Gov’t has ‘not entered the marijuana business’, we’re only involved in the sale — Malone
While government is making moves to have medicinal marijuana become a revenue-generating measure for the BVI, Minister responsible for Health and Social Development Carvin Malone wants to make it clear that “government has not entered the marijuana business”.
He shared those sentiments in the recently-held Standing Finance Committee (SFC) process where Premier Andrew Fahie said government will be both selling medicinal marijuana and collecting tax revenue from the initiative.
According to the 2020 SFC Report, Malone “noted that the correct lingo must be used when referring to this [marijuana] initiative so as to indicate that the government has not entered the marijuana business”, but rather that “the government will be involved in the sale of medicinal marijuana products”.
Implementing the sale of medicinal marijuana in the territory is something Premier Fahie has said will begin as early as this year.
While making statements during the aforesaid SFC meeting, the Premier also noted that the “full projected revenue [for medical marijuana sales] was not included in [this year’s] budget because there will most likely be ‘teething pains’ at the beginning”.
He did not elaborate.
The Premier, however, said farmers would produce five percent of that overall revenue while 20 percent would be earned through ‘retail’. He said another 20 percent would be earned through ‘taxes/import’.
Research has already been presented to government about a specific strand of marijuana that can be grown in the territory.
Roughly 40 acres of land in Paraquita Bay will be used to facilitate the initiative and nearly four dozen farmers will be trained on how to grow the ‘special strand’ of the marijuana in the territory.
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It’s called a strain not strand !
The premier saying one thing and the deputy saying the next
Soooooo….We producing and selling medical marijuana and medical marijuana products but somehow we are not entering the marijuana business…. That make sense!? This is who ayo vote for?
Malone “noted that the correct lingo must be used when referring to this [marijuana] initiative so as to indicate that the government has not entered the marijuana business”, but rather that “the government will be involved in the sale of medicinal marijuana products”.
Meeno who these man trying to fool with this oxymoron here but I hope the people smarter than this. If you selling medical marijuana are you not in the business. Like how does an educated man say that stupid statement and get away with it. Mind you they said they growing it too. Somebody need to explain what they plan to do with the 40 acres of land then. I so shame I vote for this man
This is a very bad idea for a tiny island. The long term consequences of this decision will not be positive. Our children will be harmed by this as they will think the product is safe to consume. It is not.Marijuana is not safe in for young brains.
Why would we use our tiny amount of arable land to grow a product that is a gateway drug?
Education is the key to combating that, not throwing people in jail by the dozens for vegitable material!
It sounds like the government is in the cannabis or marijuana or weed or mary jane or whatever business. Let’s stop the double speak, the Animal Farm talk. Government should not be competing with the grower folks. Instead, it should set up the framework for monitoring and managing the production of medical cannabis. Who will be doing the research and testing the strain to ensure that the specified CBD content is being attained?
Many people have been jailed for using small quantities of recreational marijuana (THC) or was it medical marijuana? Will the record of those people be erased? Th Governor of Illinois just did it for some 11,000 people. If government now wants to make money off of marijuana, the plant that many were jailed for using, then it seems appropriate to erase the records of those convicted. By the way, I have never been convicted anywhere for using marijuana. So I’m not looking for any personal reprieve.
You referred to Illinois. That state is located in the US. A first world, civilized nation. Remember you are talking about the BVI, third world at best and racist. Don’t expect anything out of this. Just watch the politicians fill their pockets.
Who is going to buy it when they can get it ten times cheaper elsewhere? Just two farms in Colorado have more land that is available in the BVI and cheaper water and electricity….We need to get a grip….
Cannabis is the name…end prohibition