Before Christmas Barbados should have a framework for medical cannabis in place.
However, freeing up the recreational use of the drug will have to be decided by referendum.
Word of this has come from Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who pointed out that Barbados could no longer afford to miss out on the emerging cannabis industry.
“There is no doubt that we will put a framework in place for medical cannabis within the next week or so. In fact, we have more or less taken a decision, we just need some refining and training with practitioners,” Mottley told the business community gathered at the CIBC FirstCaribbean Barbados Client Economic Forum at Sandals Barbados on Friday.
Pointing out that Barbados would not be going about it carelessly, Mottley said careful research would first have to be carried out.
“Barbados cannot do that without anybody else doing it in the region,” Mottley said adding that Barbados would have to be strategic and develop the country as a global leader in the research along with other global leaders in cannabis including Jamaica.
“We need to recognize that we must not make the mistakes of history. With respect to the cannabis, why would we seek to export when we can package and extract maximum value by having clinics as well as recuperative villages for people who want to deal with a certain aspect of pain management? So that the whole value added chain is delivered here, and the area in which we do it which is tourism, and that gives you a long-stay tourist,” she said.
“Thirdly, you cannot have your primary market which is Canada, the international business and financial services sector moving rapidly into new areas of investment and you can’t match as a domicile, the ability to accommodate those new areas of investment because if you don’t what are they going to do? Go elsewhere,” she added.
Following the legalization of cannabis in Canada, Jamaica made it legal to purchase medical marijuana after decriminalizing small quantities of the drug. Antigua and Barbuda has also decriminalized cannabis and is currently looking at the possibility of making it legal for use for medical reasons.
Mottley insisted that there would be clear strategic guidelines for Barbados on how to devise a policy that puts this country in a competitive position in the cannabis industry.
An opinion poll on the issue of the decriminalization of cannabis released in September, showed that on average, about one in three responders supported partial legalization of the drug. That Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES) poll was carried out over a two-year period up to last July in St Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica and Antigua.
More than 45 per cent of Barbadians were in favor of decriminalization.
Well yes we need to be a Competive Market …Dealings with this drug is concern ..lets look at the health benefits and also lets make the guidelines clear on the use of it …
It is full time that all the government’s in the so called Caribbean island’s or countries, as they affectionately called themselves Caribbean country.Should realized that laws was implemented by our colonial dictators masters from England, against the herbs of the land for the healing of black people in general. Because the white supremacist white European people knows that ganja is very good for the healing of black people,they discriminated against it.In order for the white pharmaceutical companies to make some money, off poor people. I am really glad that the PM of Barbados is seeing some light about the recreational marijuana,because the United States, Canada, England saying it is okay to do it.But without those countries didn’t sanction saying that they can go ahead with the recreational marijuana sales ,none of the country in the region could have brave enough to be so.Because those is incharged of the countries in the region, if they doesn’t complies to them.They are in big trouble, because they would be penalized or victimized them,in every way possible. There are certain colonial dictators masters laws from England,needs to be changed long-time ago,since you are claiming that you are an independent country.You should have the rights to do whatever is best for the people of your country, without any interference from those bad super power countries. I hope the entire countries in the region stop arresting people for just a little bit of ganja,and sending them to prison leaving their wives,and children to suffered, it is all bullshit.
So are you saying that Barbados is inviting tourists to come to their country now to smoke weed, or ganja. Because the mother country according to the phrases that England is,and the bad United States, also Canada say you can do so.I hope Barbados just like the other countries, or islands in the region, stop arresting people for just little ganja. Because the mother country saying you must put them in prison, and leaving their wives also children to suffered. I know also other people, that the government’s is all pirates.The whole thing about arresting people for just little ganja, is because the government is not making no direct taxes from it. So that is the reason why they came up with these bogus laws, to arrest people for using it without a license .Because when they are you the have to get a lawyer, also put bail bond,or they might asked you to pay a fine to generate additional taxes for the government. But the only thing why the government is giving some freedoms to smoke a little ganja in public places, because some rich is threatening the government. If they does not free it up to an extent, they are going to withdrew certain funds from their election campaign. Also closing down businesses, and put millions of people out of a jobs.Which will caused a negative impact on the economic, that is why they are freeing the ganja a .Because they put licensed in places where the government is going to make big taxes off it,just like the big pharmaceutical companies industry.