Cayman Islands pave the way for medical cannabis

Lawmakers in the Cayman Islands, a British territory located in the Caribbean Sea, have paved the way for the legalization of cannabis oil for medical use, but many questions remain, particularly regarding where the country will source its supply.

The country’s lawmakers approved the second reading of a bill earlier this week that would allow doctors to prescribe cannabis oil, which would then be sold in pharmacies, for patients suffering from conditions such as cancer, according to the Cayman Compass, a local newspaper.

Last year, a resident of the Caribbean nation, Dennie Warren Jr., had requested a change in the law governing drugs (Misuse of Drugs Bill). Warren had hoped to import cannabis oil to treat his wife, who was suffering from severe lung cancer. The couple had exhausted all medical options before turning to cannabis oil and the various success stories they had heard about its use in treating cancer.

In what could be described as a «race against death,» Warren made numerous media appearances and reached out to every possible government official. He provided information, in particular, on medical options cannabis, which can be used to treat his loved ones and other residents of the island suffering from similar life-threatening illnesses.

Premier Alden McLaughlin said the law should be amended before its final enactment—which is expected to take place soon—to address the issues surrounding the oil supply cannabis.

The oil would not be produced on the island, and importing it from the United States is unlikely given federal restrictions on international sales and transportation.

Other countries could follow suit, particularly those in the region that are moving toward legalizing medical cannabis. This summer, the neighboring island of Jamaica was considering the’installation of cannabis kiosks at airports to sell licenses to tourists and allow them to use cannabis during their vacations.

The Canada could also become an oil supplier cannabis on the island.