Cannabis in Suriname

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Cannabis in Suriname is illegal. Cannabis is the most popular illegal drug in Suriname. [1]

Contents

Prohibition

Cannabis was banned in Suriname (then a Dutch colony) in the early years of the 20th century. The drug had been popularized by the arrival of Asian immigrants in the colony. In 1921 the Surinamese Immigrants' Association requested that the ban on ganja be lifted and an import and sales concession be granted to them. [2]

Cultivation

A 1982 report noted that cannabis was becoming more popular in Suriname, and was grown in abandoned plantations near the coastal plains, primarily for local consumption. [3] A 1998 report noted anecdotal data that cannabis was cultivated in Suriname, but that the amounts were unknown. [4]

During the 2005 Caribbean Week of Agriculture, the Surinamese Minister of Agriculture stated: We know that we have problems with fertile soil. We know that our food import bill is too high. So when we talk about marijuana, personally, for Suriname, I [do] not agree at this moment to [say] let our farmers start producing marijuana. What we are stimulating is produce food for our people. [5]

Smuggling

Suriname is noted as a key transshipment point for the smuggling of cannabis and cocaine to Europe. [6] The Brazilian town of Belém was noted as a particular contact point in the trade, given its proximity to Suriname and large Surinamese population. [7]

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The Surinamese Immigrants' Association was formed in 1910 in Suriname, then the Dutch colony of Surinam. The association's goal was to advocate for the interests of the East Indian diaspora in Suriname, particularly contract laborers.

Cannabis in Lesotho is illegal for any use, but largely tolerated. Cannabis is widely produced in the country, being the nation's most significant cash-crop. In the 2000s it was estimated that 70% of the cannabis in South Africa originated in Lesotho. In 2017 Lesotho became the first African nation to grant a license for the cultivation of medical cannabis.

Cannabis in Grenada is illegal. Cannabis possession is the most common drug offense on the island, and the annual prevalence of cannabis use amongst adults was reported as 10.8% in 2005.

Cannabis in Senegal is illegal; the drug is locally referred to as yamba.

Cannabis in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was prior known to be illegal but is now decriminalized up to 2 ounces. Persons caught with 56 grammes or less of the drug will not be subject to incarceration. Instead, they will be fined a maximum of $500 and be subject to other measures including begin given educational material about cannabis; counselling and rehabilitative care. These provisions were among several amendments that were made to the Drugs Amendment Act (2018), which was passed in Parliament on July 25. In addition to only being a ticketable offense, the amendment provides for Vincentians to smoke the herb in the privacy of their homes and in places of worship of the Rastafarian faith without punishment. The amendment also said that the Minister may designate a list of public areas where the smoking of cannabis may be allowed. The country has correlating legal medical marijuana laws. Parliament on December 11, 2018, passed two Acts, one which establishes a Medical Cannabis Industry in St Vincent and the Grenadines and the other which offers amnesty for traditional marijuana growers. The Vincentian Parliament passed legislation to protect the intellectual property of breeders of new plant varieties in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), the Plant Breeders’ Protection Bill, 2019. It sets up the jurisprudential framework within which these persons will be able to accrue the rights, how these rights will be protected, how they will be published so that persons in the entire society, in the court and globally, can be aware of the hard work which was done, the agriculture minister said. Under the law, a person must obtain the authorization of a grantee with respect to propagating material of the protected variety, to produce or reproduce, condition the material for the purpose of propagation, offer the material for sale, to sell the material, import or export the material, or stock the material for any of the previous purposes. Regarding infringement of plant breeders’ rights, the following acts are exempt: an act done privately for non-commercial purposes, an act done for experimental purposes, or an act done for the purpose of breeding other plant varieties. The law allows for compulsory licenses where a person may apply to the court for the grant of a compulsory license to exploit a protected variety in SVG. Subject to terms that the court thinks fit, the court may make an order for the grant of compulsory licenses if it is satisfied that the grant of the compulsory licenses is in the public interest. Offense under the law include falsification of register and falsely representing a plant variety as a protected variety. The law also orders the registrar to publish applications for plant breeders’ rights, proposed and approved denominations, withdrawals of application for plant breeders’ rights, the rejection of applications for plant breeders’ rights, any grant of a breeders’ right, any change in the breeder or the agent in respect of a plant variety, lapses of plant breeders’ rights, any invalidation or revocation of a plant breeder's rights, the licenses in relation to plant breeders’ rights, where applicable. Cannabis is widely grown illicitly on the island and is the nation's most valuable agricultural product. Saint Vincent is the most prolific producer of cannabis in the Caribbean, other than Jamaica.

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Cannabis in Uganda is illegal; the drug is locally referred to as bhang. Cannabis is the only drug produced within the country.

References

  1. Graeme R. Newman (19 October 2010). Crime and Punishment around the World [4 volumes]: [Four Volumes]. ABC-CLIO. pp. 1–. ISBN   978-0-313-35134-1.
  2. Rosemarijn Hoefte (1998). In Place of Slavery: A Social History of British Indian and Javanese Laborers in Suriname. University Press of Florida. pp. 160–. ISBN   978-0-8130-1625-2.
  3. Cannabis Eradication in Foreign Western Hemisphere Nations, Effects in the U.S.: Environmental Impact Statement. 1982. pp. 5–.
  4. International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. March 1998. ISBN   9780160494222.
  5. "Suriname wants focus on food security, not marijuana – Dominica News Online". Dominicanewsonline.com. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  6. Report of the International Narcotics Control Board (2007). DIANE Publishing. January 2009. pp. 72–. ISBN   978-1-4379-0280-8.
  7. Paul V. Daly (1 July 1996). The Supply of Illicit Drugs to the United States: The Nnicc Report. DIANE Publishing. pp. 58–. ISBN   978-0-7881-3942-0.

Further reading