Jamaica decriminalises marijuana use Tuesday Feb 24,2015

Jamaica has decriminalised the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use

Tuesday night's vote in the upper house of parliament means the measures can now be passed into law.
The law will also allow Jamaica's Rastafarians to use marijuana for religious purposes

The plant is regarded as sacred by members of the faith, and has been celebrated in the island's reggae music

Jamaica's national security minister, Peter Bunting, said the law does not represent any easing of Jamaica's stance on the international drugs trade, or on the illegal cultivation of the plant.

The country's parliament passed a much-debated law allowing the possession of up to 2oz (57g) of marijuana.

It will also allow for a licensing authority to oversee the medical and scientific uses of the plant.

Marijuana is widely grown in Jamaica and has cultural roots there - but the decriminalisation drive ran into fears of possible sanction from the US.

The island nation is thought to be the biggest Caribbean exporter of marijuana - also known as ganja and cannabis - to the US.

Its decision to relax domestic restrictions against marijuana forms part of a broader global trend

Note

Uruguay last year became the first country in the world to approve the growth, sale and distribution of marijuana

Mexico, Colombia and Argentina decriminalised the possession of small amounts of marijuana a few years ago