• About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Newstitbits
Advertisement
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    Benjamin Kofi Quashie, Chairman of the NDC Council of Elders in South Africa

    Ghanaians in South Africa encouraged to stay law-abiding, assured of better representation at High Commission

    ECG disconnects GWL from national grid over nearly GH¢1bn debt

    ECG disconnects GWL from national grid over nearly GH¢1bn debt

    John Mahama

    Mahama bans DSTV, satellite TV subscriptions at Jubilee House

    Nurses and midwives reject govt’s debt exchange programme

    Strike: Akandoh urges retired nurses to volunteer services temporarily

    New conditions of service for nurses will throw economy off-gear if implemented – Health Minister

    New conditions of service for nurses will throw economy off-gear if implemented – Health Minister

    Ghana and Morocco sign groundbreaking visa-free travel agreement

    Ghana and Morocco sign groundbreaking visa-free travel agreement

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • POLITICS
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SPORTS
  • BUSINESS
  • ELECTIONS
  • RELIGION
  • EDUCATION
  • WORLD
  • MORE
    • QUIRKY NEWS
    • LIFESTYLE
    • MEDIA
      • PHOTOS
      • VIDEOS
    • TECH
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    Benjamin Kofi Quashie, Chairman of the NDC Council of Elders in South Africa

    Ghanaians in South Africa encouraged to stay law-abiding, assured of better representation at High Commission

    ECG disconnects GWL from national grid over nearly GH¢1bn debt

    ECG disconnects GWL from national grid over nearly GH¢1bn debt

    John Mahama

    Mahama bans DSTV, satellite TV subscriptions at Jubilee House

    Nurses and midwives reject govt’s debt exchange programme

    Strike: Akandoh urges retired nurses to volunteer services temporarily

    New conditions of service for nurses will throw economy off-gear if implemented – Health Minister

    New conditions of service for nurses will throw economy off-gear if implemented – Health Minister

    Ghana and Morocco sign groundbreaking visa-free travel agreement

    Ghana and Morocco sign groundbreaking visa-free travel agreement

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • POLITICS
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SPORTS
  • BUSINESS
  • ELECTIONS
  • RELIGION
  • EDUCATION
  • WORLD
  • MORE
    • QUIRKY NEWS
    • LIFESTYLE
    • MEDIA
      • PHOTOS
      • VIDEOS
    • TECH
No Result
View All Result
Newstitbits
No Result
View All Result

Use of marijuana didn’t start with Rastafari – history lecturer

February 28, 2017
Reading Time: 3 mins read

File photo: Some rastas in their dreadlocks[/caption] A lecturer at the History Department of the University of Cape Coast, Professor De-Valera Botchway has demystified misconceptions associated with Rastafari and the use of marijuana. Rasta himself, he argued that the usage of the plant began with human kind and not Rastafari per se. The history lecturer would not take a stand on calls for marijuana usage to be decriminalized, but he was quick to point out that the plant has many beneficial purposes. Rastafari is a religious movement that developed in Jamaica with its believers adhering to Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia as a Messiah and justifying black people as the chosen ones to return to African homeland. Although the use of ‘Rastafarianism’ and ‘Rastafarian’ are common in describing the movement, adherents prefer ‘Rastafari’ ‘Ras’ or ‘Rasta’. ‘Ras’ means leader, and ‘tafari’ means to be feared implying that Rastafari means ‘A leader who is to be feared’. Not everyone with dreadlocks ascribe to the teachings and philosophies of Rastafari because the hair style has been the choice of the many including the youth especially some celebrities in the entertainment and sports industries. While some dreadlocks are manmade, others are natural like that of the Mensah siblings. The Mensah siblings are five and are from Afrangua in the Asebu Kwaman Kese District of the Central Region. Their dreadlocks come with traditional beliefs that deter them from cutting their hair. In late 2016 there were issues concerning refusal of certain government and mission schools to admit children who wear dreadlocks. But for the Mensah siblings, their dreadlocks have been a center of attraction for their friends and teachers. “All my four younger siblings have dreadlocks and everyone in this school understands because they know it is by birth,” Martha Mensah told 3news.com. Meanwhile, there has been an intense debate about decriminalization of marijuana in Ghana for some time now with some disagreeing that its decriminalization will open a floodgate for drug abuse. According to a 2015 report by the international narcotics control board, Ghana was the highest in the use of marijuana although the country has fallen to a third position in Africa currently. Professor De-Valera Botchway traces the beginning of the usage of the plant to humanity and not Rastafari, making references to biblical stories in the Garden of Eden. “Marijuana has been used in other societies without problem but in post-colonial Ghana it is considered an illegal substance. Why is marijuana illegal? It is basically someone’s interpretation of good and bad. I don’t understand why some people will be allowed the sale of alcohol and others are being arrested for possessing marijuana,” the professor argued. He says many non-Rastafari use the plant under disguise unlike rastas who he says are true to themselves. Comparing alcohol and marijuana, he recommends that the issue of legality and illegality of marihuana should be revisited. The professor is not happy about the various misconceptions people level against Rastafari which include beliefs that Rastas do not know God and are not intellectuals, and therefore radical. He suggested that we should accept diversity in human kind and stop criticising others because they do not belong to one’s society. By Spencer Kwabena Boateng Mensah|3news.com|Ghana]]>

Previous Post

President against Council of State being a rubberstamp

Next Post

Ghana Rugby wishes Isaac Asiamah godspeed

Related Posts

Akufo-Addo approves nominations of 15 Judges to Court of Appeal

Treason trial: videos of prosecution are like Kumkum Bhagya – Alan

5 Genuine reasons guys disappear after they’ve had you

Prez has not appointed Osei Prempeh CEO of GOIL – Eugene Arhin

Demo: Volta chiefs to take over Flagstaff House if…

Next Post

Ghana Rugby wishes Isaac Asiamah godspeed

Here Is what your farts reveal about your health

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Being loud doesn’t help – NDC SA Council Chair slams Wontumi, warns of day of accountability
  • Body of Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun repatriated for burial
  • Ghana has lost $11 billion to gold smuggling, links to UAE, report finds
  • Ghanaians in South Africa encouraged to stay law-abiding, assured of better representation at High Commission
  • Benjamin Quashie slams NPP over alleged misuse of state resources
  • ECG disconnects GWL from national grid over nearly GH¢1bn debt
  • Detained BECE candidates: Kwabre East MP reports headmaster to police
  • Chris Arthur writes: NPP delegates always punish an “internal enemy”

Popular Stories

  • Body of Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun repatriated for burial

    Body of Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun repatriated for burial

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ghana has lost $11 billion to gold smuggling, links to UAE, report finds

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Detained BECE candidates: Kwabre East MP reports headmaster to police

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ECG disconnects GWL from national grid over nearly GH¢1bn debt

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ghanaians in South Africa encouraged to stay law-abiding, assured of better representation at High Commission

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

ABOUT US

Newstitbits.com is a 21st Century journalism providing the needed independent, credible, fair and reliable alternative in comprehensive news delivering that promotes knowledge, political stability and economic prosperity.

Contact us: [email protected]

@2023 – Newstitbits.com. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • POLITICS
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SPORTS
  • BUSINESS
  • ELECTIONS
  • RELIGION
  • EDUCATION
  • WORLD
  • MORE
    • QUIRKY NEWS
    • LIFESTYLE
    • MEDIA
      • PHOTOS
      • VIDEOS
    • TECH

@2024 - Newstitbits.com. All Rights Reserved.