Committee wants relook at legislation decriminalising marijuana

ST JOHN’S (CMC):

A committee undertaking a comprehensive review of the impact of marijuana on Antigua and Barbuda, with a particular focus on young people, is hoping to recommend to the government recommendations to help deal with issues associated with marijuana use.

The public relations officer of the Effect of Marijuana Committee, Bishop Charlesworth Browne, said the grouping will examine the potential risk associated with marijuana use and explore the legal and regulatory framework surrounding the use of marijuana that was decriminalised by the government in 2018.

But the move has led to arguments that the changes in behaviour observed here since the decriminalisation, particularly among young people may be attributed to the effects of the use of marijuana.

“The legislation, as it stands is very weak and it leaves some opening that create a challenge for law enforcement officers. Also the very legislation speaks to allowances of smoking marijuana only at home … no public space at all, but somehow the cart was placed before the horse so there was no real area of educating the public before the legislation was actually put forward,” Browne told Observer radio here.

He told radio listeners the committee, which includes a psychiatrist, health officials, educators, police officers and members of the clergy, met on Monday night for its first meeting and will release its findings after nine months with the hope that the Gaston Browne administration will revisit the existing legislation.

“We think, intelligently from an informed position look at it again. Look again at the 15 grammes allowance, look again at the four plants provision, look again at the legislation as it stands that says you can only smoke at home.

“Something has to be strengthened in the area of underage children being allowed to smoke marijuana, it is somehow couched in the law already but it is not very clear. So there needs to be a revisit that will give more teeth and assist law enforcement to do the work they are called to do relative to this cannabis problem,” Browne said, adding that psychiatrists from the region are also expected to give an input into the new recommendations.

“We expect that the government will recognise it as a document to guide them going forward. It will inform the Cabinet, it will inform the government, it will inform the Parliament as they go forward and as they revisit the legislation,” Browne told radio listeners.