The British Virgin Islands have said yes to medical cannabis

In early July, the Legislative Assembly of the British Virgin Islands passed a bill on the Cannabis medical. Governor Gus Jaspert still needs to sign it before the bill becomes law.

The original bill sought to legalize adult cannabis use, an initiative that was shelved following calls for stricter regulation.

Under the medical cannabis bill, anyone over the age of 18 will be allowed to possess up to 1g of «medical cannabis for medical or therapeutic use» without a prescription. For residents and tourists who wish to possess more cannabis—up to 50 grams of weed or 10 grams of resin—a «self-declaration» form can be completed at a doctor’s office.

The bill establishes licenses for «the analysis, cultivation, processing, importation, exportation, distribution, and sale of cannabis in the Virgin Islands.» The legislation limits the the use or possession of cannabis in public places but grants licenses for cannabis lounges, to be designated by the Virgin Islands Cannabis Licensing Authority.

Hemp with a THC content of -1% and CBD-based products are not subject to regulation.

«I'm not here to promote the recreational use of marijuana,» he said declared Andrew Fahie, Premier and Minister of Finance of the British Virgin Islands. «But I am here to advocate for the medical cannabis industry within a controlled and highly regulated framework.»

«The region needs money; the government needs revenue,» Fahie said. «We’re constantly being told that we have to find our own money to recover from catastrophic events. We need to build a more diverse economy. We need to create better opportunities for our people, and the medical cannabis industry is one way to achieve that.»

Mr. Fahie added that the territory’s government, which has a population of just under 30,000, aims to create an industry in domestically grown cannabis worth $30 million. Alongside this regulation, heavy fines have been maintained. Anyone who exceeds the 50g possession limit without a prescription could be fined up to 100,000 $ or sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, with a minimum sentence of 3 years.

Penalties will still be imposed on individuals who illegally import or export cannabis, illegally possess cannabis, illegally sell cannabis, drive a vehicle while under the influence, allow a minor to use cannabis, or grow cannabis without a license.

Cultivation will also be strictly regulated by the Virgin Islands government to ensure compliance with the laws the territory shares with the United Kingdom. To control the location and supply of cannabis, cultivation will be permitted only on government-owned land designated by the Authority.

A companion bill, the Drug Abuse Prevention Amendment Act, 2020, is awaiting final approval by the Assembly. The criminal records of individuals previously convicted of possessing less than 50g of weed or 10 g of resin would be deleted.

«We will decriminalize marijuana at this level. People will no longer be incarcerated for the possession and use of something that is recognized as being far less harmful to your health,» Natalio Wheatley, the territory’s Minister of Agriculture, told the Assembly. «In fact, we’re talking about its medicinal value more than we are about something like alcohol. It has been proven that alcohol is much more harmful to health than marijuana.»

For their part, the U.S. Virgin Islands are also making progress on reforming their cannabis laws.