Mom sells weed to support children

A parish judge chided the actions of a single mother of six, who defended her decision to sell ganja to support her family.

"I don't want you to be engaged in the selling of ganja to send your children to school. Ganja can't send children to school. Go and register your children for PATH [Programme of Advancement for Health and Education] and do something legal," Parish Judge Maxine Ellis scolded the defendant. Her comments came after the defendant, whose name THE STAR will not publish to protect the children, confessed that she sells weed at her bar to generate an income to provide for her children.

"Me have six children and a me one. A it [selling ganja] help we out Your Honour. It send dem go school," the mother explained.

The woman appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday, on charges of possession of ganja and dealing in ganja. She pleaded guilty to the charges. Ellis urged the mother to desist from the practice of selling weed without licence, for the protection and safety of her children.

"You need to get a licence. You can't keep weed near the children, they will reach it and start using it. That's where problems start," the jurist argued.

On the count of possession of ganja, the woman was fined $3,600 or 90 days imprisonment, while for dealing in ganja, she was fined $6,800 or 90 days imprisonment. The judge also imposed a sentence of 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.