Antigua and Barbuda on the road to decriminalizing cannabis

The Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda, a Caribbean island located 50 kilometers north of Guadeloupe, voted on February 6 an amendment to his Misuse of Drugs Act according to the website Talking Drugs.

The bill concerned the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of cannabis (less than 10 grams) for adults, the sacred use of cannabis by Rastafarians during their ceremonies or rituals, and the expungement of past convictions for minor cannabis-related offenses.

Cannabis has been illegal in Antigua and Barbuda since 1973 and the signing of the Misuse of Drugs Act, when the island was still under British rule.

The bill must still be approved by the Senate before it becomes law, but the island’s Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, has already asked police officers to stop prosecuting his fellow citizens for the mere use of cannabis. He also mentioned during a parliamentary session that he had previously witnessed excessive use of force by police against Rastafarians.

«[The police] were on the lookout. The mere smell of marijuana, and they would raid people’s private homes and literally abuse their power […] I remember seeing people run away—really run away—from the police several times before they even got close, because they knew what was going to happen. The consequences weren’t just legal charges. They also included violence.» reports the Antigua Observer. «I want to take this opportunity to apologize to the family members of these individuals for the abuse they have suffered for decades.»

Possession of less than 10 grams would therefore be decriminalized under the new law, but public consumption could still be subject to prosecution: a warning and a fine for the first two offenses, and criminal prosecution for subsequent offenses.

Private use would thus be legal. As Prime Minister Browne explains: «Cannabis use is now socially acceptable. It is, in essence, part of the country’s culture.».

The Caribbean is currently embarking on a a sweeping reform of their cannabis laws. While some islands, such as the Jamaica, the Bermuda or Belize or have already made progress on decriminalization, while others, such as the Cayman Islands or Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are very interested in medical cannabis.