Sir Richard Branson In Hot Water Over ‘Legalisation Of Drugs’ Statement In Barbados. By Colin Maximin.

Sir Richard Branson revels in his reputation as an ageing hippy but his calls for legalising cannabis on Barbados have not bought peace and love to the island.

The billionaire, who lives on Necker Island in the Caribbean, called for the small amounts of “ganga” to be made legal during a conference organised by Virgin Atlantic in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados.

He described that the fight against drugs as “an abject failure for the last 60 years” and advised the authorities to treat cannabis use as a health problem and not a crime.

Sir Richard’s comments followed a warning by Dr Tanya Holder, a senior registrar in the psychiatric department of the island’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, that early cannabis use would lead to “early onset schizophrenia [and] more mental health issues …and we can see suicide attempts increasing as well”.

The businessman’s calls led to criticism of his demands for legislation, with the Cheryl Willoughby, director of the island’s Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit, saying most court cases involving cannabis were for large-scale possession and trafficking.

The founder of the Virgin business empire has responded to criticism by insisting tough law enforcement did nothing to make societies like Barbados safer.

In a statement to the Daily Nation newspaper, Sir Richard, 66, wrote: “Cannabis is everywhere in the Caribbean, freely available to anyone who wants it and looks for it, and yet, the entire market is controlled by people that have no interest in ensuring that potent, harmful types of cannabis stay out of the hands of minors

“If the safety of your child matters to you, this cannot be an acceptable situation.”
Sir Richard said he was not encouraging use of drugs and added: “I believe strongly that as with alcohol in the United States, only decriminalization helps and will free the law enforcement resources needed to focus on organized crime.”

He said he hoped the Caribbean would follow the lead of area in the United States, Canada and Uruguay which have reformed their laws on cannabis use.
A spokesman for Royal Barbados Police said yesterday: “Barbados does not support the legalization of any drugs. Drugs are illegal and will continue to be so
“It does not matter who speaks in support of decriminalization. No one is above the law. Foreigners and everyone else have to abide by our laws and regulations.”

Sir Richard has previously said that many people smoked cannabis, including highly potent skunk, without the drug “doing them any harm”.

He appeared alongside Nick Clegg when the then Liberal Democrat leader launched a manifesto pledge for the 2015 general election to decriminalise the possession of drugs for personal use.

 

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