Parliament on Thursday sent to a select committee three medical marijuana bills, which received their first reading that day.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Saboto Caesar, introduced The Medicinal Cannabis Industry Bill, The Cannabis Cultivation (Amnesty) Bill, and The Permitted Use of Cannabis for Religious Purpose Bill and asked that they be sent to a select committee.
The minister said The Medicinal Cannabis Industry Bill will regulate the supply and use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
“That is, for the treatment of persons with qualifying medical conditions, to provide for the establishment of the Medicinal Cannabis Authority and the Medicinal Cannabis Advisory Council and for matters and purposes incidental thereto,” the minister said.
He said The Cannabis Cultivation (Amnesty) Bill will provide for the grant of an amnesty for the period commencing Aug. 1, 2018 and ending July 31, 2019 or such further period as the House of Assembly may determine, by resolution, to persons engaged in the cultivation of cannabis contrary to Section 8 of the Drug Prevention of Misuse Act and any other relevant enactment, who may otherwise be liable to criminal prosecution for certain criminal offences and other proceeding under that act or any other relevant enactment in force.”
Caesar said the bill relates to an amnesty related to the possession and cultivation of cannabis and is designed to grant a reprieve to people who have illegally cultivated cannabis on or before the amnesty period, by providing such persons with an opportunity to surrender their crop or harvest upon the issuance of a traditional cultivation licence.
Meanwhile, the minister said the Permitted Use of Cannabis for Religious Purpose Bill provides for the decriminalisation of the use of cannabis as sacrament in adherence to a religious practice by such religious bodies as may be prescribed by order of the minister including, but not limited to, the Rastafarian faith at their place of worship and at an event declared by order of the minister to be an exempt event for the purposes of this act and for matters and purposes incidental thereto.
In addition to Caesar, the following government lawmakers will sit on the select committee: Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Legal Affairs, Ralph Gonsalves, Member for North Windward, Montgomery Daniel, Member for East St. George, Camillo Gonsalves, who is also Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Minister of Education, National Reconciliation and Ecclesiastical Affairs, Jimmy Prince, Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Sen. Luke Browne, Sen. Carlos James, and Attorney General Jaundy Martin.
The opposition members are Opposition Leader Godwin Friday, MP for North Leeward and opposition spokesman on agriculture, Roland “Patel” Matthews, South Leeward MP, Nigel “Nature’ Stephenson, Central Kingstown MP, St. Clair Leacock, and Sen. Kay Bacchus-Baptiste.
The opposition has throughout this year indicated that any medical marijuana industry established in St. Vincent and the Grenadines should be designed in such a way that it benefits citizens.
Matthews has called for the decriminalisation of possession of small quantities of marijuana for recreational use.
The government has said it is not prepared to go in that direction yet.
Not surprised that Saboto would front such a bill! We need to accept that he has already drawn up a plan that would allow for him to profit financially! #GREED