Senior defence attorney warns of conflicting marijuana use messages

A prominent defence attorney has raised concerns that Barbados must critically examine the message it is sending, particularly to its youth, regarding the use of marijuana.

Opining that marijuana usage is “a significant factor in criminal behaviour” as probation reports often highlight it, Senior Counsel Angella Mitchell-Gittens stated, “I have always thought that if we could remove marijuana usage then certainly we would see a reduction in criminal behaviour.”

She stated that recently it had come to her attention that persons could go to a particular establishment, see a doctor and receive a prescription to purchase medicinal marijuana and highlighted the conflicting message.

“You can see a doctor and tell a doctor, ‘I have a headache. I am feeling stressed,’ and get a prescription for marijuana and you can get it right there and then, and I thought to myself for a long time people have been coming to Magistrates’ Court and telling the magistrate ‘I have it to relax’ and the magistrate says ‘that is foolishness’. But we have to be careful about the message that is being sent because if marijuana is bad if I buy a $5 bag on the block but if I go to (a store) in my suit and go to this doctor and say ‘I had a rough day at court today. The judge was hard on me and I need to relax’ and I get a prescription, then it is fine? Even if it is the same marijuana? So we have to be careful of the message that we are sending, especially to young people in respect of this marijuana, which is an epidemic,” she stated.

“Is marijuana good or is it bad, and is it good only in the circumstances that it is purchased and used?”

The lawyer made the comments as both she and Principal State Counsel Joyann Catwell submitted to the High Court that Zarico Ramsay should pay around $30 000 in fines for having an unlicensed firearm and 19 rounds of ammunition two years ago.

Ramsey of Silver Hill, Christ Church, pleaded guilty in the No. 3A Supreme Court to having a 9mm Luger calibre semi-automatic pistol without a valid licence and 19 rounds of ammunition without a valid permit on September 3, 2023.

Highlighting that at the time of the offence her client was 19 years, the attorney at law stated that this experience led to him making a significant error in judgement, noting that this along with his guilty plea, the recovery of the firearm, and him being deemed at a low to moderate risk of reoffending, were all mitigating factors.

Aggravating, Mitchell-Gittens stated, was that the firearm was in a public place and the large amount of ammunition. She suggested that Ramsey pay a $15 000 fine for each of the offences “in a reasonable time”.

Prosecutor Catwell highlighted similar aggravating factors regarding the offence, adding that the ammunition was live and the prevalence of such offences in society, while the fact that the firearm was not used and no one was hurt was in his favour.

She gave an eight-year starting point, deducting one year for the convicted man’s previously clean record, age, cooperation with police and early plea and then made further discounts for his admission of guilt and his remand time.

“There should be a fine of $15 000 for the firearm and $14 250 for the ammunition, totaling $29 250. The fine should be paid within a short period of time, as this would serve the interests of justice. If the fine is not paid, then the now convicted man should serve the remaining 873 days.”

Offering his apologies to the court, Ramsay, who also pleaded for leniency, stated that the past two years on remand at Dodds Prison have taught him “a lot” and asked for a chance to get back to his family.

The matter continues before Justice Anthony Blackman on January 9, 2026.