Is it time to legalise marijuana for adult-use? |25 September 2021
Mr Esparon talking about the subject in a recent Tête à Tête programme on SBC television
Over recent years, numerous individuals in Seychelles have taken it upon themselves to advocate for the legalisation of marijuana, for recreational, medical and/or scientific purposes.
Following an intense legal battle pushed forward by Ralph Volcère, the Constitutional Court in May 2019 ordered the Ministry of Health to make regulations for the medical use of cannabis within a reasonable time, under the Misuse of Drugs Act (2016). Despite the passing of the Misuse of Drugs (Cannabidiol-based Products for Medical Purposes) Regulations 2020, medical marijuana is still largely inaccessible to those seeking it as a remedy to health conditions and complications from which they suffer.
Thus far, no other provisions have been made for adult-use of cannabis in Seychelles, although it could be argued that cannabis-use is fairly commonplace among the population.
Nelson Esparon has since taken it upon himself to push forward a national agenda for the legalisation of cannabis for adult-use.
Seychelles NATION had a chat with the advocate on why he has taken up the mantle for advocacy, what he hopes to achieve, and the strategy towards getting government and policy-makers onboard.
Mr Esparon is pushing for adult-use and has taken it upon himself to lobby government and policy-makers for numerous reasons, he tells Seychelles NATION.
Having extensively researched the plant and associated uses and benefits, the cannabis supporter argues that the prohibition and stigma which still exists around the use of cannabis today, stems from possibly one of the most controversial and politically-driven agendas in recent history.
“Cannabis is anything but a dangerous drug and should never have been criminalised. There is very strong evidence suggesting that cannabis prohibition that started in 1937 was based on a lie. Even the United Nations saw the error of its ways as recently as December 2020 and removed cannabis from its list of dangerous drugs. It was the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 that propelled cannabis prohibition globally, and as time endured, we have witnessed a failed prohibition that has negatively impacted us as individuals to the point of violating our rights to liberty, and the protection of our health guaranteed to us under our Constitution. So there is this element of our rights being violated because of a plant, which we will continue to lobby our policymakers to review and take corrective actions. It makes no sense to imprison a human being for 4 years for 26g of cannabis, which is a plant known to promote good health. The fight against this social injustice is part and parcel of our campaign for legalisation, whereby we want to see those convicted of a non-violent cannabis offence to have their sentence commuted. This element is very important simply because cannabis prohibition was never about the plant itself but rather about a political group that tends to be the one in power targeting another group of people, in this case, the minorities and poor people. This is what happened in America, and was the main reason for cannabis prohibition, the very same cannabis prohibition our country supports today,” says Mr Esparon.
“Secondly, if you look at the track records of cannabis, it has never killed anyone. No one has ever died as a result of consuming cannabis. This is a fact. So, this is a relatively safe medicine that anyone can take without any serious adverse effects, and the government continued to criminalise it rather than explore its health benefits. This is another key reason why we are advocating for adult-use cannabis legalisation in Seychelles, especially because it has the potential to effectively manage numerous illnesses such as cancer, epilepsy, Lupus, Parkinson’s, PTSD, among many others and even curing cancer in some circumstances. The medical benefits of cannabis cannot be ignored, and the main aspect of this legalisation campaign is for cannabis to be made available to those that need it or want to consume it as a medicine, however, we also need to take note of those that consume cannabis recreationally,” he adds.
According to Mr Esparon, there should be no differentiation between medical and recreational cannabis use, simply because cannabis when consumed will affect users the same way, whether used for medical or recreational purposes.
“The same substances found in cannabis, such as THC, CBD or CBN, will interact with the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) found in our body and give therapeutic effects whether you want it or not. That is the beauty of the plant,” he explains.
Esparon is also on a mission to change the stigma and mindset surrounding cannabis, by exposing the truth about the prohibition and educating the masses about the plant.
“At some point, we will have to admit that we got it all wrong about cannabis and to this day the criminalisation of cannabis continues to be an injustice. Cannabis was perfectly legal before 1937 and was being used as medicines and to manufacture fabrics, oil, and ropes, among other things. How did something very legal in our history become so illegal? There is much more to cannabis prohibition than you see on the surface, the very reason behind cannabis prohibition is a questionable one if you look at it morally, whereby we now know that cannabis prohibition had a racist connotation attached to it. Even when President Nixon took over the war on drugs in the 1970s, it was yet another racist campaign targeting people of colour and yet cannabis prohibition persists today and Seychelles continue to support this unjust and unethical prohibition,” notes Mr Esparon.
Concerning the regulations enacted in 2020, Esparon highlights that the regulations have done very little to give Seychellois access to medical cannabis in Seychelles. On the contrary, cannabis remains very inaccessible for anyone wanting to treat his or her illness with it, he asserts.
As such, the main aspect of the campaign is to give Seychellois access to cannabis because of the health benefits it provides, but those wishing to use it recreationally should also not be stigmatised or criminalised either. Their right to use should be protected as well.
In support of his argument for recreational use, Esparon noted that other substances which are detrimental to health, such as alcohol and cigarettes are both legal and widely available across the islands, while the plant proven to have medical benefits continues to be criminalised. He further noted that the majority of people using cannabis today are educated individuals, who have come to the decision to use following research on it.
“Cannabis is no longer considered a dangerous drug, this is very clear. And yet if I decide to consume cannabis in the privacy of my home, the authority can arrest me. We want the government to remove the criminality for the possession of cannabis. This will give much-needed access to those that want to use it. I know there is this fear and misconception that if cannabis is legalised, more children will get access to it. This couldn’t be further from the truth. By allowing cannabis to be sold in a dispensary, which will be in a controlled environment, will ensure no minors will get access to it as it would only be sold under strict regulations and guidelines,” Mr Esparon asserts.
“For too long we have been told to be scared of cannabis when we should have embraced it wholeheartedly as our ancestors did. Our body already produces what is called endocannabinoids, namely Anandamide and 2-AG. These 2 cannabinoids are used by a system called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) found inside our body that balances all the processes and messages being sent back and forth inside our body between cells and organs. Its main purpose is to promote homeostasis – BALANCE within our body.
When cannabis is consumed, the substances in cannabis known as phytocannabinoids like THC, CBD, CBN among others latch on to the CB1 and CB2 receptors found in our organs, muscles, cells, immune system, etc…
They work like a lock and key because the phytocannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBN) found in cannabis can mimic the endocannabinoids (Anandamide and 2-AG) found in our body, and when it interacts with the CB1 and CB2 receptors, it can have therapeutic effects and cure numerous illnesses including cancer. This is why cannabis is good for you and not a ‘poison for the mind’ like we are being told today. All of this information is in the public domain and yet cannabis remains illegal today,” says Mr Esparon.
Education is imperative towards achieving the objective for the legalisation of cannabis for adult-use, Mr Esparon says. He explains that there is presently a lack of scientific and factual information about cannabis and how it interacts with our body in Seychelles, highlighting the urgency in educating the public about the plant, and the various misconceptions normally attributed to political rhetoric, such as cannabis being a ‘poison for the mind’ or cannabis being a gateway drug, he added.
“For now, we are sharing this information hoping to educate the masses on social media, newspapers, radio and TV about how cannabis truly work with our endocannabinoid system found inside our body and what benefits to expect when consuming cannabis but above all, why it must be legalised and to address any fears and concerns that are normally associated with cannabis legalisation. Alongside educating through sharing of information, we are also lobbying our policymakers to review the current law governing cannabis prohibition in Seychelles, mainly the Misuse of Drugs Act, 2016, and to see how citizens wanting to use it for medical or recreational reasons can get access to it safely and in a controlled way,” Mr Esparon says.
While there are numerous studies on the many benefits and applications of cannabis, there are many publications and studies that argue that the substance is harmful to mental health, expectant mothers and such.
Asked for his opinion on the debate, Mr Esparon once again alludes to the sale of alcohol and tobacco products, on which there are barely any restrictions, and the mortality rates caused by each. Indeed, a simple internet search confirms that the global death rate attributable to alcohol consumption reached 3 million in 2016, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) affirms that tobacco kills more than 8 million per year.
“By allowing adult-use cannabis in Seychelles in a controlled and regulated approach, it will create a safer environment where the quality of cannabis will improve, meaning less risk to our health and also better education about cannabis will be made available and implemented as part of the legalisation development. Education is key if cannabis legalisation is to be successful. And by giving the public useful and factual information, they can then make an informed decision on whether it is ok for them to consume cannabis or not,” says Mr Esparon.
“You are right; people with pre-conceived tendencies of mental health can be more at risk if consuming cannabis and even expectant mothers but as explained, a legal market where information is readily available will help and support anyone falling in these categories, supporting and advising them accordingly about the risks of consuming cannabis which could aggravate their conditions but these risks can be captured and mitigated with the right processes in place. I'll give you an example where we lack information about cannabis in Seychelles.
There are two types of cannabis – Sativa and Indica. With Sativa cannabis, you tend to have a more head and uplifting and energetic high and with Indica, you tend to have a more body, relaxing and pain relief high. Sativa is better for daytime while Indica is more suitable for night time before going to sleep. In Seychelles, this type of information is not available at all; most people consume cannabis here thinking all cannabis is the same and this is not the case. This lack of useful and crucial information will play a role in the experience someone may have when using cannabis for the first time. It makes little sense to consume Indica cannabis in the morning if you have plans to be active throughout the day. So education is very important,” Mr Esparon adds.
Individuals are not the only ones who will benefit from the legalisation, Mr Esparon notes, but the domestic economy could also reap the benefits.
“On the medical side, the benefits are immense to the point where cannabis can cure cancer, a disease known to kill 9.6 million people each year. There are three studies already conducted on cannabis curing cancer, one in 1974 in Virginia, another in 2004 in Madrid Spain and one more in 2009 at a university in Minnesota, USA. All three studies had the same scientific conclusion of cannabis killing cancerous tumours in animals and the studies have been published in the medical journal and peer-reviewed and yet somehow, some way cannabis prohibition prevails. There are many other illnesses cannabis can cure or manages; therefore the medical aspects would be the first and foremost benefits for the country. This will result in a healthier population whereby natural and safer remedies such as cannabis can be used in the privacy of our homes to cure our ailments ourselves. This will alleviate some pressure on the government when fewer people will be using their health service as a result of a healthier population thus giving them more resources to focus on making their services better,” notes Mr Esparon.
“Secondly, legalising adult-use cannabis in Seychelles will generate much-needed revenue for the economy in the form of taxes and create jobs and a new industry that could potentially see cannabis grown from Seychelles being exported to other countries. This is very possible due to the growing demand for quality cannabis products across the globe. Seychelles has the climate and landscape and cannabis is the new cash cow. Our government and policymakers have a duty to its citizen to see how cannabis can be made accessible to those that want to use it for medical purposes or recreationally,” concludes Mr Esparon.
Compiled by Laura Pillay