Imprisonment up to 15 years and hefty fines listed in Cannabis Licensing Bill
Some stiff penalties have been proposed in government’s Cannabis Licensing Bill that will be introduced to the House of Assembly shortly.
Among other things, the bill provides for the cultivation, processing, importation, exportation, distribution and sale of medical cannabis in the BVI and proposes penalties of up to $200,000 and/or 15 years in prison for those you don’t operate within the parameters of the said legislation.
For example, the proposed Bill requires persons to have a license to participate in any of the above activities and further stipulates that, unless otherwise authorised, persons are not permitted to have medical cannabis in their possession, in public places, in any premises used to provide licensed child care or in any motor vehicle, among several other listed places.
It also stipulates that a person must not come in possession of medicinal cannabis if he/she is not a therapeutic user or caregiver, a patient under a medical document (prescription), or is otherwise authorised to possess the drug.
Fines and imprisonment
Persons are prohibited from operating any vehicle while under the influence of medical cannabis.
A person who contravenes any of the preceding commits an offence and is liable on conviction in the Magistrate’s Court to, “a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years but no less than three years, or to both such fine and imprisonment”.
On conviction at the High Court, offenders are subject to a fine “not exceeding of $200,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 15 years but no less than ten years, or to both such fine and imprisonment”.
Government will be hosting a virtual public meeting on the Bill at 7:30 pm on Thursday, June 25.
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I find it amazing how Gov’t can come up with bill after bill to put towards the house, yet have almost zero public input. I thought we were a democratic society. But 90% of us only find out what is in the bill when it has already passed and made into law.
Gov’t needs to do more to involve the community. Certainly on major policy positions and/or shifts.
Oh well, that’s my humble opinion of the day!
VIP has a mandate by the election and can make any law they want. This is not the USA which is a Republic.
@It is a Democracy Don’t choose to be ignorant, its our choice as a people to be informed, an informed people is an educated people fully involve in the process.
Democracy means government by the people. While it is true that the USA is a republic, it is also a representative democracy – just like the BVI – in that the people govern through elected representatives. Politicians answer/are accountable to us, which is why we go to the polls every four years and they are not in office for life. Yes, they have the responsibility to make laws, but they also have the responsibility to represent the wishes of the people. The discussion on cannabis and on legalising gambling could both have been brought to the people to get our feedback by holding a referendum.
This is madness
I bet they dont even give that much for gun and ammo possession. Something is seriously wrong with the humans in this world.
The “cannabis” I have in my house, that I enjoy on my porch after a hard days work ain’t medicinal at all. It’s recreational.
Ayo going come for me too?
There you go, my herb I got in my house is for the same thing you do after work. I also make my own marijuana oil for my personal use. Those marijuana oil brownies and candies is awesome.
Those marijuana brownies is flame. Last weekend I had a tasting party for a few select people and the marijuana brownies and banana pudding was a hit.
It’s so hypocritical of them to be talking about growing it for medicinal purposes to export for profit, without even considering relaxing the restrictions for it to be used amongst their own population in the same way the people they selling it too will use for theirs.
I don’t claim to use herb for medicinal purposes even though the emotional and therapeutic effects it has on me is second to none compared to any manufactured drug I’d have to take to achieve them effects.
But they ain’t looking into that at all and as someone say; Look they gonna bring some fair skin expat to teach them how to grow it full well knowing we got talented farmers who in the jail right now for this same thing.
Times like these you need to sip some herbal tea and go watch some cartoons or something, cause seeing your government fail you again and again does real set your mind down a bad path.
This is sickening.
I marijuana has medical benefits
if anyone can grow it
if the government cares about peoples’ health
then the herbs would be legal and anyone would be allow to grow it.
But this is not about health its about the government making money. And that’s not a problem but at least be open about it.
We all understand that money is indeed the driving force behind this. Sic
Seems like they done have somebody lined up to take over this market the way they pushing this, all their pockets getting greased remember I say so!
That is why I am going to grease my own pockets.
It seems that way indeed. Same old BVI way of doing business…to sell us out to outside interests or their fricking cronies. VIP needs to rethink some things or risk becoming another NDP. Stupes.
Hope private citizens can plant a limited amount of the plant on their property (say no more than 5) I don’t care to smoke nothing, but the tea his beneficial.
This should have been brought to the public in the form of investment opportunity. I remember vivdly the disappointment i still carry to this day when colleagues were introduced to the investment club, but small fry like me with a pedagogic salary were discounted.
Exactly, I would invest. So I will do my thing and have a select set of clients and make my own $$$$$.
So many laws too bad they are never enforced!
From on the ground chatter, it is gathered that if european expat were allowed full control and monopoly of the industry and profits, such will create grave discontent on the ground.
I Think this law is bs, if you are going to allow the use and sale of the drug then do so and not make it expensive or difficult for people to get involved. I remember smelling weed being consumed outside of the high under that special tree over 20 years ago. Quit with the bs.
?’s are legal in the BVI’s???
Anybody ever see the Police blotter say that a car got pulled over with 5 grams of shrooms, but if there was 2 grams of weed, they make the headlines.
You obviously havent been here long enough cause the answer is obvious. Nature’s little
?’ s are legal, but weed is not?
Cause when rulings are made with common sense without racist agendas what grows natural should never be illegal. No harm no foul its never been a issue moving on.
Andrew have you lost your mind? You need to come again with this one. This is a recipe for a revolution. Imagine you marching for Black Lives Matter and coming up with this enslavement. Personally I want nothing to do with this whether its legal or not but from a human rights perspective I find its totally wrong. There is no way government can be growing and selling marijuana and be still fining and confining people for such. Ole boy this one is a much bigger scam than BVI Airways and you certainly will go down in history as the biggest joker that ever set foot on the political stage. I am afraid you are being set up big time this time. Come on brother THINK. Have you ever heard of Rotary’s four way test. Ask one of your friends and then see how things balance out. You need to go back to the drawing board with this one…you are making a colossal mistake trust me you are about to get got. My brother you are being played…I know you can do better. Wake Up.
if yall would take the time to read the law you will see its 1 gram allowed to any adult. And 50 grams allowed after self declaring a need to use cannabis for therapeutic use.
Also the bill be debated and will have amendments in tomorrows session. They didn’t propose to expunge past possession under 50 grams for no reason.
I think the restrictions are quite cool and clear, “it is being licensed for medical uses only”. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Meanwhile, it will refresh the underground traffic with new products. It might even give it a significant boost.
The local market is great..if you got the link.They way it should be.
In an ideal world, this would be the case. But This bill will bring more pressure onto the “local markets”.
Don’t worry my people, the whole marijuana experiment will soon be dead in the water in the same way as the greenhouse project and B V I Airways. Once the capital investment is creamed off tax free by a select few, it will be time to invest in a floating jet airstrip in the middle of Sir Frances Drakes Channel, or perhaps the the High Tech Silicon valley proposal at a secret location !
Amen. But we will be left with the same old blame game. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of BVI governmental nonsense. They don’t pass referendums for us to vote on anything; they just decide we want to participate in their harebrained, worthless schemes. Disappointed in VIP right now.
Give with one hand and take with another.
leave cannabis alone. punish RUM.
Do not go along with this.Protest this please…this is a plant that these folks don’t care,about till now they want to control it with fear.Every other island you can keep four plants in your yard(decrimilize)You go to court..50ec fine…1000ec …for smoking in public..that’s not enforced..everywhere you go..in the villages..spliff in mouth corner.. No body warring..everybody cool.They only ppl gone go jail in tola gonna be jamdown..vincy.etc.
WHAT KIND OF DRACONIAN PENALTIES FOR A PLANT? 15 years blah blah blah? FOR A PLANT? I hope who come up with that BS get the worst cancer ever!