Cannabis Bill goes to Senate

AT 10 am Friday, the Senate sits to debate a bill to decriminalise the use of cannabis. The Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

However, the Senate will not debate the Cannabis Control Bill (to regulate the business of cannabis) as the House sent this to a joint select committee.

In the House, Tabaquite MP Dr Surujrattan Rambachan urged Parliament to reflect on drug abuse and the reform of drug users. He urged funding for groups trying to wean people off drugs and the National Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programme.

“What are we doing to help people get out of their addiction to cannabis? What are we prepared to do?

“Or are we just going to decriminalise and leave them their smoking cannabis, with all the ills associated with it?”

Rambachan said a New Zealand study showed teenagers are “at risk” as cannabis affects a still-developing brain, and reduces their IQ on reaching adulthood.

He said Dr Jody Gilman, head of neuroscience at Massachusetts General Hospital, said cannabis can cause memory loss in teens.

“She supports the premise that there is a strong link between cannabis use and psychosis, depression and anxiety.”

Rambachan asked whether decriminalisation would lead more youngsters into cannabis use. “What are we going to do in society to help these young people out of it? “I don’t think we can just talk of decriminalisation without trying to redeem people out of this.” Rambachan said groups like the American Medical Association have highlighted “very deleterious” long-term effects of cannabis. Mayaro MP Rushton Paray reckoned users consume five to 12 tonnes of cannabis each year in TT.