CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Jun 8, CMC – The St. Lucia-based Caribbean Drug and Alcohol Research Institute (CDARI) says it is willing to provide support to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Cannabis Commission.
In a June 8 letter to CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque, CDARI director Dr. Marcus Day said his organization was seeking to serve the regional commission in the spirit of public private partnerships (PPP).
“CDARI has offered to the Secretary General it’s long standing research and logistical expertise,” Dr. Day wrote.
The CARICOM Cannabis Commission currently operates under the leadership of the Assistant Secretary General for Human and Social Development of the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr Douglas Slater and Dr. Day said that CDARI could provide administrative support, securing reference materials and scheduling meetings as requested by the Commission.
The members of the Commission have not yet been made public, but it was formed as the region moves to deal with the issue of legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
CARICOM leaders at their inter-sessional summit earlier this year agreed on the formation of the Commission and La Rocque said then the objective “ is to conduct an inquiry into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the Caribbean.”
CDARI said it was offering its services amid media reports that there were no funds available to support the Commission.
“CDARI heeding that has stepped into the breach to support this important effort to reform our regional drug policy and end the policy of criminalization of a third of our population,” Dr. Day added.
CDARI was formed in 2003 by a group of researchers in response to a need to create an institution that will support research into the public health risks of hidden populations that more traditional and conservative institutions might shy away from, according to a statement on its website.
