Those are mere pellets among the puff of praises going up for marijuana by Jamaican and international reggae artiste Richie Spice in his hit single ‘Marijuana Pon di Corner’.
But the dreadlocked ‘conscious’ singer is by no means a one-man band when it comes to the herb, as a slew of other artistes have recorded their own take on the drug.
Hemp, weed, ganga, spliff, cannabis, sensemania, herb, or ‘kaya’ as the King of Reggae calls it: by whatever name you call it, marijuana is again a smoking topic, and this time it’s not only in Jamaica but other parts of the world.
The controversy surrounds whether the Government should ‘fly di gate’ on the drug and allow it to be exploited for medical use. Midlife crisis among other chronic diseases has featured high among the ailments that stand to be corrected. The spin-offs, sources say, would also be more than a shot in the arm for Jamaica’s ailing economy as a wide range of products can be produced from the plant.
Bolstered by the legalization cultivation and sale of marijuana for recreational use in the states of Colorado and Washington in the U.S. late last year, and in the Latin American nation of Uruguay, the clamours here at home are now at their loudest for legalization of the drug.
Social entrepreneur Dr. Henry Lowe is among those batting for the herb’s exploitation for medical use.
“As a pastor, I would support the legalization for medical use, but not the decriminalization.”
His views come against the background of research which, he says, shows the powerful marijuana as a gateway drug. Years of local research, which recently yielded the book – ‘Cannabis, Marijuana, Ganja: The Jamaican and Global Connection’ – a collaboration with President of the University of Technology Prof. Errol Morrison, and the formation of his Medicanja Company, have strengthened Dr. Lowe’s calls, this along with the recent law reforms in the US.
In an Observer article dated January 8 this year Dr. Lowe is quoted as saying:
“Tremendous potential exists for research and development to determine how medical ganja products can be developed and used to relieve a variety of health problems related to midlife crisis”.
There is no doubt, Dr. Lowe told Buzzz Magazine, about the wonders of “this amazing plant”.
Indeed, it even warranted a National Commission on Ganja in 2001 chaired by the late Prof. Barry Chevannes. Calling it one of the most “versatile plants”, Chevannes had pointed to its use – dating back some 8,000 years – in the manufacturing of paper, ropes, fabrics and other by-products and added that “the Jamaican variety fetches the best price on the world market”.
Modern science has proved that ganja is “good for treating dietary problems, glaucoma and cancer… based on research and development here in Jamaica,” according to the Chairman and Founder of the Agency for Inner City Renewal and Overseer for Praise City Transformation Centre located in Trench Town.
As for its treatment of midlife crisis, the doc said research has shown marijuana’s effectiveness in reducing stress and in slowing down the metabolic rate in menopausal women.
But leading psychiatrist Dr. Winston De La Haye, a lecturer in Psychiatry and consultant psychiatrist at the University of the West Indies, Mona, cautions that “the common psychiatric issues associated with the midlife crisis include depression and anxiety and there is no current scientific evidence that marijuana is in any way beneficial for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder.”
The average age for the onset of midlife crisis is 46 but the event can set in as early as the late 30s and extend into the 50s.
The midlife crisis is manifested in different ways across the genders. In men, it may present as dissatisfaction with their virility or career disenchantment while in women, the overarching concern is with their appearance.
It may lead some men to flock to younger ‘sheep’ in a bid to recapture the sexual energy of their 20s or to purchase that attention-seeking sports car while women tend to become pre-occupied with things like cosmetic surgery or other improvement to their appearance.
The incidence of the midlife crisis in women is, however, said to be significantly less than in men. It is even felt that some women experience the crisis as a result of their spouses’ own ‘crises’ which may manifest as a lack of affection or shortcomings in the bedroom.
Midlife is a difficult emotional time, but as far as the negative outcomes associated with it are concerned, the most trusted treatment is psychotherapy.
As for claims that marijuana improves a man’s virility, Dr. Lowe isn’t quite sold on that. It’s more “a myth,” he said. “It may have some aphrodisiac effect in men but many men will see side effects.” These, he suggested, far outstrip the benefits.“It is classified as a drug, and like all narcotics, it does have some harmful side effects. It induces sleep and makes you sluggish,” he pointed out. Many Jamaicans users familiar with the drug would know about the cognitive dissonance (feeling high) it causes the scientist added.Could that be what Bob Marley & The Wailers meant in their 1978 song, Kaya?
“I feel so good in my neighbourhood I even touch the sky… .”
Dr. Lowe’s claims appear to align with what UK researchers have found. A study, published in the Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology and carried in the Daily Mail (July 2013) found that “short-term exposure to cannabis in teenagers impaired brain activity, with the damage continuing into adulthood. The study also found that those who regularly smoke weed may have a greater risk of developing schizophrenia.”
Back home, a recent study titled ‘Impact of Cannabis on Jamaican Adolescent Users’ Neuropsychological Performance’ by Doctors De La Haye and Samantha Longman-Mills of UWI, and Karyl Powell-Booth of the University of Technology in Kingston (slated for publication in a peer review article soon), found that current evidence supports, at minimum, “a strong association of cannabis use with the onset of psychiatric disorders and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to harm, given the effects of cannabis on neurological development.” That said, Dr. De La Haye is against decriminalization of the drug and argues that “one of the largest risk factors leading to the use and misuse (abuse + addiction) of any substance is availability. It is also for these reasons that Dr. Lowe is cautioning against wholesale calls for the drug’s decriminalization – which could see all and sundry lighting up their spliffs – and this scenario is largely seen as the biggest deterrent to the discussion on the development that needs to happen.
The commercial aspect of the drug has been well established Dr. Lowe reminded, but “it is the social aspect that keeps getting in the way”. And these have serious implications for Jamaica.
The study concludes that “Marijuana smoked in a ‘spliff’ is not a specific product with controlled dosages. The buyer has no way of knowing the strength or purity of the product, as cannabis lacks the quality control of FDA-approved medicines.”
Still, the calls continue to come from all quarters including outspoken reggae artiste Queen Ifrica, who in her now controversial Independence performance last year, among other things, called for the Government to “legalize di marijuana”.
So far, only Jamaica’s Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell has openly expressed support for the recent calls for the drug’s medical exploitation.
By no means the “be-all” or “end-all” for Jamaica, Dr. Lowe says the country will have to produce itself out of its present situation rather than depend on the drug for the fix.
While the debate continues, a ganja growers association has sprung up (early January 2014). Until then, it remains to be seen whether Jamaica’s midlife crises – medical or otherwise – are treatable by marijuana.