JAMAICA PANEL URGES LEGALIZING POT

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - Saying marijuana is "culturally entrenched"
in Jamaica, a government commission on Thursday recommended
legalizing the private use and possession of small amounts of the
drug by adults.

The drug's "reputation among the people as a panacea and a
spiritually enhancing substance is so strong that it must be regarded
as culturally entrenched," said the commission's report, released
Thursday.

Any change to existing drug laws would have to be approved by
Jamaica's Parliament.

"My gut feeling is that the commission's recommendations will be
followed," said Ralston Smith, an aide to Prime Minister P.J.
Patterson.

Legalizing marijuana could cause friction with the United States,
which cooperates with Jamaica in anti-drug efforts and opposes
legalizing it. Jamaican National Security Minister K.D. Knight has
also said marijuana use should remain illegal.

The report by the so-called National Commission for Ganja - as
marijuana is known in Jamaica - argued that in small amounts,
moderate use of the drug caused no short or long-term health effects
among most users.

Possession and smoking of marijuana is illegal in Jamaica, but
penalties are light. Experts estimate anywhere from 20 percent to 40
percent of the country's 2.6 million people smoke marijuana.