Originally published on Annahar.com
Two weeks ago, television news reported a major achievement by the customs, which was the seizing of 400 kg of weed ready to be exported to Canada as soap bars.
The operation is a sign of the customs’ vigilance to apply Lebanese laws. However, if this relatively small quantity had arrived in Canada, no punitive action would have been taken against exporters or importers because weed is no more illegal in Canada.
Actually, Canada is not the only North American country to legalize the manufacturing of weed for medical use as pain killers and to treat a number of neurological diseases. Factories in Canada are currently producing weed-derived medicines, whereas a Canadian company has found a factory in Colombia, where harmful drugs are produced. In Colombia, government and investment efforts are focused on expanding weed cultivation and drug production in order to replace heroin, cocaine, and harmful drugs Colombia had been known to export to the United States.
In the US, 18 states legalize weed growing and marketing; whereas announcements of home delivery has become well spread in New York – legalizing is still too narrow and restriction is not mandatory – as well as in Los Angeles and across California.
If we consider the population of the American states that allow the marketing, cultivation and manufacture of weed, to whom we would add the population of Canada, Colombia and Mexico, weed would be legal in states and countries that host 150 million citizens. Of these, 35% live in California; where some officials are reclaiming to withdraw from the federation and declare an independent republic, after the election of Donald Trump. This call is not absurd, since the population of California is equivalent to 60 million Americans and around 10 million Mexicans; most of them are illegal immigrants.
California's budget is higher than the French budget and its income is higher than the total income of Britain or France and is equal to the combined annual income of Italy and Spain. Thus, California’s independence or withdrawal from the United States is unlikely – UK has decided to withdraw from the EU when 52% of voters were in favor of the proposal – despite supporting voices and articles, including media and political voices. However, such action may take years even after the end of Trump's era, whereas the rush to withdraw from the federation would have eased. If meant to happen, the withdrawal would diminish the importance of the US economy to a large extent because California is home to most of technology companies, electric car industry, and many military industries, in addition to its significant oil production.
The economic and financial mentality of politicians in Lebanon is focused on the deficit and how to control it. At the same time, considering the importance of rebuilding the infrastructure – i.e. producing electricity on high levels – the purification and usage of water flows – improving road network in order to reduce traffic, it may be necessary to control the number of cars that are allowed to enter the capital, daily, by imposing high taxes on vehicles with only one or two passengers – developing mobile and landline network while reducing tolls – reducing harmful air pollution and tackling the waste problem, etc…
In front of these challenges and many others, the government approach is to increase fees and taxes over necessities; from benefits stamp to travelling fees. In fact, the cost of a round trip ticket to Cyprus with a newly established company in Cyprus is half the cost of traveling to Cyprus on business class. Still, the government wants to impose additional tax on the interest of deposits of Lebanese, which is already 5 % becoming 7%; an increase of 40%. While this tax discourages depositing in Lebanon, it forces bankers to work hardly in order to attract depositors or to establish banks or financial businesses in countries with lower tax rates and inexpensive basic services such as electricity, communications and travel; which is the case of Cyprus, Ireland and Malta.
An inexpert of global development or economics would easily realize that unemployment is the main problem, whose rate increases once decreases the rates of growth. As well, business establishment and economic initiatives are subject to laws and incentives.
Development is still the least concern of officials. Not to mention that Parliament is still in office since eight years, while the class that sets its hands over public sector is in control since at least 12 years, without being the least concerned about increasing national income, improving balance of payments, or providing employment.
We, the reader and I, have extensively but vainly written about improved methods of saving electricity and the advantage of water purification to Lebanon. As I tell my friends, expressing one’s opinion in Lebanon is like pouring water on a melon; it flows without leaving any trace.
Few years ago, I called for legalizing weed growing in Lebanon, which started during the years of Syrian control in Bekaa and even before. It is well known that it is a non-harmful agriculture and can even be used in medicines.
Lebanon, which needs to increase its national income and stimulate its economy, imposes harmful and expensive taxes, while marginalizing the importance of weed legalizing. In fact, during the period of Syrian control, weed industry provided Syrian officers with 4 to 5 billion USD annually and farmers with 30% of national income. Since then, as a result of the development of weed industry in several developed countries, weed cultivation have expanded while prices have fallen. However, if Lebanon legalizes this agriculture under the Regie’s administration; which provides the government with the fifth largest income, national income would grow by 3 to 4% annually. Such, could provide Lebanon with new job opportunities for our youth, instead of losing hope and often travel indefinitely. Let politicians realize that the biggest loss is the loss of our young.