Barbados, future destination for medical cannabis

Mia Mollet, the prime minister of Barbados, a small Caribbean island near Venezuela and Granada, announced at an economic forum (The First Caribbean Barbados CIBC Client Economic Forum) that medical cannabis will be legal before Christmas. According to her, there is no way Barbados will miss the opportunity to establish itself in this emerging industry. She wants to turn the country not into a cannabis producer and exporter, but into a medical tourism destination.

Medical Tourism

The government is already working on the project: «There is no doubt that we will put a legal framework for medical cannabis in place in the coming weeks. We’ve already made the decision; we just need a little more clarity and training for the healthcare professionals who will be authorized to dispense it.» According to her, legalization must be approached from a strategic perspective to maximize the country’s competitiveness in an industry where Canadian leaders are already worth several billion dollars and have very significant production capacities. The island must be able to compete with Canadian companies if it hopes to attract investors.

To that end, the prime minister envisions the local industry specializing in a form of medical tourism rather than exporting medicines or cannabis, as Canada already does around the world, and especially in Europe. «Why would we seek to export when we can focus on and extract maximum value by operating clinics and treatment centers for people who want to try other forms of pain relief? That way, the entire value chain is delivered locally, and it attracts long-term tourists.» She hopes to capitalize on the fact that Barbados is already a tourist destination to link the two industries and maximize profits.

A regional initiative

The prime minister plans to develop the island’s industry in partnership with other medical cannabis stakeholders in the region: «Barbados can’t do it if no one else in the region is doing it,» says Mia Mollet. Among these stakeholders is Jamaica, which has legalized medical cannabis and began discussions with Canada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which has also joined the effort and Bermuda, which is on the verge of authorizing the domestic production of medical cannabis and whose prime minister was visited by Canopy Growth CEO Bruce Linton. Indeed, there appears to be a regional push for medical cannabis in the Caribbean. The topic is, in fact, addressed at the regional level within CARICOM which launched a series of national consultations.

The issue of recreational cannabis is also addressed. Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, chair of the CARICOM Commission on Cannabis said during a cannabis rally in Trinidad 61% of Grenada’s residents, 62% of Antigua and Barbuda’s residents, and approximately 60% of Barbados’ residents were in favor of decriminalizing cannabis. In Barbados, as in Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda, the Rastafarian community is lobbying for the decriminalization of cannabis for religious purposes. In Antigua and Barbuda, recognition of the right to consume cannabis as part of a religion is now a reality. Regarding Barbados, the prime minister announced that the issue of recreational cannabis will be decided by referendum soon, but did not specify a date.