The St. Lucia Government has created a Cannabis Commission to begin laying the groundwork for the decriminalization of marijuana. The Commission was launched on
Friday. A number of Caribbean Countries have already legalized the herb and the St. Lucia
Government has been accused of dragging its feet.
The St. Lucia Government has been under pressure from the Cannabis Movement as well as the
Opposition to make a decision on the legalization issue. This will call for a legal framework to
regulate the use of the substance. Friday saw the launch of a Cannabis Commission. Commerce
Minister Bradley Felix reiterated Government’s commitment to adopting a balanced approach to
reviewing the laws relating to cannabis. The current regime the Minister says is ineffective and
unjust. The Minister sought to dispel the misconception of cannabis as a dangerous drug. He spoke
about the economic potential and positive impact on GDP. However he emphasized the need for a
public sensitization campaign.
Legal Expert Michael Gordon is the Chairman of the Commission. He examined both the merits and
the dangers of marijuana consumption. He says St. Lucia is in a position to go forward with the
regulatory environment for the use of cannabis. But he says due caution has to be exercised as the
Commission has been charged with the difficult task of suggesting to the Government the
regulatory environment that would govern the use of the product and at the same time eliminate
the negative aspects that may undermine its benefits
Cannabis has already been legalized for medicinal and commercial purposes in several Caribbean
Countries. St. Lucia is one of the countries still deliberating on this matter.
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