PM Gonsalves stands in defence of recently instated marijuana laws

Regulations of the International Narcotics Convention continue to stand in the way of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes.

This is so even though many countries who have signed on to the Convention are making millions from the decriminalization of the popular narcotic herb.

In the United States (US), the House Judiciary Committee last month approved a bill that legalizes marijuana on the federal level, removing it from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act.

The legislation, which passed 24 to 10, has a high chance of approval in the full House where Democrats control the Chamber with 234 seats.

It is likely to face a tougher battle in the Republican-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell opposes legalization of marijuana.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said the federal government in the US “stands askance against it” but in time, that would change.

His comments on the marijuana issue come as his government continues to be on the receiving end of criticism from a wide cross section of society as persons call for the full decriminalization of marijuana here instead of freeing up the herb only for medicinal purposes.

In response to the call for full decriminalization, Gonsalves said that SVG has reformed its marijuana laws by establishing the Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA) within the four walls of international narcotics control.

The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 is an international treaty to prohibit production and supply of specific drugs and of drugs with similar effects except under licence for specific purposes, such as medical treatment and research.

Gonsalves said that some governments have legalized marijuana quickly in response to pressure, but he is of the opinion that you cannot make laws like that without studying international obligations.

“The law said you can grow it for medical and research purposes, and we set a proper regulation and we put in in our own context,” said the Prime Minister.

He said that as it relates to possession of marijuana, international law says possession is not permissible and that it is a crime if you don’t have it for medical or research purposes.

He said that what the law also says, is that if a person has small quantities, they do not necessarily have to be arrested and it does not have to give the person a criminal record, but you can deal with it through education and health.

“It is all laid out in the convention,” said Gonsalves in defence of this country’s recently instated marijuana laws.

The Prime Minister noted also that the war on drugs, an initiative which includes a set of drug policies that are intended to discourage the production, distribution, and consumption of psychoactive drugs, was introduced on June 18, 1971, by US President Richard Nixon, and was done for that president’s own political purpose, but the same ideas have been adopted “willy-nilly” by Caribbean and other countries.

“The narcotics convention says nothing about the war on drugs. It says it’s illegal to have it but exceptions are made for medicinal and research,” said Gonsalves while adding that our laws say how you can treat small quantities and any sensible government addressing the matter intelligently will try to keep within international law.

Meanwhile, the US, which instituted a war on drugs, has legislation that allows states to enact their own policies. Eleven states in the US and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for recreational use. Medical marijuana, prescribed by physicians, is legal in 33 states and Washington, D.C.

Also, the recent committee approval in the US comes two months after the House passed legislation that would protect banks that serve marijuana businesses in states where the substance is legal.

SVG is currently struggling with banking issues as it relates to our medicinal cannabis industry.