Activists campaign for medical marijuana referendum

A campaign has been launched to push for a referendum on decriminalizing the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal and nutritional purposes. 

A group of local activists under the name Healthy Harvest Bda has been circulating a petition that aims to promote the health benefits of consuming the plant in its raw form. Cannabis remains non-psychoactive when it is consumed without being heated and has been linked to the prevention of diseases such as cancer and diabetes while being a healthy source of nutrition. 

Healthy Harvest Bda is encouraging members of the community to wear a green ribbon this Saturday to show support for the referendum and to commemorate the Worldwide Marijuana Rally. Representatives will be at the Agricultural Show at 4:20pm but are not officially part of the event.

Group spokesman Iman Gibbons, who has a Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology, told the Bermuda Sun: “We just want to make the information about the benefits accessible and organize people to make a decision via a referendum.”

Healthy Harvest Bda is sending the petition to leading politicians including Premier Craig Cannonier and Opposition Leader Marc Bean, as well as registered doctors and nurses, farmers, scientists and anthropologists. The petition was posted online on Wednesday evening and there are hard copies available through the group. Healthy Harvest Bda issued a statement on their Facebook page stressing the “health crisis” in Bermuda in terms of cancer, diabetes and obesity and asthma. 

“Bermuda needs to empower the most effective and efficient solution to these problems… The solution needs to be both preventative and curative and grown on local soil. The time to act is now, Bermuda.”

Healthy Harvest Bda is still in its early stages but will be making its presence known in the coming weeks. 

For more information about Honest Harvest, medical uses for marijuana and to find a link to the petition visit their Facebook page.