Cops Raid Ras Puddler’s Home

THE Rastafarian man who was reported in yesterday's edition of the Jamaica Observer arguing against the legalisation of ganja has been arrested by the police. According to the police, they went to the house of Ras Puddler, a Westmoreland ganja farmer, and found a chillum pipe, three pounds of ganja and several ganja seedlings. The raid was conducted on the same day that the Observer published an interview with Ras Puddler, who said he would prefer decriminalisation of marijuana because legalisation would result in large farmers forcing small planters out of business. The Observer interview was conducted at the Peter Tosh Earthstrong Concert near Belmont in Westmoreland on Sunday, where Ras Puddler openly smoked a chillum pipe in full view of police officers. A number of foreign nationals were also at the event smoking in full view of the lawmen, without any hassle. Yesterday, the police said that Ras Puddler will be charged with breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act. During the interview, he told the Observer that crime, which has skyrocketed in Westmoreland and elsewhere in recent months, has driven away visiting ganja smokers from the parish. Ras Puddler's position on the legalisation of ganja is in stark contrast to that advocated by reggae great Tosh during his lifetime, as the singer penned at least two hit songs — Legalise It and Buck-In-Hamm Palace — that advocate the legalisation of ganja. Tosh also lit up a ganja spliff in front of then Prime Minister Michael Manley and then Opposition Leader Edward Seaga during the One Love Peace Concert at the National Stadium on April 22, 1978 and lectured about the benefits of cannabis while blasting both men for their failure to legalise the weed.