Hayles urges CLA to free cannabis licences and shield Westmoreland farmers

Ian Hayles, Member of Parliament for Western Westmoreland, has called on the Cannabis Licensing Authority to widen access to licences so small farmers in his constituency can cultivate legally without fear of arrest, fines, or seeing their crops destroyed.

Speaking in the House, Hayles said constituents contact him frequently to report that police are burning ganja fields while farmers are arrested and charged on a near-daily basis. He told colleagues the issue affects thousands of Jamaicans and weighs heavily on the people of Western Westmoreland.

Hayles drew a sharp contrast with other industries. He said he had never seen police burn cane fields or arrest cane farmers, even though cane supports rum production. He pointed to harm linked to bauxite mining in Clarendon, Manchester, and St. Ann, noting that production is still encouraged and supported. Tobacco, he added, is planted or imported with health warnings, yet those fields are not destroyed in the same way. Ganja, he argued, has never hurt Jamaica.

With cannabis potentially legalised across the United States at the federal level before the current US president leaves office, Hayles appealed to the CLA to "free up the industry" and "free up the license" and to work alongside farmers across the country.

He thanked Mr. Golden for his vision and foresight in starting the process toward full legalisation. He also credited the Cannabis Licensing Authority and its board, Minister Aubyn Hill, and Minister of State Syveright for recent efforts to help small community farmers in Western Westmoreland obtain legal status, reap what they sow, and return home to their families rather than to jail after a day's work.

Hayles warned that bauxite output will soon decline and sugar is on its deathbed. He pledged support for government efforts to develop a legalised cannabis industry that benefits all Jamaicans, and urged Parliament to grow and protect the sector.

He noted that land held by the government under SCJ in Westmoreland totals more than 425 hectares, much of it considered idle, and argued those acres should be opened to licensed ganja farmers. When Jamaica sells tourism, he said, it sells sun, sea, reggae, and ganja — and all four deserve protection.