HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) — Opposition Leader Marc Bean leader says he ‘cured’ daughter’s asthma with ganja tea....Since that day she has never, ever suffered from asthma..... "Since that one day, that one cup of cannabis tea. So you can't tell me the medicinal use of it."

Tuesday, June 03, 2014    

HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) — Opposition Leader Marc Bean has come under fire from a leading children's rights advocate after admitting he gave his then-young daughter "ganja tea" to treat her asthma.

The advocate, Sheelagh Cooper, said she was shocked by Bean's statement in the House of Assembly.

Dr Henry Lowe (left), research scientist and entrepreneur,
 and Harvard Law School Professor Charles Nesson share
 a joke as they peruse a page in the book, Cannabis,
Marijuana, Ganja — The Jamaica and Global Connection,
 written by Dr Lowe and Professor Errol Morrison. Professor
 Nesson was making a courtesy call on Dr Lowe at
 the Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa on
 Lady Musgrave Road in Kingston last week Monday.

Speaking during a take-note motion in the House on the report of the Cannabis Reform Collaborative to potential changes to the island's policy on marijuana, Bean said he had in the past used marijuana medicinally for both himself and his family.

Bean called for the legalisation of marijuana with a "light touch" of regulation, saying the taxation of cannabis could bring in more than US$20 million in tax revenue, provide a boost in tourism and create entrepreneurial opportunities.

Kicking off the marathon debate earlier, Premier Michael Dunkley, who is also national security minister, said the One Bermuda Alliance Government has no plans to legalise marijuana, claiming that "it is wrong to yield to a more permissive attitude socially without due regard to the social, economic and health consequences".

"Medicinal use, as far as I'm concerned, I don't need too much scientific evidence," Bean told the House on Friday night.

"When my daughter was three years old, because of the circumstances I didn't have much opportunity to spend time with her up until she reached about two-and-a-half, three, but I always was told she suffers from asthma severely.

"The first opportunity I had my daughter, who's now going on 20 years old, in my care and custody I went and made her a big cup of ganja tea. That was when she was two-and-a-half, three years old.

"Now some of you might be saying 'that's irresponsible as a parent', but you can go ask her mother and her family on her mother's side today. Since that day she has never, ever suffered from asthma. Since that one day, that one cup of cannabis tea. So you can't tell me the medicinal use of it." more