Ganja Farm

Who knew so many crazy adventures were possible on such a small island? The story of how I finagled my way into visiting a ganja field I will spare you, for fear of you thinking me utterly mad.  Rest assured, it was the most authentic Jamaican experience I endured, colored by excitement, awe, and eventually panic. The roaring car ride into hills far from any tourists was just what I love: pure culture shock. For the first time, I felt like a fly on the wall in Jamaica, and it was as if I was visiting Heaven on fire.

Details aside, marijuana is illegal on the island despite the fact that it is widely consumed and grown. Like so many other aspects of Jamaican life, the situation is a “mash up,” ambivalent and complicated to say the least. Every time I raised the subject, I was presented with a set of conflicting opinions and realities depending on the party concerned. One thing is certain, those growing the plant must show some serious love to the authorities.