It’s all about keeping youth safe

We were told that if we wanted the youth vote, then we must agree to legalise marijuana for recreational use.

Well, while [Solutions Barbados] plans to allow non-addictive extracts to be prescribed by doctors for medicinal uses, recreational use of marijuana is another question.

Under a Solutions Barbados administration, using marijuana will not attract a prison sentence or court presence, but a fine, much like how illegal parking attracts a parking ticket. It will remain an illegal substance in order to protect our youth.

Many of our youth tend to push the boundaries of what previous generations agreed was generally acceptable behaviour. Some of our behaviours result from researched health and safety standards, while others are cultural.

During interactions with some teenagers, they noted that they did not use Facebook for the simple reason that many of their parents used it. Instead, they used the more recently developed application Instagram, which few of their parents used.

Our youth have a natural desire to express themselves differently from the previous generation. This desire is normal and may be expressed by their embracing the latest technological equipment, music, dress and/or other types of fashion.

Some youth are attracted to marijuana for the simple reason that it is illegal. However, if it is legalised, then they will likely find something else to differentiate themselves from the normal crowd.

In the United States, where states legalised marijuana for recreational use, the youth turned to brain-altering drugs, and deaths from overdosing on opioids increased significantly.

Legalising something harmful may seem like a good solution to reduce the costs of policing. However, I do not think that the foreseen consequential damage to our youth is worth it.

– GRENVILLE PHILLIPS II