Former International Cricket Umpire and President of the Dominica Olympic Committee, Billy Doctrove, said that a decision to decriminalize small amounts of Marijuana may not be the best for Dominica’s youth.
Doctrove said, “The area that disturbs me most is the intention to legalize small portions per individual for recreational purposes. What this means is that our young persons, mostly sportsmen and women can legally possess and use marijuana on a daily and herein lies my biggest concern and fear…I have personally witnessed not only numerous careers but numerous lives which have been destroyed permanently by the use and abuse of Marijuana, alcohol and other illegal substances”.
Doctrove said further that Dominica should not follow the more advanced countries in how they handle this issue as Dominica does not have available infrastructure, facilities and expertise to identify and treat youth if they do need treatment for Marijuana abuse.
He said, “We are not so blessed with those resources and families that can afford will send their loved ones overseas for rehab while other families that can’t afford that luxury have to just sit and look at their members of their families wilt away”.
Doctrove said further, “I would encourage the Government to tread down this road very warily and cautiously because it could have disastrous effects on our young developing minds and in particular our sportsmen and women and the Dominican society as a whole would be severely affected if this venture is not managed properly”.
Legislation to decriminalize small amounts of Marijuana is expected to go before Parliament in September.
