Opinion - Why I smoke marijuana … |15 October 2021

… and why it should be legalised in Seychelles for both recreational & medical use

I smoked my first joint with some friends/peers at the age of 18 going 19; we were celebrating finishing our A Levels and the end of our schooling. I look back on those memories just as fondly as I experience smoking a joint after a hard day's work.  I sit on my terrace overlooking the sea, joint in hand, thinking about all this beauty that is around us, the sun setting, yachts on the horizon, watching a pair of tropical birds nesting nearby bringing food to their chicks, the positivity about our country and mankind – how can that make me a criminal? 

I find it sad, even abhorrent, that I have to justify what is essentially a simple, personal lifestyle choice. That choice infringes on no one’s liberty or rights. 

Growing up in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia at the time) we just had grass, acid and speed. Happy/proud to say I never smoked (or snorted, swallowed or injected) anything stronger than marijuana and hashish. I class these two together because hashish is a derivative of the marijuana plant. The marijuana plant was put on this earth by the Good Lord for mankind to use, with discipline, for both recreational and medicinal purposes. The laws against its use have been unjustly put in place, originally by colonialists who found this as one of the many ways to control their native populations. In the developed world, the prohibitions/laws making it illegal were encouraged and funded by the billions of dollars of the pharmaceutical and alcohol industry. You guessed right; it is they who stand to lose money when marijuana is legalised. 

I am proud to be a good citizen, I pay my taxes, I am/have been active in business, helped grow companies/create wealth, teaching others in the process, active in sports – as a top administrator & top participant – windsurfing in particular, etc. In the past, I was an officer in one of the best “little” armies in the world at that time. Smoking marijuana did not stop me from achieving all those good and positive things that have happened in my life. 

Personally, I am totally against all hard drugs – heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, meths – along with excessive alcohol consumption. These poisons are affecting our society, short and long term detrimental effects on an individual and their families. All of these drugs have been known to kill even first time users, whereas marijuana does not. I ask that as a nation, we separate the idea that marijuana and ‘A class’ hard drugs are spoken about in the same light, because frankly they are not the same and their effect on people's lives are drastically different. 

When I envision Seychelles as a legalised marijuana state, I see regulated and clear cut laws, growth for our economy, wealth for small businesses, new opportunities for employment, holistic health benefits and the Seychelles being recognised as progressive and prosperous. Long gone are the days of arresting and imprisoning our population for smoking or supplying – essentially non-violent crimes.

Ask any intelligent person this simple question: “What does more damage to Seychellois society – marijuana or alcohol”. I would think 95% will unequivocally tell you alcohol. Yet alcohol is legal and marijuana is not. The case for legalisation is so strong yet we have been held back by fears and misinformation that today, I and other good citizens are legally criminals. 

A few years back, when Alain St Ange was Minister for Tourism, I asked him: “As Minister for Tourism, (i.e. would it help tourism earnings etc), are you in favour of legalising marijuana? His answer was an unequivocal YES. I wish to reemphasise that I asked him in his capacity “as Minister for Tourism”, I did not ask Alain what his personal beliefs were on the matter or whether he had ever smoked marijuana himself. 

There are many reasons why people smoke marijuana or take the substance in other forms, such as an oil. Whether you’re in favour for recreational purposes, health benefits or purely from an economic standpoint, that is your choice. A choice that does not affect anyone else’s rights or freedoms. Obviously, one needs certain laws in place. Like alcohol, it can’t be consumed by persons under the age of 18 etc. Again, just as you can’t drink on the job, equally you cannot come to work “stoned”. These “vices/pleasures” should only be enjoyed in your own time, after work, when you have finished all that requires you to be serious, sharp and focused. 

Over the years, since returning to my country in 1978, I have shared a joint with a lot of leaders from all areas of influence in Seychelles, – all in all, the very best of Seychellois society on offer. Don’t worry all my fellow smokers, I WILL NEVER REVEAL YOUR NAMES but I do have to ask, ‘Why are we so hypocritical?” While this outdated law exists, certainly I would welcome some support; a “peace sign” or a “me too” and whatever else you can do in this regard would be appreciated. 

In closing, I would like to address an open letter to a very good friend, a fellow “brother in arms” in the early democracy struggle, a liberator of minds and our leader, President Wavel Ramkalawan. 

Mr President, I know you have mentioned that the matter of marijuana must eventually be referred back to the people. Obviously, you mean a referendum. I can also presume that in view of the extremely difficult financial situation our country faces with the Covid pandemic and the need to use scarce resources/finances wisely, it would be considered highly irresponsible for us to spend money on a marijuana referendum. We all know that it is time for the law to be changed but short term, we do not have the means to ask the people their opinion. However, I can confidently say that were a referendum to take place, the yes vote would be over 70%. On this assumption, please ask your Commissioner of Police to go easy on marijuana smokers and growers and instead concentrate 100% on the white powders. Obviously, if anyone is selling marijuana or hashish to under age kids, then certainly deal with them accordingly.

Raymond de Speville

Disclaimer:

The views expressed in this Opinion piece are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Seychelles NATION newspaper.