Grenada proposes legislation to decriminalize marijuana

Grenada proposes legislation to decriminalize marijuana

  1. GEORGE’S, Grenada -A member of Grenada Marijuana Decriminalisation Committee has confirmed that proposed legislation looking towards the approach to be taken by the country concerning decriminalizing the use of marijuana is at present before the Cabinet of Ministers for discussion and the next step will be public consultation.
Nickolas Steele

“The proposed legislation which will result in changes to our drug legislation is presently before the Cabinet,” said Agriculture Minister Peter David, who is a member of the three-member committee tasked with coming up with the best way Grenada can enforce aspects of the Caricom’s Marijuana commission report.

The other members are Health Minister, Nickolas Steele and Attorney General Dia Forrester.

In December 2020, Prime Minister Keith Mitchell in a public meeting said Grenada will develop its own model for cultivating, distribution, supplying and use of marijuana as it moves forward to enforce an aspect of Caricom’s Marijuana Commission report

“Just like alcohol, like a cigarette, marijuana days for decriminalizing, for legalizing is coming too. That is a fact.The question is how it is done,.What extend we go in dealing with the law as it relates to that drug use is something that will come forward,” Mitchell said during the meeting.

Pointing out that other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states such as Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda have already approved legislation to decriminalize the use of marijuana,  Mitchell who is also the Minister for National Security said that “Grenada will be doing its own.”

A recent research study entitled, ‘Marijuana Use Among Young Men in Grenada during the COVID-19 Pandemic’ revealed that 71 of the 96 respondents smoked marijuana, prior to March 25, 2020.

According to data from the Grenada Drug Epidemiology Network (GRENDEN), marijuana continues to be the main controlled drug consumed in Grenada.

A fact sheet from GRENDEN in March 2021 said that in a survey conducted among 71 student-athletes in March 2020, twenty-four reported that they had used marijuana; this represents 34 per cent of the athletes who participated in the survey. The average age of first use of marijuana use among the athletes was 14 years.