Justice Ministry’s Historic Exemption Clears Path For Competition
Rastafari Rootzfest organizers and High Times magazine have jointly announced that Rastafari Rootzfest will host the High Times 2015 Jamaican World Cannabis Cup in Negril on November 12th through 15th 2015.
Rastafari Rootzfest is a comprehensive, educational and well-organized event that celebrates Rastafari ideology, livity and culture, that tells the story of the Rastafari struggle for the legalization of ganja and celebrates the decriminalization of ganja in Jamaica. Rastafari Rootzfest is the first ganja-exempt event since Jamaican government legally recognized Rastafari Sacramental and Religious rights earlier this year.
“It’s time to get up and stand up, stand up for what is right! Lets get up and stand up, time we all unite!” said Rastafarian elder and event organizer Ras Iyah V. “It is good that this government can recognize that I n I do have the right and am able to enjoy that right of herb as I n I Sacrament. Hail RasTafari!”
Earlier this year, the Jamaican Government amended its Dangerous Drug Act to finally recognize Rastafarian religious and sacramental rights to use ganja and also decriminalized the possession of up to two ounces of marijuana for adults including tourists. Last week, Jamaican Justice Minister Mark Golding granted Rastafari Rootzfest promoters an Exemption in Law that would protect event attendees from persecution. This paved the way for a four-day exposition that will include education and seminars, culture and commerce, art and music and, of course, ganja that will combine to highlight the deep roots and livity of the Rastafarian faith as well as the breathtaking developments within the worldwide cannabis community.
The event will be held in Long Bay Beach Park set along the popular Seven Mile Beach in Negril. Anybody under 18 years old will not be permitted to enter and this restriction will be enforced.
Rastafari Rootzfest’s hosting of the High Times 2015 Jamaican World Cannabis Cup will include two competitions — a Jamaican Cannabis Cup and a World Cannabis Cup.
The High Times 2015 Jamaican Cannabis Cup portion of Rastafari Rootzfest will gather the best ganja from traditional farmers in each Jamaican parish and, applying the standards and practices acquired from more than a quarter-century of High Times Cannabis Cups competition, will qualify the wonderful enigma of Jamaican herb.
“We are very excited to finally get a good close look at the many varieties of Jamaican ganja from all over the island so we can pass the results along to our readers and to the world,” said High Times associate publisher Rick Cusick. The High Times 2015 Jamaican Cannabis Cup competition portion of Rastafari Rootzfest will only be open to Jamaican ganja grown exclusively by Jamaican farmers. The unique judging panels will include traditional Rastafarian experts as well as professional High Times cannasseurs.
The second cannabis-related contest of Rastafari Rootzfest will feature the High Times 2015 World Cannabis Cup competition, the historic culmination of 26 years of High Times Cannabis Cups held in Europe and the U.S. This contest will be conducted in the United States in October, and on the last day of the Rastafari Rootzfest, November 16, 2015, the results of the High Times 2015 World Cannabis Cup will be announced along with the winners of the 2015 Jamaican Cannabis Cup.
High Times has produced its signature competition each November in Amsterdam for 26 years. The Rastafari Rootzfest’s hosting of High Times Jamaican World Cannabis in Negril effectively replaces that event.
