Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Antigua parliament passes bill to allow possession of small amounts of ganja

February 12th, 2018 | Tags:
Antigua and Barbuda’s Parliament has given the nod to a Bill decriminalizing the possession of up to 15 grammes of cannabis. Photo: Caribbean 360
CARIBBEAN 360

ST JOHN’S, Antigua - Antigua and Barbuda’s Parliament has given the nod to a Bill decriminalizing the possession of up to 15 grammes of cannabis.

The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill, passed yesterday by the Lower House, will also allow a household to have up to four plants.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne said cannabis is used by a large section of the population, and decriminalization is a form of rebalancing as authorities look to deal with the issue directly.

He also disclosed that a poll conducted before the decision to move to decriminalization had indicated that 70 per cent of the population was in favour of going that route.

“The use of marijuana is now socially acceptable. It is, in essence, a part of the culture of the country…

“I want to make it abundantly clear that my government is not advocating the use of cannabis; we are against anything that is smoked. We do accept, though, on the other hand, that marijuana utilized in different forms has significant medicinal benefits and certainly we’ll move pretty quickly to ensure that we legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes,” Browne said.

He also indicated that there would be a public education campaign to sensitize people about the dangers of abusing the drug.

The Bill has to be passed in the Senate and gazette before becoming law.

5 Responses to “Antigua parliament passes bill to allow possession of small amounts of ganja”



Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.