Antigua and Barbuda will on Friday take another step towards legalizing the regulated production and supply of marijuana for religious and medical purposes, when final consultations on the Cannabis Bill 2018 is held on Friday.
According to Ryan Johnson, the draftsman of the Cannabis Bill 2018, the government will be issuing invitations to a number of groups, while members of the public who want to get involved can approach the Clerk of Parliament, Ramona Small and make a request.
Starting at 10 a.m. (local time) on Friday, a five-member parliamentary Select Committee – appointed by Prime Minister Gaston Browne earlier this week, will engage the stakeholders, including Rastafarians and medical professionals, among others identified as approved healthcare professionals, on matters that concern them regarding the journey towards the legalization and management of the industry thereafter.
The move is in keeping with the government’s promise to develop medical and other marijuana related industries both for local and international consumption.
The 54-page Bill is divided into five parts: Cannabis for sacramental and religious purposes; Cannabis for medicinal purposes – with access to medicinal purposes ; Licensing the supply of medicinal cannabis; Offences (general prohibitions and prohibitions relating to authoried healthcare professional) and appeals.
The law will establish the Antigua and Barbuda Medicinal Cannabis Authority whose functions will be to authorize medicinal and alternative health practitioners to recommend medicinal cannabis, and to establish scientific research protocol for medicinal cannabis.
