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Friday 3 May 2019

Cannabis and the Caribbean Countries

The Caribbean countries have been synonymous with cannabis for as long back as we can remember. Sunny beaches, reggae music, Rastafarians and cannabis are some of the most commonly evoked images when one speaks about the Caribbean. Known to have a deep rooted culture and tradition of cannabis use, these group of islands were also subjected to the prohibition of cannabis pushed through world wide by the US, UK and the UN. Trinidad, in fact, was one of the earliest places in the world where the British tested out their cannabis prohibition strategies in the 19th century before scaling it up up in places like India. This was mainly carried out to give a leg up to the industries that the UK and US wanted to promote, mainly the alcohol, tobacco, paper pulp and synthetic pharmaceutical drug industries.

Being in close proximity to the US, with banking systems and trade connections that are hugely dependent on the US, the Caribbean islands have been pressurized to ensure that the medicinal and recreational herb is banned. For smaller countries such as the people of the Caribbean, such a ban can only be termed cruel. The resulting increase in abuse of alcohol, pharmaceutical and synthetic drugs has only served to exacerbate the problems that the islands face. Small farmers who would vastly benefit from the agriculture and trade of the cannabis crop have been forced to cultivate the plant in remote places and in hiding for fear of law enforcement action. The culture of cannabis use has however not been completely eliminated as that would be an impossible task.

Cannabis to the Caribbean Islands is a matter of identity and pride. Recent developments in the US, Canada, Uruguay, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, France and many parts of Europe has given hope to the people of the Caribbean that the end of the ban on cannabis is in sight. A number of politicians have started speaking in support of the plant and protection of small farmers who cultivate the plant. Some leading researchers from the island have also raised awareness levels about the medicinal properties of the plant and highlighted the misinformation that has surrounded the plant in the recent past. However, a large number of Caribbean lawmakers display a mindset that reflects the learnings of a western education where the propaganda regarding the so-called evils of cannabis has been drilled into their psyches. These lawmakers still continue to retain the biases that they have picked up, even as the US changes its laws and legalizes cannabis for recreational use. So even though there has been much talk about legalization for recreational purposes, concerted action and results on the ground has been quite limited. Ironically, one of the main forces driving US legalization of cannabis is the discrimination against colored people and the disproportionate use of law enforcement against non-whites for the usage of cannabis. It must however be noted that much of the legalization efforts have succeeded in places where it was the people who made the demand through grassroots level activism rather than through lawmakers recognizing the injustices and making the necessary corrections to the laws.

The Caribbean islands need to legalize cannabis for recreational purposes for the various benefits that it will provide the people of the islands, namely, an additional agricultural crop for farmers that is sustainable and suited for small farming in the Caribbean climate, a plant that can provide affordable universal healthcare for the Caribbean people, a plant that can provide a significant increase in jobs and industry as is being witnessed in the US states where legalization has happened, significant revenues from taxes that can be channelized into education and infrastructure and a boost to the Caribbean tourism industry. Law enforcement that focuses overly on the safe recreational plant and its users needs to be redirected to more urgent actions such as the prevention of violent crime, economic fraud, environmental damage and theft. The benefits for the people, especially the poorest, the minorities, the indigenous communities, the ill, the elderly, the youth and women in terms of a safe historical recreational drug being once again available are immense. Caribbean varieties of cannabis that have evolved among the islands over thousands of years need to be identified, protected and revived. These indigenous pants need to be nurtured as one of the tools against climate change and as a significant approach to sustainable development. Caribbean universities and research bodies are known to have carried out some of the most significant research around the plant in the past few decades. This needs to be scaled up and further pursued. Already a few universities are said to be offering programs for the cultivation, vocational training and entrepreneurship with regard to cannabis.

The dangers of further delays in legalization are becoming increasingly evident.  According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report 2020 - 'Although data coverage was low in the Caribbean, the highest prevalence of hepatitis C among PWID [persons who inject drugs] was found in that subregion, at 76 per cent, followed by East and South-East Asia, Western and Central Europe, North America, and Central Asia and Transcaucasia, where it ranged between 61 and 54 per cent.'  This is an indicator of the increased proliferation among the general population of heroin and other deadly drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, synthetic cannabinoids and abuse of prescription drugs, in addition to the existing legal drugs that are more deadly than cannabis i.e. alcohol and tobacco. This deterioration in public health is mainly driven by the lack of access to the wholesome, medicinal natural herb cannabis. The UNODC report also says - 'It should be noted that the use of pharmaceuticals for non-medical purposes is not limited to opioids. There is also a substantial market for stimulant pharmaceuticals for non-medical use, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean'

The world through the UN needs to step up support for the Caribbean islands in its effort to legalize recreational cannabis which is the least that can be done after centuries of exploitation of the islands and its people. When the very countries that imposed prohibition to support industries opposed to cannabis are now lifting it and searching world wide for sources of natural cannabis for their people, it is time for traditional cannabis using countries like the Caribbean to legalize cannabis for recreational purposes. Then these islands will be able to once again reach sustainability with the unjust barriers and curbs removed.

In December 2020,  the UN voted to remove cannabis from its most restricted Schedule IV category of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. It does however still remain in Schedule I, which is the least restrictive. This one move by the UN itself should be sufficient to bring about the recreational legalization of cannabis in every nation and an overhaul of national drug laws.

Listed below are articles taken from various media related to the above subject. Words in italics are the thoughts of your truly at the time of reading the article.   


'The Bill would provide for the regulation of the handling of medicinal cannabis in Barbados; the establishment of a Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Board and a Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Appeals Tribunal; as well as the issuing of licences for the handling of the commodity.'
https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/08/31/benefits-of-a-local-medicinal-cannabis-industry/


'“We have already made provisions for them to have access to land as well so that 60 acres of land being made available in Barbados to the Rastafarian community is the first step towards ensuring that they will not be left out of this.”
https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/barbados-government-promises-rastafarians-60-acres-of-land-to-grow-marijuana/


'The Bill would provide for the regulation of the handling of medicinal cannabis in Barbados; the establishment of a Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Board and a Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Appeals Tribunal; as well as the issuing of licences for the handling of the commodity.'
https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/08/31/benefits-of-a-local-medicinal-cannabis-industry/


'Although data coverage was low in the Caribbean, the highest prevalence of hepatitis C among PWID [persons who inject drugs] was found in that subregion, at 76 per cent, followed by East and South-East Asia, Western and Central Europe, North America, and Central Asia and Transcaucasia, where it ranged between 61 and 54 per cent. In North Africa, a hepatitis C prevalence of 25 per cent was found among PWID, compared with a combined prevalence in the general population (>15 years) in North Africa and the Middle East estimated at 3.1 per cent. In Central Asia, a hepatitis C prevalence of 54 per cent was found among PWID, compared with a range of 0.5 to 13.1 per cent among the general population' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_Booklet_2.pdf


'“We agree. I assure the public that this is part of our plan to create new jobs, higher income streams for our people, and expand our pathways for growth and development particularly at this difficult economic time around the world.”

Prime Minister Harris stated that the government will ensure that priority is given to locals in the development of the industry.

 He noted that the MCA will be “responsible for issuing various classes of licenses relating to the cultivation, processing, transportation, dispensing, manufacturing, export etc.”'
https://zizonline.com/medicinal-cannabis-authority-mca-to-be-created-in-st-kitts-and-nevis/


'The situation is particularly complex for the opioids group, as both legally and illegally produced substances satisfy the non-medical demand for opioids. While illegally produced opiates, such as heroin, used to dominate the non-medical demand for opioids, the illicit opioid markets in many countries have become far more diversified over the past two decades, with a number of pharmaceutical opioids that have started to cover a substantial part of the market for opioids for non-medical purposes.

This is creating an additional challenge for drug use prevention because, unlike the traditional hard drugs such as heroin, pharmaceuticals are often not perceived as harmful. In terms of drug control, this requires a careful equilibrium between maximizing accessibility for medical use while minimizing availability for non-medical use. It should be noted that the use of pharmaceuticals for non-medical purposes is not limited to opioids. There is also a substantial market for stimulant pharmaceuticals for non-medical use, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf


'“All of our commercial banks in Jamaica are obliged, right now, to go through the New York system in terms of the movement of money internationally,” he said, adding “we have the irony of a Jamaican scientist who gets an approval to develop a cannabis-based drug to fight leukaemia, and from no less an authority than the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)… [but] who had to watch as our local banks close his accounts because of this de-risking arrangement. This is why I am going to put a lot of energy into this lobbying effort”.

Shaw noted that while de-risking mainly affects smaller developing countries, like Caribbean states, the bigger developed nations “have managed to figure out a way” around the issue.'
https://www.tv6tnt.com/news/regional/jamaica-to-lobby-international-community-regarding-marijuana-industry/article_b41e217c-306a-11e9-b2e1-9b293150a632.html


'He said that should the present condition on the movement of funds remain, the issue of the movement of money will affect Jamaica and other small countries and that the ‘big boys’ will find a way around that issue while others will suffer.'
http://wicnews.com/caribbean/jamaican-agro-minister-calls-us-cooperation-cannabis-industry-265111071/


'Puerto Rico’s medical marijuana companies have lost their only banking solution, forcing them to conduct business in cash.

Tu Coop, an in-state credit union, had been providing banking to MMJ firms as part of the cooperative sector, which is regulated by local authorities, Caribbean Business reported.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/puerto-rico-medical-marijuana-no-banking/


'As of late, he’s developing artists on an all-female record label called HEADS Music. He’s also working to get into the burgeoning legal cannabis industry, and “be a complete trader for the Caribbean with the cannabis.”'
https://www.vibe.com/2018/08/wyclef-jean-key-to-brooklyn/


'The Rastafarian ganja philosophy is explained by Major Mackerel, a Reggae music star.'
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/u/kch6ktllWluFXUy5ox7nnGjNbDmLxhzd2AaZdh40aVc1U10FfQWRHFvbZmLFzPeHVgACNcv3X-09MPA/


'After a meeting this month by heads of state among the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) including Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, and 15 other neighboring island nations, the group came to some consensus toward legalizing and regulating cannabis. The officials agreed to “review marijuana’s current status with a view to reclassification,” noting issues of human and religious rights infringed by criminalization, as well as economic benefits to be derived from legalization.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/marijuana-insights/caribbean-island-nations-getting-onboard-decriminalization/


'“This month, we will be going to parliament again to completely legalize it. We fully intend to begin to invest heavily in the medical marijuana field, with the Caribbean Development Bank in particular, to provide opportunities for our people for the production of medicines using this product. I am excited about it and I think that it is something that the rest of the Region should pay attention to as well because our climatic conditions are very suitable for that sort of thing,” he said.'
http://cannabisafterdark.com/2018/10/antigua-to-legalize-marijuana-urges-other-countries-to-follow-suit-hts-news-4orce/


'“On the issue of whether to allow the use of medicinal marijuana and recreational marijuana will also come under the microscope in an open and transparent manner in the months ahead,” he stated. “As a matter of fact, the first national consultation of the decriminalization of marijuana and its use for medicinal purposes will be held on November 16, 2018.”'
https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/dominica-to-hold-national-consultation-on-marijuana-legalization/


'The St Vincent and the Grenadines Parliament is expected to approve, on Thursday, laws establishing a medical marijuana industry in the country.

The bills are expected to become law amidst concerns among three groups involved in the review of the draft legislation — growers, the Christian Council, and the parliamentary opposition — that foreign interest could benefit the most from a medicinal marijuana industry here.

“As we, as growers, get into this part of the industry, I must tell you that the playing field is not a level one, because foreigners, the investors, have the money [and] the growers, they don’t have lands,” said Junior “Spirit” Cottle, a long-standing advocate of reform of the island’s marijuana laws.'
https://stluciatimes.com/svg-amidst-ganja-reform-concern-about-growers/


'"The production of cannabis for medicinal purposes provides an excellent opportunity for Small Island States to further diversify possibilities for farmers to secure sustainable livelihoods" said Minister Caesar.

Minister Caesar concluded the Government would have more to say with the passing of legislation later this month, but was now putting the world’s investors on notice of the top thirty benefits for investing in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.'
https://pressroom.oecs.org/medicinal-cannabis-st-vincent-and-the-grenadines-svg-poised-to-become-leading-producer#


'Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi says legislation on the decriminalisation of marijuana will be brought to Parliament in the first half of 2019.'
https://newsday.co.tt/2018/12/18/ag-marijuana-legislation-for-2019/


'Whilst there may be advantages for its use on the medicinal side and whilst there is a certain degree of advocacy for legalisation, we believe we ought to hear, from the stakeholder consultations, what the pros and cons of societal stakeholder feedback looks like and then move ourselves into an informed decision.”'
https://newsday.co.tt/2019/01/14/ag-marijuana-consultations-to-start-this-month/


'Puerto Rico is moving ahead with its push into the medical marijuana sector with Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s office, announcing the platform, licenciacannabis.salud.gov.pr to especially help patients who benefit from the Medicinal Cannabis Program.'
https://www.newsamericasnow.com/this-caribbean-island-launches-a-marijuana-portal/


'St. Vincent and the Grenadines Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Saboto Caesar, tabled The Medicinal Cannabis Industry Bill, The Cannabis Cultivation (Amnesty) Bill and The Permitted Use of Cannabis for Religious Purpose Bill a few months after the Ralph Gonsalves administration indicated a desire to have the relevant laws passed by March next year.'
https://www.newsamericasnow.com/politicians-in-this-caribbean-island-debate-medical-marijuana-legislation/


'Imagine what’s possible in a legal industry. Imagine that industry owned by Bahamians, employing Bahamians.Marijuana is an opportunity for The Bahamas. We should not let it pass us by.'
https://thenassauguardian.com/2018/09/05/national-review-beginning-the-process-of-marijuana-legalization-in-the-bahamas/


'“The government can apply to the United Nations to raise the import limit for medicinal cannabis but our thinking is, in a country that is desperate for jobs, why send money overseas to import what we can produce here?

“In line with the pledge made in our platform, the government will begin issuing licences for domestic medicinal cannabis production,” the Premier said.'
https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/bermuda-premier-pledges-to-legalise-cannabis-cultivation-for-medical-reasons/


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