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A Pandemic, Heavy Rains, Then Drought Landed Jamaica In A ‘Laughable’ Marijuana Shortage

(Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Elizabeth Weibel Contributor
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Jamaica is facing a weed shortage due to heavy rains, drought and the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. News reported Friday.

Heavy rains from last year’s hurricane season, followed by a drought destroyed marijuana fields, and brought a loss of tens of thousands of dollars to marijuana farmers across Jamaica, U.S. News reported.

“It destroyed everything,” Daneyel Bozra, a marijuana farmer who grows pot in southwestern Jamaica explained of the rains and drought.

29-year-old Kenrick Wallace who grows marijuana on 2 acres of land with twenty other farms explained that in addition to heavy rains and drought, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t helped.  COVID-19 guidelines in place consist of a 6 p.m. curfew which prevents pot farmers from tending to their fields at night.

Wallace himself guesses that he’s lost roughly $18,000, and has only grown around 300 pounds of pot recently.  This is a decrease as usually, he grows around 700 to 800 pounds of pot. (RELATED: Nearly 500 Illegal Marijuana Plants Discovered As Border Patrol Chased Immigrant)

In 2015, Jamaica approved medical marijuana in order to better regulate the medical cannabis industry in the country. In addition, Jamaica also decriminalized small amounts of pot.  Due to this, people who are now caught with 2 ounces (56 grams) or less of pot are subject to a small fine, and will not face arrest.

Jamaica also allows for people to grow as many as five marijuana plants, and Rastafarians are now allowed to smoke pot for religious reasons.