NASSAU, BAHAMAS — As the United States seeks to legalize marijuana on a federal level, former Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes said yesterday that it is unfortunate that The Bahamas has moved so slowly to take swift action on marijuana in the country.
On April 1, the United States House of Representatives passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, a bill that would legalize the substance at a federal level and remove it from the list of federally banned drugs under the Controlled Substances Act.
Under the bill, US states will have the decision whether to legalize marijuana and the substance and products would be subject to federal taxes.
Cannabis is currently legal for recreational adult use in 19 US states and for medical use in 36 states.
While this is the second time the bill has passed in the US House, it is expected to face challenges heading into the Senate for debate and passing.
Speaking to Eyewitness News on the matter of marijuana, Sir Arthur said: “Why did we have to wait so long? One of the things we have to do in our political culture is to guard against the American influence in our political culture.”
He insisted that The Bahamas must “be careful of imitating”.
Sir Arthur has previously indicated his support for the regulation of medicinal marijuana in The Bahamas and insisted that the legislation and regularization for cannabis are “long overdue” in the country.
The government has said bills to introduce a regulatory framework for the cannabis industry, as well as the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of the substance, is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of this year.
Bahamian ownership of the production and manufacturing of cannabis, hemp, and its byproducts, such as CBD, will be a key focus in the Davis administration’s cannabis bill.
The bill was expected to be finalized and submitted to Cabinet for consideration by the end of March, at the last report.
Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting has signalled that the Family Islands would be ideal to support the country’s cannabis industry once legalized.
The Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana (BNCM) presented the former administration with a final report on the viewpoint of Bahamians on the issue.
It stopped short of recommending the legalization of recreational marijuana, stating that the issue needs to be explored further before a consensus can be garnered.
The Minnis government drafted legislation for the regulation of a local cannabis industry, including a proposed Medicinal Cannabis Bill, 2021, and the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
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