The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Attorney General yesterday said the Government is "working on" legislation that will eventually facilitate industrial hemp usage as it makes medical marijuana legalisation its first priority.

Ryan Pinder KC, speaking at the Prime Minister's Office's media briefing, effectively confirmed that the Davis administration has been working on two parallel tracks as the long-awaited legislative package to legalise medical marijuana is released for public consultation.

He indicated that the Government is hoping to bring the Bills to parliament before year-end, together with their provisions for medical marijuana and decriminalisation for persons found in possession of 30 grams or less. Indian hemp, however, will “remain in the Dangerous Drugs Act”.

Dr Michael Darville, minister of health, explained that the Government will be “making a big mistake” if it legalises Indian hemp and medicinal marijuana at the same time. He cited the former's psychotropic dangers, and high concentration of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).

“It can be used in the construction industry and the agricultural industry, and can be used in farming and to produce clothes. The list goes on and on and it has a very high concentration of CBD,” Dr Darville said of hemp.

Mr Pinder, though, added: “We're working on an Industrial Hemp Bill that will put the agribusiness framework around industrial hemp, working with the Ministry of Agriculture [and Marine Resources] with that, because it is an agribusiness when you're talking about hemp products.

“So that's something we definitely think, and it's my personal opinion, I think you're going to see an economic impact greater on the industrial hemp side, frankly, because of the variety of products in which it can be used. So we support it and we will put in a proper framework by legislation on an Industrial Hemp bill, and work closely with [Ministry of] Agriculture on that.”

The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources will be assisting with providing land for marijuana cultivation. Mr Pinder said: “The Ministry of Agriculture is making provisions to provide access to agricultural land that they have oversight of.

"We all know that there's a limited supply of agricultural land at Nassau that is available. They have set aside 25 acres of agricultural land in Nassau at their new agribusiness park that will be accessible for micro cultivation for smaller farmers to be able to have access. Needless to say, in the Family Islands there is much more opportunity on agricultural land, especially when you look at islands like Andros and Eleuthera.”

Multiple medical marijuana product varieties will be made available to persons who need them, regardless of whether it is in tea, oil or lotion form, in addition to the plant itself. Dispensing licences will be issued to pharmacies, while pharmacy professionals will also be licensed.

Mr Pinder said: “In order to ensure that these new economic opportunities benefit the Bahamian people, we are proposing, for example, all cultivation licenses must be 100 percent Bahamian-owned, and is also a priority that these opportunities are accessible to many Bahamians - a priority that will be evident in the award of cultivation licences and the provision of agricultural land that will be set aside for this specific purpose.

“The Cannabis Bill 2023 seeks to establish The Bahamas Cannabis Authority with clearly defined terms of reference, including the protection of the health of the public by controlling access to cannabis; provisions for the legal protection of cannabis; [and] provisions for the handling of cannabis for medical, scientific research and religious purposes.

Mr Pinder added that there will be "deterrence and reduction of unlawful activities related to cannabis through appropriate enforcement measures and sanctions". The legislation will also impose "quality assurance measures for the safety, the efficacy and the effectiveness of cannabis".