Hon. Samal Duggins
Minister of Agriculture:
“The Cannabis Amendment Bill will be debated in the next sitting of the St. Kitts-Nevis General Assembly
In a matter of weeks the Cannabis Amendment Bill comes before our Parliament for debate which will properly bring on stream our medicinal cannabis industry.
As the Minister with responsibility for agriculture it is part of my duty to ensure that our cannabis growers are in the best possible position to enter and compete in this billion dollar industry.
Therefore, I am in contact with Dr. Machel Emanuel, the Principle Investigator of the Life Science Cannabis Research Group at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus, who graciously gave me a comprehensive tour of this amazing facility during my trip to Jamaica.
Dr. Emanuel is an award winning expert in cannabis production including special strains and quality assurance. I was absolutely blown away by the operations at UWI and his perspective on the way forward.
I look forward to sharing more on this in the upcoming weeks and months“
Attorney General Garth Wilkin explains where the law stands on the cultivation and recreational use of ganja.
Cannabis Act, 2020
]]>Panel Discussion on the beginning of a Ganja Industry in St. Kitts & Nevis on Wednesday 16th November, 2022.
Watch the full panel discussion below:
]]>Watch video here:
]]>As Minister of Agriculture, I am happy to report that your government is working diligently for you! We are making great strides toward creating and establishing a thriving cannabis industry.
Minister of Agriculture
The Hon. Samal Duggins
The newly formed Labour Administration seems to be moving forward to create a cannabis industry, with Cabinet meeting on Monday and deciding on the following:
• To review the laws decriminalizing possession and cultivation of certain quantities of marijuana in the Federation
• To initiate the long-anticipated Medical Marijuana Industry to create entrepreneurs, economic activity and to diversify the Federation’s tourism product
• To table legislation that would allow the Court to expunge the criminal records of persons convicted in the past of minor marijuana-related offences
• To table legislation that would protect the rights of cultivators
“Citizens and residents of St. Kitts-Nevis, we will continue to keep you informed on the progress of your government,” Minister Duggins said.
Cannabis in Saint Kitts and Nevis is illegal but decriminalized. Cannabis is grown on the islands for local consumption, previously in the mountainous interior for the most part, but more recently in abandoned sugar cane fields as well.
On February 20, 2019, the Unity Administration announced that cabinet had accepted the unanimous recommendations from the National Cannabis Commission and would introduce legislation to legalize medicinal cannabis and decriminalize recreational use for persons over the age of 18. Individuals found with under 15 grams of cannabis or growing less than 5 plants would only receive a ticket.
On May 3, 2019, High Court Judge Eddy Ventose ruled that Rastafarians and other adults over the age of 18 can use, possess, and cultivate cannabis in private and that the government has 90 days to change the cannabis laws in the country.
On July 31, 2019, a bill was passed by the National Assembly to decriminalize up to 15 grams of cannabis, punishable by $50 fine. For public use the fine was set at $1000.
In February 2020, the National Assembly of Saint Kitts and Nevis raised the allowed amount of cannabis to 56 grams.
The Cabinet of Ministers met on Monday, August 29, 2022, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister the Honourable Dr Terrance Drew. During their meeting, Cabinet discussed several matters of national importance to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Below are the outcomes of their discussions.
- The Cabinet agreed in principle to facilitate the payment of the St. Kitts Electricity Company’s fuel costs in order to enable lower energy costs for the residents on St. Kitts.
- The Cabinet has decided to take the following steps with respect to marijuana:
- to review the laws decriminalizing possession and cultivation of certain quantities of marijuana in the Federation.
- to initiate the long-anticipated Medical Marijuana Industry to create entrepreneurs, economic activity and to diversify the Federation’s tourism product.
- to table legislation to permit the Court to expunge the criminal records of persons convicted in the past of minor marijuana-related offences.
- to instruct the Royal Saint Christopher and Nevis Police Force to respect the current cannabis-related laws and the constitutional rights declared in the May 2019 decision of the High Court in Ras Sankofa Maccabee v the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney-General.
- The Cabinet agreed to initiate the restoration and transformation project for converting the home of the nation’s first National Hero, the Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, into a museum.
- The Cabinet discussed important measures to further strengthen and enhance the world’s longest-standing citizenship-by-investment programme
- The Cabinet received updates from the Independence 39 Organising Committee. Of note was the report that 413 submissions were received from the 3-day Independence Theme competition. The winning theme will be announced on Wednesday, August 31, 2022.
- The Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Terrance Drew, will attend the inaugural Africa-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF), September 1-3, 2022 in Bridgetown, Barbados. The Forum will be held under the theme “One People, One Destiny. Uniting and Reimagining Our Future”.
- As Minister of Health, Prime Minister Drew will also attend the preliminary meeting for the 30th Pan American Sanitary Conference on September 2, 2022, in Bridgetown, Barbados.
According to a spokesperson from PLP, Some 808 persons in St. Kitts and Nevis have had their criminal records for possession of small amounts of marijuana expunged, thanks to the passing of the Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in the Federal Parliament on 12 Februarym 2022.
Through this piece of legislation, the Team Unity Government expunged criminal records for those who were convicted under section 6B of the Drugs (Prevention & Abatement of the Misuse and Abuse of Drugs) Act, Cap. 9.08; or convicted of an offence or offences involving less than 56 grammes of cannabis or cannabis resin in a quantity of 15 grammes or less.
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