CRC Launch Online Survey On Cannabis Reform

March 18, 2014

The Cannabis Reform Committee [CRC] has launched an online survey to better understand the public’s opinion around Cannabis Reform.

Late last year Government announced that work had begun to produce a paper on cannabis policy reform. At that time, the Ministry said, “The paper will identify the benefits and consequences of reclassifying, legalizing, or decriminalizing Cannabis and investigate its medical uses.

“Through comprehensive research and public consultation, the Cannabis Reform Collaborative [CRC] aims to provide a sound basis for rational, humane action towards reforming Bermudian laws and policies.

“Its members will look at cannabis and current cannabis policy from health, human rights, spiritual, cultural and economic perspectives in an effort to provide a fair and inclusive overview of policy options.

“The paper produced by the CRC will be included in the review by the Ministry of National Security and Department of National Drug Control and form part of the public consultation paper produced by Government.”

The online survey — which closes on March 26th — can be accessed by clicking here. It consists of nine questions and is quick and simple to do.

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Comments (21)

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  1. Pete says:

    Why Should as a drug CLEAN Senior Citizen be made to spend part of my hard erned insurance premuim toward a very BAD and Usless Habit, and I suffer while an able young person using weed ? drugs gets priorty over ME.

    • young observer says:

      Sorry Sir, no offence but this has been an issue before you and I were born.This will only help the island. You sound like your retired, I suggest you spend some of your free time educating on yourself on the subject.

      I also suggest that since you have the Internet at your finger tips you use it. The evidence proving that it helps people for medicinal and recreational purposes is overwhelming.

    • Chingas says:

      Why should our collective tax dollars go towards policing and incarcerating non-violent drug crimes when those dollars would be better served helping struggling seniors?

    • Steve Davis says:

      Who says this has anything to do with your healthcare premium? If it is medical marijuana you are referring to then that would be prescribed by a doctor and would cost a hell of a lot less than Valium.

      Realistically though, why should my healthcare premium go towards obese people who cannot manage their diets correctly? While me a healthy able body citizen eats right and exercises regularly! Get where I am going with this? Why should my healthcare premium cover someone who cannot manage there alcohol intake which leads to health issues or cigarette smoking for that matter?

    • Blaque Beauty says:

      You do now anyway so really whats your point? is it a case of knowing you do or being in denial that you do?

    • Liars/Truth says:

      Well hopefully a large portion of the tax dollars generated will go towards senior citizens AND help to re-invest back into the Pensions fund for our futures.

      • dscientist says:

        How much tax revenue do you honestly think will be generated? Having just seen Colorado’s marijuana-related tax revenues for January I can tell you we won’t be generating much… They made $2m and have a population of 5m. Bermuda, with our population roughly 1/100 of theirs, will be making $20k a month. Or $250k/year. I’m all for legalization but let’s not sell a promise of huge revenue windfalls when they clearly won’t be there.

        • Liars/Truth says:

          something is better than nothing

        • ya right says:

          That logic is flawed because you’re assuming Bermuda will follow the exact tax structure as Colorado. Who says the Bermuda government will not tax cannabis more per gram than Colorado? Who says Bermuda will follow the Colorado model without any modification? You are speculating. It would be best to see a policy proposal with accurate figures before making assumptions.

        • sage says:

          Are the millions in savings on your wasted anti-herb efforts not enough? Now those who you have oppressed and demonized wrongfully for decades are supposed to bail your a$$es out of this massive debt at least partially caused by said waste? Tax the multi-billion dollar businesses who are generating huge profits straight through this “recession” while our debt keeps climbing and we borrow more to pay it off.

        • local-onboard says:

          What about the revenue that will be generated by offering it legally to tourists? Look at how many people get arrested on cruise ships every year for holding amounts for personal consumption. Maybe we don’t allow them to bring in their own, but give them the ability to “Buy Bermuda”.

    • Mr. JIF says:

      Same thing can be said about anyone who is not mindful of their health.

      Obesity and diabetes are Bermudas leading health cost. The ‘weed head’ will cost you next to nothing.

    • BERMYGUY says:

      LOOKS LIKE YOU LOST PETE BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME

    • GTA says:

      As a drug CLEAN Senior Citizen you are very lucky you don’t have to take pain medication for Glaucoma, Cancer, Arthritis… all of these are relived by pain medications by some form of narcotic drug, which can be very dangerous and very easily abused. Weed is neither dangerous and has minimal susceptibility for abuse. Sorry to also point out the fact that the very premise of health insurance is for the healthy to pay for the sick in some shape or form, and just in case you get sick, some other healthy individual is then covering your costs as well.

  2. Just a Bredrin' says:

    Bermuda needs to become an island of innovation and a pioneer in the Cannabis industry. I’ve seen comments regarding cruise ships not coming to Bermuda if Cannabis is legalized; Do planes still not fly to Amsterdam? Does traffic still not go to Colorado? This is a multi-billion dollar goldmine, and Bermuda has the chance to reap for the benefits. It will greatly increase our weakening tourism industry, hard working Bermudians will stop being imprisoned for a plant, and we will have more more to put into our education system for our youth! now 1$ or 25,000 or 1,000,000 it really doesnt matter because at this stage Bermuda could use all the money it can get and if we just sat back and let other countries lead the way for us, well then we deserve to stay in the debt we currently are in. Now C’mon, everyone smokes. So let’s give up the charade Bermuda.

  3. REALEST says:

    lets make bermuda a better place again

  4. 1minute says:

    I did the survey… The last question needs to me modified. Do you use Marijuana – options go from frequently to never. I used to smoke it back in the day, so I cannot say Never. I don’t smoke it now, so the other option are out.
    Saying Never, the CRC may think you know nothing about the subject…

    • Sara says:

      The question is not about what you used to do. It is about what you currently do.

  5. YADON says:

    Top Ten Cannabis Studies of 2013
    News
    December 23, 2013
    2013 has been an incredible year for cannabis-related science, with dozens of peer-reviewed studies being released examining the benefits of cannabis ranging from weight-losscannabud, to cancer-killing capabilities. Here we breakdown the ten most important (and groundbreaking) studies released this year.
    1. THC May Treat Inflammatory Diseases and Cancer By Altering Genes
    A government funded study published by the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that THC may actually alter certain genes in our body, which can result in a positive effect on a number of conditions, especially cancers and inflammatory diseases. This is the first study of its kind to find such a direct link between cannabinoids, and the alteration of genes.
    2. Cannabis Combats Brain Degeneration and Increases Stamina
    A study conducted at the Institute of Molecular Psychiatry at the University of Bonn in Germany found that cannabis triggers the release of antioxidants, which acts as a cleansing mechanism, resulting in the removal of damaged cells and improving the efficiency of mitochondria, the energy source that powers cells, potentially increasing stamina.
    “These discoveries shed new insight on how natural marijuana cannabinoids hold the capacity to literally kill the brain inflammation responsible for causing cognitive decline, neural failure, and brain degeneration”, says Gery Wenk, a professor of neuroscience, immunology and medical genetics at Ohio State University.
    3. Cannabis Can Stop Seizures
    A study published by the British Journal of Pharmacology found that cannabis can stop seizures due to its “significant anticonvulsant effects”.
    4. THC Provides Protection from Heart Attacks
    Research published this year in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology found that even minuscule amounts of THC can provide protection from heart attacks, as well as reduce the potential cardiovascular damage associated with suffering one.
    For the study researchers administered extremely small amounts of THC; 0.002 mg/kg, which is up to 10,000 times less potent than the average joint. Despite how small the dose was, researchers found it to be effective at protecting against heart attacks when administered 2 to 48 hours before an attack, and found it to help relieve the symptoms when administered afterward.
    “[THC] is a safe and effective treatment that reduces myocardial ischemic (heart attack) damage”, states the study. It concludes: ”[O]ur study provides novel evidence for the beneficial use of extremely low doses of THC, doses that do not elicit any psychoactive side effects, in order to protect the heart from ischemic insults. THC can be used as a pre-conditioning drug in cases in which ischemic insult to the heart is anticipated, such as during cardiac surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention.”
    5. Cannabinoids Found to Reduce 90% of Skin Cancer in Just 20 Weeks
    Researchers at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health had a study published this year in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, which found that cannabinoids can reduce up to 90% of skin cancer in just a 20 week period in animal models.
    Related Studies:
    Cannabinoids Destroy Cancer Cells, Prevents Them From Growing
    Cannabis Kills Brain Cancer Cells
    Cannabinoids Can Kill Gastric Cancers Cells
    THC Kills Stomach Cancer Cells
    6. THC May Be Helpful in Combating HIV
    A study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology found researchers infecting white blood cells with the HIV virus, before then exposing the cells to synthesized THC. After doing so, the cells saw a drastic decrease in the rate of HIV-1 infection.
    7. Cannabinoids May Be Best Medication For Those With PTSD
    A study conducted by researchers at the New York University School of Medicine, and funded by the National Institute of Health, found that those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had a lower number of active cannabinoid receptors in the brain. According to researchers, this study paves the way towards using cannabis as an effective medication for the condition, given that cannabinoids activate the body’s cannabinoid receptors.
    8. Cannabis Can Treat Osteoarthritis
    A study published in the journal PLOS One, as well as by the National Institute of Health, found strong evidence that activation of our body’s cannabinoid receptors – something done naturally by cannabis – can treat osteoarthritis (OA), which, according to the study’s researchers, is “a prevalent disease accompanied by chronic, debilitating pain”. It’s the most common joint disorder.
    9. Cannabis May Prevent Organ Transplants From Being Rejected
    An importand study published in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology found that cannabis may actually prevent organs from being rejected during transplant, which often leads to death. The irony in this is that in most countries, people are refused organ transplants if their blood tests positive for cannabis, even if they’re a qualified medical cannabis patient in an area where its legal.
    10. Cannabis May Grow Stem Cells, Repair the Brain After Injury
    A study published in the December issue of the journal Biochemical Society Transactions, and published online early by the National Institute of Health, found that the brain’s endocannabinoid system – which is activated through cannabis use – has neuroprotective and immunomodulatory capabilities, and may actually lead to the growth of stem cells.