Jamaica Conference Center Kingston, Jamaica April 5, 2014 ... [Senator Angela Brown Bur e!

" Coming ne#t is $rofessor C%arles &esson from t%e 'ar(ar) *aw Sc%ool. $lease %elp me ma e %im welcome. [applause! [C%arles &esson!" +,) li e to ma e clear t%at + )o smo e mari-uana. [e#ten)e) applause! + come to .ou as a lifelong a)(ocate for t%e glo/al legali0ation of mari-uana. [applause! + %a(e %a) t%e pleasure of representing 1r. *ester 2rinspoon, one of t%e great %eroes in t%e 3nite) States of t%e me)ical mari-uana mo(ement. [applause! 4. orientation %ere is as an outsi)er. + am )elig%te) an) (er. %onore) to /e in(ite) /. $aul Bur e an) 1elano Sei(erig%t to spea wit% .ou. 5rom t%e outsi)e, loo ing at w%at,s %appening in t%e glo/e, it,s clear t%at t%ere is an e#plosion un)erwa. t%at %as /een triggere) /. 6/ama. 7%e 3nite) States %as /een constraine) on mari-uana for so long. +n 2008 6/ama /egan t%e loosening process. 9As %as /een well )ocumente), + smo e) pot as a i), an) + (iew it as a /a) %a/it an) a (ice, not (er. )ifferent from t%e cigarettes t%at + smo e) as a .oung person up t%roug% a /ig c%un of m. a)ult life. + )on:t t%in it is more )angerous t%an alco%ol.; 7%at was in 2008. 7%at was t%e first signal from t%e $resi)ent of t%e 3nite) States t%at t%ings are c%anging. [applause! +n 201<, 9+t woul) not ma e sense for us to see a top priorit. as going after recreational users in states t%at %a(e )etermine) t%at it:s legal.; An) t%en 9Base) on assurances t%at [=as%ington an) Colora)o! will impose an appropriatel. strict regulator. s.stem, t%e 1epartment %as informe) t%e go(ernors of /ot% states t%at it is )eferring its rig%t to c%allenge t%eir legali0ation laws at t%is time.; + now it is a >uestion of great concern to .ou, w%at a/out t%e 3nite) States? +s t%e 3nite) States going to impose limitations on .ou? 4. legal anal.sis, spea ing to .ou as a law professor, is t%at it is not. [e#ten)e) applause! =e %a(e seen Boli(ia wit%)raw from t%e 18@1 con(ention, an) t%en reser(e, /ase) on t%e in)igenous use of coca leaf, an) t%en reappl. to t%e international communit. to once again /ecome a mem/er, an) accor)ing to t%e rules, t%at application will /e accepte) unless 50 mem/ers of t%e 1@2 signatories o/-ect. An) t%e 3nite) States soug%t to get t%e (otes to oppose. 7%e ultimate (ote was 1A against, 1A, t%at:s t%e last we %a(e %ear) from t%e 3nite) States of an.

serious intentions. =e %a(e %ear) or noises from 3nite) &ations, from t%e organi0ation t%at %as /een in power an) a)ministering t%is constraint for so long, it,s -ust noise, it:s -ust complaint. So w%en 3rugua. goes forwar), no pro/lem, no pro/lem. 7%e situation for Jamaica rig%t now is t%at as far as t%e 3nite) States is concerne), as far as t%e international con(entions are concerne), at t%is point t%e. are law.ers pro/lems. 7%e. are not serious constraint. +n preparation for coming to .ou, + %a) some won)erful law stu)ents form a team in support to )e(elop a w%ite paper, w%ic% is onl. partiall. complete, /ut is )irecte) to t%is conference an) a))resses w%at, to me, are significant issues, inclu)ing t%is issue wit% respect to t%e 3nite) States. + %a(e fift. copies w%ic% i will put on t%e )es . i am eager for all of .ou to %a(e access to it. Bou %a(e %ear) t%is morning, a remar a/le num/er of (er. sensi/le opinions an) approac%es to t%is pro/lem, an) we can see t%at e(en t%oug% t%ere are great feelings of unit. in t%e room, t%ere are still a ton of issues to /e resol(e). 6n t%e ot%er %an), we can see t%at at t%is point, Jamaica %as an enormous opportunit. in t%e international mar et.. Bou are going to %ear s%ortl. from Jos% Stanle.. 7%is is a won)erful man, %e %as a won)erful message. [applause! 'e lea)s wit% mari-uana as me)ical. 7%at,s t%e s%arpest point of t%e spear. +n r%etorical terms, me)ical mari-uana C )efinitel. t%e wa. to go. But it,s onl. in a piece of t%e international mar et. =%at i woul) urge upon .ou as a group is t%e sensi/ilit. of separating in .our min)s, t%e issues t%at nee) to /e a))resse) )omesticall. for .ou to wor out wit%in t%e countr., %ow t%is is going to wor C will it /e a(aila/le to c%il)ren? will it /e smo e) in pu/lic? man., man. issues. Separate t%at from t%e issue of e#port. + %a(e not .et seen an. o/-ection of an. serious nature to Jamaica selling its pro)uct legall. to ot%er nations of t%e worl) t%at legali0e. [applause! i will go furt%er. 5rom t%e point of (iew of wanting to see t%is glo/al legali0ation, t%is mo(ement nee)s t%e lea)ers%ip of Jamaica. Dig%t now t%ere is a (acuum, t%ere is no lea)ers%ip out t%ere, an) .et t%e worl) un)erstan)s mari-uana to /e a Jamaican e#pression. [applause! An e#pression of culture t%at %as to )o wit% Dastafara, wit% Deggae, wit% t%e total e#pression of /ran) Jamaica. So if one t%in s of it in pure /ran) terms, %ere Jamaica %as t%e most e#plosi(e international e(ent ta ing place, t%e glo/ali0ation of legal mari-uana, an) t%e opportunit. to put t%e Jamaican name rig%t on t%e w%ole /usiness, Jamaican stor., music, culture. +t is t%e most won)erful mar eting opportunit.. [applause! But t%ere is a %uge )anger. an) t%e )anger is t%at .ou will miss t%e /oat, t%at .ou will tal too long. [applause! So we %a(e a pro/lem in a law.er,s (iew of %ow t%e e#port mar et coul) /e reac%e) wit%out compromise of t%e political process t%at nee)s to ta e place to resol(e .our )omestic issues. + /rea it )own into t%ree parts. EaF 7%e legal rig%ts of Dastafari

E/F t%e legal rig%ts of t%e maroons. EcF t%e legal rig%ts of w%at i woul) call t%e tra)itional gan-a culti(ators, not necessaril. rastafari, not necessaril. maroons, /ut people w%o are farmers growing gan-a. =%. )o + )o t%is? + )o t%is /ecause if Jamaica is to /e in position, + can,t sa. now, now is not a goo) wor) in Jamaica, Csoon come, so .ou )on:t miss t%e /oat. +f .ou are rea). to suppl., e#port mari-uana of certifia/le >ualit. to t%e nations of t%e worl), an) part of m. memoran)um outlines Cana)a as t%e perfect import partner. [applause! +f one sees t%at %uge opportunit. in t%e )eman) t%at is out t%ere an) growing, an) sees t%e national interest in /eing a/le to meet t%at )eman) for t%e pro)uct, it means t%at t%e people w%o are now growing gan-a %a(e got to suppl. it. [applause! +t s%oul) /e a national priorit. to gat%er t%e pro)uct an) e#port it. +t is am imme)iate re(enue sourcee. [applause! 7%e Dastafari" we tal e) of )ecriminali0ation. + t%in t%at,s an easil. misun)erstoo) concept. +f .ou start wit% t%e i)ea t%at gan-a for Dasta li e Coca for Boli(ians is an in)igenous use, a natural plant, a %uman rig%t, a %uman rig%t t%at %as /een effecti(el. recogni0e) /. .our constitutional amen)ment in 2011. +t follows t%at t%e growt% an) use of mari-uana %as ne(er /een a wrong. If it %as ne(er /een wrong t%en to )ecriminali0e it is to sa. t%at our *aw %as not /een rig%t. So it is li e t%e Supreme Court of t%e 3nite) States o(erruling a prior prece)ent. +t,s not t%at t%e. c%ange t%e lawG t%e. recogni0e t%at t%e law was wrong all along. &ow it follows from t%at, .ou )on,t nee) a legislature to )o t%at. 7%at,s a law.ers )eclaration. +f .ou %a(e a go(ernment ma)e of ministers w%o see t%e treasure t%at is out front in t%e e#port mar et for Jamaica, an) %a(e law.ers an) )ecisionCma ers w%o are willing to go for it on an e#ecuti(e /asis, t%ere is a /asis for )oing it, it:s li e it is t%ere, get it )one. =%o reall. opposes Jamaica profiting from t%e e#port mar et? Secon), t%e 4aroons, un)er t%eir 7reat. of 1H<8 w%ere t%e. ma)e t%is fearful /argain of /eing grante) perfect free)om in e#c%ange for turning t%e sla(e runawa.s /ac to t%e plantation owners. 7%at perfect free)om inclu)e) t%e rig%t to grow, t%at:s it. [applause! =%en Jamaica /ecame an in)epen)ent countr., )e(ol(e) from 2reat Britain, t%e treat. o/igations of t%e 4aroons, legall. spea ing, )e(ol(e) to t%e 2o(ernment of Jamaica. 7%e 2o(ernment of Jamaica is o/lige) /. t%at treat. to recogni0e t%e perfect free)om of t%e 4aroons. An) once again, t%at,s a law.ers )eclaration. 7%at,s )oesn:t mean a legislati(e enactment. 7%at -ust means creati(e law.ering. 7%ir), t%e tra)itional gan-a culti(ator" well t%ere are two wa.s to come at t%at. 5irst if .ou grant me t%at t%e Dastafarians %a(e a rig%t, an) .ou grant me t%at t%e maroons %a(e a rig%t. An) .ou grant me t%at t%e premise of Jamaica is man. into one, one people, an) if .ou grant me t%at it,s (er. %ar) to sa. -ust w%ere t%e /or)ers are to w%o is a maroon an) w%o is not [applause!, t%en e(er.one %as a legal rig%t in Jamaica to /e a gan-a farmer. So %ere, t%at is m. /ottomCline message. +f .ou )o it rig%t, if .ou ta e t%e mar(elous wor t%at t%is commission %as )one in /ringing e(er.one toget%er, to get to an en(ironment w%ere t%ere is

reall. no more o/-ection of an. serious )imension to Jamaica /ecoming I opening itself to international tra)e in t%e organic fair tra)e of mari-uana. [applause! +f Jamaica will )o it, Ba/.lon Be 2one. [e#ten)e) applause!