NASSAU, BAHAMAS — While it remains to be seen when the Marijuana Bill will be finalized and tabled in Parliament, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said Bahamians will be able to “smoke in time”, though he could not provide a time frame.
Responding to questions from Eyewitness News about when the Marijuana Bill could be tabled, Minnis said: “You want the marijuana bill; you will be able to smoke in time.”
Asked if he hoped to get the legislation tabled before the end of the year, the prime minister responded: “I can’t say, but you will be the first to know.”
The momentum and national discussion surrounding the cannabis sector has lost some traction as focus returned to climbing coronavirus cases and deaths as The Bahamas undergoes a surge.
The Medicinal Cannabis Bill, 2021, has seen several amendments since Eyewitness News obtained an earlier draft in May.
It was expected to be tabled that month, but that did not happen.
The prime minister had indicated he hoped to table the legislation following the completion of the budget debate, which took place in June.
But the legislation was not tabled before the House of Assembly recessed.
An earlier version of the Medicinal Cannabis Bill, 2021, provides for the establishment of a Medicinal Cannabis Authority, which would develop policies and guidelines to regulate the medicinal cannabis industry and issue various licenses to Bahamian citizens aged 21 or over.
Licenses range from cultivation, import, export, manufacturing, research and transport, according to the draft bill.
Cannabis cultivated in or imported into The Bahamas shall only be sold on a commercial basis for research for medicinal use.
Cannabis materials or cannabis products manufactured or imported into The Bahamas shall only be sold on a commercial basis for research or medicinal use.
Cannabis, its materials, products or medicinal cannabis shall only be exported from The Bahamas on a commercial basis for research of medicinal use.
According to the bill, the holder of a cultivation license shall also receive an import license valid for the import of cannabis or medicinal cannabis planting material.
Meanwhile, a research license shall also receive an import license and an export license, which shall only be used for purposes in connection with the research license.
The authority will determine whether to grant or refuse any license.
The duration of each license will last three years and cost a non-refundable license fee of $10,000 per license, with each additional license costing $1,500.
A license must be renewed within one month of the expiration of the license.
If the renewal is made within one month of the expiration, a late fee of $1,500 will be applied.
It would cost $750 to vary the license.
A medical practitioner may prescribe medicinal cannabis to a patient, their caregiver designated or their guardian appointed under the Mental Health Act.
In the instance of a person below the age of 21, a medical practitioner can prescribe medicinal cannabis to their parent or legal guardian for use.
A draft of the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which was revealed by The Nassau Guardian, proposed the decriminalization of the possession of up to two ounces of cannabis.
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