feel they don't have to follow the rules. Whatever those rules may be, as long as it benefits them, do it, I making money, I getting there faster, I enjoying myself.
As Palacious says "where" will these persons be allowed to smoke? Can they do it while operating a vehicle? On the way to school? Inside a building? In the movies? At a restaurant?
Then when they decide they don't have to follow those rules either what will we do?
screwedbahamian 4 years, 3 months ago
Now the ministry of Tourism can add a little extra to it's Marketing campaign." Visit the Beautiful Bahamas and get high on locally grown LEGAL Bahamian ganga" Just where the family of four {two children ) would want to come to spend a week or two for family vacation. The number boys are screwing the local citizens on one side now the Ganga cartels will get the other side. where is the government?? What government???
TalRussell 4 years, 3 months ago
Comrade Father James is among the growing number clergyman's who are opening up however reluctantly weed legalization. Their growing support is opening up more than jitney door does open and close.
Legally available pharmacy and drug store medications, as well as alcohol and caffeine are but short list types drugs classified as psychoactive drugs that people most commonly use to alter their mental state - and although long legally and widely available across colony of out islands, can still be physically and psychologically harmful when abused.
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