Rastas and other rights activist are convinced that this Biblical plant must be none other than marijuana, the plant which is referred to by the early twentieth century physicians as God's Own Medicine (GOM), because of its remarkable medicinal value.
Also called the chronic, sensi, collie, herb, and cess, marijuana is as illegal as it is controversial. And there is one school of thought which proclaims that the ban on ganja only increases its use, abuse and naturally its street value.
It has been one uphill task; the attempt by various governments to prohibit the use of marijuana. Ganja trafficking is rife, the smoking of herb is one popular affair not to mention the sale as regular dancehall fans will tell you. There you witness the unrestricted vending os cess and frenzied movements of buyers to access their favourite smoke. "All ganja man put up oonnu han..and all ganja girls scream," the DJ chants to the immediate response from the fans.
The reaction in itself is not surprising, as with the so - called reawakening of culture and the shift towards Rasta and Selassie, the use of what Rastas call the holy herb, has increased in and out of the dancehalls.
Popular entertainers have been very vocal on the subject of legalization. The late Peter Tosh who was one of the most vocal ganja rights activist, suffered the indignity of being beaten several times by the police for smoking publicly. He, along with other rastamen shared the same views on ganja; 'ganja which is a plant and not a chemical drug but a pure herbal plant divined by "Jah" for the healing of the nation has the power to bring its users to the self knowledge appropriate and necessary for an awakened life.'
Tosh also had his song "Buckinham Palace" banned in England because of the poignant lyrics: 'Light you spliff light you chalice/mek we bun it inna Buckinham Palace/lend mi yu paper lend mi you fire/mek we chase way all them vampire.'
You will detect the sound of conviction in this line from a tune done by Spragga Benz; 'Mi naw go choke pon no coke/strictly sensimelia mi a smoke.....No cocomania pure sensimelia....Give me the good Westmoreland ganja.'
Sanchez echoes the sentiment; "I man don't smoke the chronic to bother no one/I man don't smoke the chronic to cause botheration to babylon/I just smoke the chronic to meditate," he chants.
Buju states emphatically; "I may not be familiar with how the country run/why them fighting sensimelia and making way for coke to come."
For Bob Marley, the herb was an aphrodisiac; "Got to have kaya now, cause the rain is falling" he wailed.
It went straight to Wayne Smith's brain and gave him an instant hit; "Under mi sleng ting, mi under mi sleng ting," was how he termed his wonder herb.
And 
And Beenie Man and Silver Cat feel it is just plain and stupidity that the authorities are wasting time and resourses in trying to eradicate the good ganja; "Just tell mi how them a go stop it, cause them caan stop man from bun the chronic/mi all a load it inna mi chalice cause mi know say babylon caan tek it," they state boldly.
Activists are not letting go of the reality that one day all the hypocrisy will be laid to rest and ganja will be allowed to take its rightful position by once again becoming the earth's largest agricultural crop and most important industry for thousands upon thousands of products and enterprises; producing the overall majority of earth's fiber, fabric, lighting oil, paper, incense, and medicines as well as a primary source of proteins for human and animals alike.
But soon, very soon, with all being well, all ganja girls and men will be singing different tunes as I have been reliably informed that by the end of 1996, legislation will soon be in place for the limited legalisation of the herb (one spliff per person). According to the source, if and when this becomes a reality, it will no longer be a crime if a person is caught smoking a ganja spliff....in Jamaica.
