Marijuana tea fed to children

UPDATE:

AT A TIME when TT is gearing up for public discussions on whether or not marijuana should be legalised for medicinal purposes, a San Fernando man was hauled before the courts yesterday charged with possession of the illegal herb which he claimed he made into a tea and fed to his children to deal with their asthma.

The 25-year-old said his children, aged three and seven, have been suffering with severe asthma which is only eased when they drink a tea infused with marijuana leaves.
The man stood before San Fernando Magistrate Alicia Chankar where he said his children’s medical condition were much eased by the marijuana tea.

Having been arrested on the Emancipation Day holiday on Wednesday, the man yesterday pleaded guilty to possession of  21.59 grammes of marijuana. Chankar heard from prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan that police on patrol along King’s Wharf in San Fernando stopped the man who was walking towards the water taxi terminal.

PC Narendra Singh searched the man who Newsday has decided not to name since in doing so, his underaged children could be identified. In one of his pants pocket, police found the marijuana wrapped in a plastic bag.
Chankar asked the father how often he uses the drug and he replied that he too suffers from asthma and would often brew the marijuana into a tea.

He said when he realised the marijuana tea was helping his asthma, he decided to give the tea to the children to ease their asthma.
The man claimed he was also advised to use the marijuana as a medicine by a doctor based at San Fernando General Hospital.

When Chankar asked, “who is the doctor?” the accused father declined to answer.
The magistrate later asked PC Seedan whether the Children’s Authority should not become involved because the children are not of an age to appreciate the illegal act that is being inflicted on them.

“Is it not the Children’s Authority who would be responsible,” Chankar asked. The prosecutor said that the police would report the issue to the Children’s Authority for further investigation.
Magistrate Chankar then fined the father $6,000 and ordered him to pay it within two months or serve 12 months in jail with hard labour.

Recently, journalist and head of social pressure group The Caribbean Collective for Social Justice Nazma Muller presented a signed petition to both Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi calling for the legalisation of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Rowley said he is open to public consultation involving all stakeholders including those in the medical field to discuss the issue of the decriminalisation of marijuana.

The Collective’s petition came amidst the Caricom Regional Commission on Marijuana recommending the declassification of marijuana as a dangerous drug in all legislation and the reclassification of the drug as a controlled substance.
The commission’s report was presented at the recent Caricom heads of government meeting in Jamaica which was attended by Rowley.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A FATHER this morning admitted to a San Fernando magistrate that he often gives his two children marijuana tea on mornings.

The 25-year-old of Kings Wharf, San Fernando, told magistrate Alicia Chankar it is a cure for their asthmatic condition.

The magistrate asked the court prosecutor to notify the Children's Authority because his children are ages three and seven.

The man pleaded guilty to possession of 21.59 grammes of the illegal herb.

Police were on patrol along the wharf yesterday morning and became suspicious of the man who was walking near the water taxi terminal.

PC Narendra Singh searched him and found the marijuana in one of his pants pocket.

Asked if he was a regular smoker, he told Chankar he suffers from asthma and would often brew the marijuana into a tea.

He further told Chankar that he has two children, who are also asthmatic, and very often he gives them marijuana tea to drink to ease their nasal congestion.

The father told the magistrate he was advised to use the marijuana for its medicinal value by a medical doctor at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Chankar asked: "Who is the doctor?" However, the man could not say.

She told the prosecutor, PC Cleyon Seedan, that the police must notify the Children's Authority so they can visit the home. She fined the father $6,000 which he was ordered to pay in two months or serve 12 months in jail.