KINGSTOWN, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES – Since the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines took the giant step toward the establishment of a modern medical cannabis industry, through the tabling of three draft Bills on July 26, 2018, there has been a flurry of legal activity on the issue.
Select Committee meetings have been on-going and have been well attended over the past two weeks in the capital city of Kingstown.
At those meetings which take place in the House of Parliament, both opposition and government members of Parliament, along with representatives of various interested industry groups, have been going over the proposed Bills, covering the various aspects dealing with medicinal, religious, and amnesty amongst others.
That intense work towards the anticipated approval of the medicinal cannabis legislation is nearing the final stages, with Select Committee meetings expected to be concluded by Friday October 12th, 2018.
A government official has revealed that the three draft Bills are expected to be discussed and passed when Parliament sits on the week of October 15th 2018.
But with all that flurry of legal activity ongoing, what does this mean for the socio-economic development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, whose medicinal cannabis industry is set to flourish with the passage of the Bills, and subsequent implementation of mechanisms to tap into the vast potential of high-grade cannabis?
Passage of the Medicinal Cannabis Bills, plus strong support from the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is expected to position the island as part of a powerful Caribbean hub for medicinal cannabis innovation.
The leadership of Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar, along with support from the Cabinet of Ministers, has driven forth the legislative reform on medicinal cannabis.
According to the government official: “This government is committed to the development of a St. Vincent and the Grenadines medicinal cannabis industry, capable of supplying both domestic and international markets.”
St Vincent and the Grenadines has a long history of agriculture production owing to the country’s fertile volcanic soil. The passage of the medicinal cannabis legislation will enable farmers – individually and collectively, in making St. Vincent and the Grenadines become a lead producer of organically certified medicinal cannabis, rivaling any in the entire Western Hemisphere.
With the passage of the Medicinal Cannabis Bills in sight, the government official said, “We will work with doctors, researchers, industry and the relevant agencies to facilitate the development of the industry. Driving the medicinal cannabis industry forward will create jobs, attract investment, and develop a full range of high quality, locally produced medical products to meet patient needs. This industry will establish St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a responsible supplier of high-quality medicinal cannabis to patients in need, everywhere in the world.”
The official noted that all over the world, the manufacturing of innovative medicinal cannabis products are changing the lives of patients who suffer from many medical conditions that are unresponsive to other treatments.
He pointed out that with the expected legalisation of medicinal cannabis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is well-placed to develop a medicinal cannabis industry second to none, contributing to the well-being of many persons who may have never heard of the island.
Anticipation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is at a heightened state, as the country is expected to make the historic move towards the establishment of the medicinal cannabis industry this month.
Passage of the Bills are expected just a few days before the island celebrates its 39th Independence Anniversary on October 27, 2018.
However, the government official cautions that persons must be cognizant that all stages of the process from cultivation to storage to manufacturing, distribution and patient access, will be tightly regulated. This will be done principally through the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines consumer guidelines.
This is to ensure that all medicinal cannabis products are of a reliable quality available to the patients who need them. All access to medicinal cannabis products will only be available through licensed pharmacists to patients with a prescription from a medical practitioner.
Medicinal cannabis is the broad term for cannabis products that have been legally cultivated or manufactured for medical purposes. This can include medical-grade herbal products or purified pharmaceuticals from extracts of the Cannabis Sativa plant.
Cannabis plants contain a number of different compounds called cannabinoids and terpenes, which have various effects when introduced into the human body. The main cannabinoids used are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).2
The government official pointed out that production of medicinal cannabis must and will meet Global-Gap; Eurep-Gap organic (GAP, GMP) standards.
Here goes another caribbean island that is visionary and forward thinking. Another country that is going to pass Dominica economically. Now Dominica and Haiti will be fighting for last place in the caribbean. This makes me so angry. And everybody knows non of those worthless square pegs in wrong hole ministers cannot table no paper in parliament to at least decriminalise weed. And then they coming and lie to the people saying Dominica doing better that other islands
what a joke. I say who get fool in this day its because they are incredibly stupid. And you know what that person will remain like that because no one can fix stupid
the only thing preventing Haiti from being last is them earthquakes. Otherwise haiti is very productive. more than dominica.
I will never support the legalization of this drug> It was wrong before and it will always be wrong.
why was it wrong? what about it was wrong? please tell me why. Have you ever researched it or understood why countries like America quickly made it illegal and wrongly classified it as a schedule 1 drug? propaganda and economics. you cannot overdose from it like alcohol, recent studies show it is less carcinogenic than cigarettes, less harmful on your internal organs than prescribed medications which are laden with chemicals. Im not even going into the industrial aspect of it like textiles, construction etc. How sound like someone from the Dread Act days who grew up in fear. i bet you have never even tried it before, but have no problem drinking alcohol.
No it’s not. You don’t have to, shows how much you know of the history sorounding this issue. It wasn’t wrong until racists in the U.S campaigned to associate Mexicans and Blacks who frequented smoking it with the killing of white women and making them jump off tall buildings (Google reefer madness) Just to incaserate, jail and other racial injustices against Mexicans and Blacks. They succeeded, and it was made illegal, class 1 drug like heroine and morphine. They left Coke and other hard drugs frequented by whites as class 2. You figure it out, hence your sentiment today a believer. It’s not that bad. The states of California, Colorado and dozens others have legalized it without adverse effects. Look it up, info is easy to find.
I just regret the fact that the opposition in Dominica jumped on this, because I’m afraid current gov’t is going to use that to do nothing just to get back at them. Oh boy
The other significant part of this is that Ralph has taken the element of incaserating his people rampantly out of the equation and moving forward to business of medicinal and trade in the oils and other derivatives. A winner.
The people of St Vincent are laughing at Dominica
meanwhile, here in Dominica…………………………………..(crickets in the background). But seriously though? when will the governing administration invite the regional committee assigned to execute consultations in ALL CARICOM STATES be allowed or invited to Dominica to deal with the matter of legalization or decriminalization of Cannabis? The PM has stated that he wants the topic to be a regional discussion first before he can consider discussions for it here in Dominica. Significant evidence shows that it HAS been a regional topic at heads of CARICOM meetings since 2014, which is what prompted the establishment of the regional marijuana committee headed by doctors based at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. Hence, the legalization in Jamaica, decriminalization in Antigua, and soon St. Vincent. Barbados has already had their consultations i believe. This issue of Marijuana will be like a carrot dangled in front of us donkeys come election time.
at the very least they can decriminalize it in Dominica for individual consumption
I am against large scale sale and export of it
but if someone grows some in their home for personal use
they shouldn’t be terrorized for it
https://caricom.org/marijuana-commission. this is their website.
The DLP is cursed because it’s leader has juxtaposed himself with God multiple times. We have not even had a discussion on the decriminalization topic headed by DLP…If they do,it will be botched . It’s a cannot do government.Look all around, projects half finished,failed,etc,etc,etc,A DLP that needs to be discarded by good Dominicans
Skerrit Must Go
Skerrit Must Go
Lazy Skerrit Must Go
and Dominica will be the last kakarat when the whole Caribbean has legalized it, I guess the government love people BEGGING them for handouts