NFL players already interested! Medicinal cannabis will boost medical tourism locally — Wheatley
Agriculture Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley has said the Cannabis Licensing Act that recently passed in the House of Assembly will result in a boost of medical tourism in the British Virgin Islands when the legislation becomes law.
The minister said professional athletes from the National Football League (NFL) in the United States have already shown great interest in travelling to the territory to benefit from medicinal marijuana products the BVI will soon offer under the new Act.
“There’s great potential for medical tourism. The group of investors we’re dealing with; some of them are former NFL players … and many of the players use cannabis to be able to recover,” Dr Wheatley stated.
“Many of these persons want to come to the BVI to be able to recover from a gruelling season and be able to use cannabis, and you know we already have lots of other advantages for persons who want to travel here — the climate [and] a quiet place you can spend with your family, so there’s great potential.”
Cannabis no longer a banned drug for NFL
Dr Wheatley, who is also the minister responsible for sports, further said these NFL athletes will be able to utilise the medicinal cannabis products from the BVI without being penalised from their governing sporting body.
“Because they (the NFL) have recognised that it’s legal to have cannabis (in some US states) and they recognise that many of their players use cannabis, they’ve removed cannabis from their drug testing programme. So, NFL players are completely able to use cannabis without any sanction from the National Football Association,” he explained.
According to Premier Andrew Fahie, the BVI medicinal cannabis industry is projected to generate a revenue stream of at least $30 million annually.
The Premier further said he believes the figures can be achieved once the BVI sets up the industry in a timely manner and with measures that ensure accountability.
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Oh please, they can get that ish in any state in the US where cannabis has already been legalised.
You are absolutely right. Medical cannabis is available in many states. This is another smoke screen by the Foy. The Negro Football League will be reluctant to use cannabis as they are constantly being tested. If the say they are using it for medicinal use, then they become worth less.
Why would you make your Country look shame like that? The only people that is going to profit from this mess that was poorly put in place is the PHANTOM INVESTOR/INVESTORS. The rest of you who stand to make a profit and the farmers that you select will be given crumbs. I don’t understand why you guys keep selling out your Country for a few crumbs. Shame on all of you.
I really cant see how or why NFL players want to plant ganja here in our rocky soil and they have millions of acres of fertile land in america. Some thing strange about this deal.
This is strange.
Pro footballers will come down here to spend time taking/smoking medical marijuana that we have grown … because ….?
Can you make this story clearer, please?
Yes and the queen of England also has shown interest to come over and lime in the BVI…
Man, thank you for that. I needed a good laugh this morning. These people tek us for a bunch of moo moos.
So let me get this straight! These players and others will leave the USA and other countries where they can already access medical marijuana legally and come to the BVI for it because??????????
Yet another pie in the sky dream
It appears there is no honor or respect for the intellect of the BVIslander and voting populace, or there are just elected officials doing and saying stupid things.
This fiasco is such a joke for regular people. And another way to get had for the BVI Gov. just like the Airways 7.2 million loss. Anyone that can read and comprehend can see right through this.
Again, you can’t make that shit up. They really take us for stupid.
Is this Minister really that dense? Oh My, who is running things?
So Ray Lewis, who was here on a business deal months ago said him and a few friends may come down and smoke some sticky once it’s legalized and Sowande gets all giddy? And these guys talk about NDP with BVI Airways? We can’t make money selling tomatoes, banana, onions, plantain or anything else, but we will make $30 mil plus off ganja farming.
I don’t have a problem with growing marijuana for medicinal purposes however, I have a problem with the way everything was handled.The voting public was shut out of any input. Just here it is, we made the decision for you. I don’t appreciate the way the Government treat the people that put them where they are today. I guess the Government fails to understand that we the people is THEIR BOSS, we the people are your employer and you are our employees. You are still on probation. You fooled the people about change and so far, what change? The people of this Country is not as stupid and inept as they use to be.
I have a problem with it because like anything else, economies of scale come into play! The same reason why we don’t sell bananas or any other crop, is the same reason why medicinal marijuana is going NOWHERE! If anything is made from this it will be by the unknown investor who will bleed the local farmers who are growing it. If the BVI cannot sell a papaya to USVI how will they supply enough marijuana to make $30 million?
I appreciate and welcome your answer to my original comment.
Please stop gas lighting the people of your Country. Most NBA players in the US and other sports figures have their own despensary. Why would they fly to the BVI to do business when they can go to another State in the US. What you need to do is allow the people of your Country a piece of the pie not do it the selfish greedy way.
HOW AYO COULDA ELEC DEM SET AH EDIOTS BUDDY?
Wheatley and Fahie must be done smoking it already!
For real man.
Yes, though many states have legalized the use of THC and CBD, they are still not totally legal at the federal level. The FDA has approved CBD to treat a few diseases. The US is a major trading partner, including financial and banking services. With the threat of money laundering, which bank will be processing the proceeds from pot?
Previously, a positive pot test got an NFL (National Football League, not Negro Football League) player suspended. Now, the NFL has relaxed the rules regarding pot. The level to test positive has increased fourfold, player testing positive for the first time will not be suspended, player testing positive will have to go thru drug treatment, and player testing a specified number of will fined and suspended. Does the VI either a comparative or absolute in medical marijuana production? Can the VI engineer its product to provide a high potency strain? How much food could be produced on that 50 acres to reduce the food import bill and reduce food insecurity?
All past politicians went into it for themselves, they did themselves well and this current generation appears themselves well. The view that those before did it so i am in for me is the secret mantra and personal working philosophy.
Am powerless to change that so can care less. I just wish i can receive what i done wok for decades ago, but i ain’t gettin nottin. What a ting to work for the king, but get paid nottin, thirty two years and countin. A king gets no honor from his own kin kin.
Sadly, they care not about the plight of the victimized, and does nothing to alleviate dreadful wrongs committed against them.
I believe your “thumbs up” counter is broken.
For real, it’s like they block the thumbs up button. I don’t go on the other website. Someone said it was down.
Someone did say that they already had a private investor why the bill was rush through legislation so fast. “ let that soak in”. VIP started out so well . Fahie was doing such a great job! The more that comes to light on different chat platform , the more I see that a lot of what is being said is very true at the least. I do not like where this gov is going . Down hill is not a good way to go. A lot of people bashing her but just listen to what she is saying for a min. A lot of it is proving to be very true. “ let that soak in”.
VIP was doing what good job? You all were so filled with hatred, envy and anger you wanted Myron and NDP gone at all costs. Eat your f***ing vomit and stop the bl**dclath crying!!!!
The did everything in their power to get rid of Myron for a bunch of people that can’t pronounce words, speak properly or carry a decent sentence. Good for all of your A**es, Sink with the sinking ship and ask them to have mercy and give you a life raft. I bet most of you who vote VIP, is sorry that you did. Change my A**. All of you Poor VIP supporters, many of you don’t know where your next meal is coming from.
I am with you on the changes made to the traffic routes in RT and I admire the way you have handled and are handling Covid 19.
BUT the crazy economical expectations of medical marijuana and gambling, plus the revisting of the airport expansion, are beginning to outweigh the gains you have made so far. Pie in the sky is putting it lightly for all three of those things. And like Citizen said, public input and approval are needed on these things via a vote. You are willy nilly making asinine decisions that could potentially have disastrous long term effects on this territory.
Just like their crazy projections for the 7% tax on money services. Ask Moneygram and Western Union how much their business dipped since! People are finding other ways to send money thereby not only lowering the projected tax revenue, but costing these service providers business as well. I would really like to know who is advising this bunch because it seems like they are hell bent on killing the Territory.
Everything the BVI got other places have as well but the difference is the ambience and atmosphere. Our turquoise seas and beautiful beaches are attractive to tourist. Rich people would easily prefer to smoke in the BVI instead of Colorado and other states.
Yea. Right.
Yet another scam that will one day come back to bite us where it hurts the most.
this is a true show of desperation and he should be suitably embarrassed to use this as such weak justification for the cannabis act. Please remove this article before the rest of the world sees it
that either or (TU or TD) is usually blocked on any given comment. Perhaps if it does not jives with certain held viewpoints within admin or its supporters.
The blocking is truly frustrating, and does not enhance freedom of thought and speech.
Most folks, it appears, don’t bother anymore it appears, the comment is read and tha’s it, life goes on. If it makes some egotistical manager and supporter feel good to block what they don’t like, as they discontinued a weekend article, so be them.
it wukking I get to thumbs down you
LOL!!!
How much ganga can 50 acres of land grow to make how much $ millions. Lets be practical is will provide some income for some famers but it is not going to pump any millions into the economy. Investors coming in is not coming to invest in 2acers of land. take the money and buy 3 big boat for deep sea fishing for export it you will make much more money. The open Atlantic is out there full of fish go get some before the Japanese and Chinese deplete it.
Why don’t you figure out an opening date for the island so you can get the economy going with proven results not some new dumb idea