First of all, everyone at Negril.com wants to make sure that everyone else knows that we do appreciate Vi for her support and posts in the past. So there is no confusion, Vi has specifically posted some great info regarding Port Antonio so please check out the Port Antonio Board if you want information about this beautiful part of our island! We do hope that she continues her postings, but as with anyone, that is a personal decision. We wish her the best both at home and in Jamaica in the future regardless of her decision.
Negril.com also wants everyone to know that all members are treated as equals regardless of how long they have been a member or the number of posts. No member's information is automatically better than another. Each post stands on its own merit and will be treated as such. Because the majority of the readers on Negril.com are not registered members and many of those are first time visitors to the island, we need to make sure that the information posted is correct.
As with the Customs laws, there seems to be some confusion regarding the local marijuana laws. Jamaican marijuana, known locally as ganja, its laws as well as the Customs laws were both updated in 2015. The Customs laws were updated and specifically explain that fruits and vegetables are illegal as they can cause catastrophic damage to the local agriculture. The new ganja laws were enacted to lessen the penalties for possession of two ounces or less. This was done because of a young local man dying in a police lockup charged for smoking a spliff. The government wanted to make sure that can no one is ever incarcerated again for this transgression.
The new ganja laws state that possession of two ounces or less of ganja is no longer an offence for which one can be arrested, charged and tried in court, and it will not result in a criminal record. Further, the police may issue a ticket to a person in possession of two ounces or less of ganja, similar to a traffic ticket, and the person would have 30 days to pay the sum of J$500 at any Tax Office. Smoking of ganja in a public place or within five metres of a public place is prohibited in a manner similar to cigarettes.
The point of this is to let everyone know, contrary to what has been posted, that while cannabis, marijuana, ganja is technically illegal in Jamaica, there is no possibility of imprisonment and no major fine if caught in possession of two ounces or less.
Since the inception of the new ganja laws, Negril.com has been able to allow discussion of ganja more freely on the Board. And so everyone knows, an open thread stays near the top for as long as people continue to post in that thread. Threads have been known to last for weeks into months near the top.
There are many times, especially when discussing laws, that Negril.com is required to take a firm position. When the discussion gets into topics that are literally "set in stone" the way laws are, we are required to remain firm and not allow anyone's personal opinion or speculation to change our position.
Thanks for your understanding in this matter.
