Local NewsNewsPolitics Toppin on recreational ganja: Count me out! by Barbados Today 06/11/2019 written by Barbados Today 06/11/2019 2 min read A+A- Reset Share FacebookTwitterLinkedinWhatsappEmail 250 Minister of International Business Ronald Toppin declared today he is categorically opposed to any bill to legalise marijuana’s recreational use. Toppin, the MP for St Michael North, declared in the House of Assembly that he was “comfortable” with medicinal cannabis, as the bill to set up the industry came before lawmakers. Ronald Toppin He said: “I can make my views known from now. “I know that there is going to be a consultative process, a referendum perhaps in relation to the use of marijuana for recreational purposes and I can tell you from now, Mr Speaker, I will not, I will not be going there. “It is a conscience thing I acknowledge and my conscience will not guide me to support that. “I am not here to put it in crude language to support people smoking weed. I am not here to support that. I am supporting in a very clinical and surgical way the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.” You Might Be Interested In Crystal Beckles-Holder, 2nd runner up in regional competition GUYANA: Body of child found after gold mine collapses Barbadians asked to help with return tickets for Haitians Toppin said he supports the science on marijuana’s medicinal value. But, he said that support for marijuana use starts and ends there. He declared: “I speak today with no sentimentality I have no romantic attachment to what is before us in this chamber. “What is clear, Mr Speaker, is that despite any subjective points of view that the science speaks for itself. “The science and the experts have determined that marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes. “I therefore could not possibly fly in the face of that to disagree and therefore I am prepared to support what is before us today — the legalising of marijuana for medicinal use. “Having said that, Mr Speaker, that is as far as I can say that I am comfortable with…. That is my comfort zone.” Prime Minister Mia Mottley, speaking just before Toppin, said the next step in the “near future” was to have a national debate on the recreational use of marijuana. She said: “This party was very clear in the outset at the last election we indicated that on the issue of recreational cannabis we believed that it was a wedge issue and we would take no decision as a Government on a wedge issue but that we would go to the people for a conversation which is still yet to come and which we will have to do at some point in the near future.” Barbados Today Stay informed and engaged with our digital news platform. The leading online multimedia news resource in Barbados for news you can trust. You may also like Update: Person of interest identified and charged 18/02/2025 Man remanded on firearm and ammunition charges 18/02/2025 Man charged with handling stolen property granted bail 18/02/2025