Jamaica mulls bill to decriminalise marijuana

Justice Minister Mark Golding said that Jamaica's Cabinet has approved a much-anticipated bill of drug law amendments that would pave the way for a legal medical marijuana industry on the Caribbean island. File picture: David McFadden

Justice Minister Mark Golding said that Jamaica's Cabinet has approved a much-anticipated bill of drug law amendments that would pave the way for a legal medical marijuana industry on the Caribbean island. File picture: David McFadden

Published Jan 22, 2015

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Kingston -

Jamaica's Cabinet has approved a bill that would decriminalise possession of small amounts of pot and establish a legal medical marijuana industry.

Justice Minister Mark Golding announced on Wednesday that he expects to introduce the drug law amendments in the Senate by the end of this week.

Golding says it would establish a licensing authority to deal with the various regulations needed to cultivate, sell and distribute marijuana for “medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes.”

It would make possession of 2 ounces or less a ticketable offense that would not result in a criminal record.

Cultivation of five or fewer plants on any premises would be permitted.

Rastafarians could also legally use pot for religious purposes for the first time in Jamaica, where marijuana has been pervasive but illegal for a century. - Sapa-AP

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