Belize decriminalizes cannabis possession

The bill we recently told you about was signed by the Governor General of Belize.

The legislation was introduced in August by the Government of Belize to amend the Belize Misuse of Drugs Act to replace prosecution with a fine. The voted text does not retain any charge for possession of less than 10 grams.

The bill had created much debate among the country's Senators. One Senator, Osmany Salas, explained that countries that decriminalized cannabis use usually had drug counsellors for young people. According to him, Belize did not have the detoxification facilities to support decriminalization. Others, on the other hand, thought it was high time to decriminalize cannabis.

«I think it would be naive of us to believe that cannabis use is not prevalent in our society».» had expressed opposition leader John Briceno on the day the bill passed through Parliament. «Probably most of us, at least once, have already smoked a little. We firmly believe that the time has come for decriminalization.

The country's religious groups had voiced their opposition to a reform of the law, calling the project hasty. «We believe that legalization, even in small quantities, is a step in the wrong direction, as more people will be involved in this traffic».» had declared Pastor Lance Lewis, President of the National Evangelical Association of Belize.

In addition to half-hearted reforms in Costa Rica, Central America remains cautious about cannabis for the time being, despite changes in cannabis legislation in the Caribbean and South America.