CANNABIS SHORTAGE BLAMED FOR VIOLENCE

An ongoing marijuana shortage could be linked to the recent number of
violent outbreaks in recent months.

While there are no Police statistics to verify this claim, Inspector Larry
Smith, who heads the Narcotics division of the Bermuda Police Service said
the theory was credible.

"This claim has merit," he said. "Police intelligence has passed on that
there is a shortage, which can lead to irrational behaviour."

The Royal Gazette spoke to several young men ­ who asked their identities
not be revealed ­ who agreed with the claim.

"There are a lot of people talking about the shortage," said a 33-year-old
Southampton man. "Guys are going around looking for herb everywhere.
Everybody's asking for it." Another man, a 32-year-old from Pembroke who
called himself a "regular weed smoker", agreed.

"Most definitely there is a shortage. People who usually smoke, are
drinking lots of alcohol. Since there's no weed, they will increasingly use
alcohol."

The user said he believed the events of September 11, 2001 were causing the
shortage.

"With heightened security, and especially now with the threat of war, it's
harder to get it into the country," he said. "The tighter the security, the
less chance there is of drugs getting on this Island."

"All of the major routes are now being blocked," said another Pembroke man.
"So alcohol is the next available thing on the Island to easily consume if
you do not use coke (cocaine) or heroin."

He also claimed the shortage was causing flare-ups among younger members of
the community.

"Eighty percent of the youth in Bermuda use marijuana ­ as young as 11 and
12 years old," the man said.

And because demand is so high for the drug, the man said some dealers,
particularly in the City of Hamilton, are resorting to selling rabbit feed
because of its similar look and texture.

Most pet feed stores contacted said they had not seen an increase in rabbit
feed sales.

"We have seen an increase in sales, but I cannot say it is because of the
marijuana shortage," said the manager of Noah's Ark in Devonshire. "When
other shops are out, people come to us."

And while none of the stores said they were out, a spokesperson for Animal
and Garden House said about two weeks ago, she observed two
suspicious-looking men in the store.

"They bought three or four bags of alfalfa squares, which I've been told
people use for filler in marijuana bags," she said.

Asked why marijuana has become a staple of some peoples' lives, a
32-year-old Devonshire man told The Royal Gazette: "Because Bermuda has so
many restrictions, they need it to calm down. They need a draw to relax
because it's a stress reliever.