Medical Marijuana Bill to get its first reading next Monday

This country’s medical marijuana Bill will have its first reading in the House of Assembly on Monday, August 20.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said the Bill focusses on creating a medicinal marijuana industry here and legalizing the product for use in registered tabernacles as a sacrament.

The Bill will also address amnesty in certain circumstances, mostly for growers who will be providing the product for use in the medicinal industry.

“I am hoping that the comments come in,” said Gonsalves on Monday while adding that when the Bill is put to the select committee, he wants persons to engage and give their opinions on it.

The Prime Minister however reiterated that the Bill does not deal with the decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana as this is something that has to be further studied.

He said that a recent survey shows that a large percentage of the population of St Vincent and the Grenadines is against decriminalization of marijuana for recreational use while more persons want to see weed used for medicinal purposes.