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Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris will on Wednesday tabled

legislation aimed at decriminalising the use of marijuana for medicinal

purposes, joining a number of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that have

done so in recent months.

According

to the Order paper, Harris will table the Cannabis Bill, 2020, which seeks to

establish the Medicinal Cannabis Authority “in order to provide for the lawful

access to medicinal cannabis as an alternative treatment for persons who are

suffering from a qualifying medical condition”.

The

legislation will also provide for a comprehensive licensing scheme to regulate

the cultivation, supply, possession, production and use of medicinal cannabis.

It will also seek to establish a board with responsibility for the policy,

strategic direction and governance of the Authority.

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In

addition, the coalition Team Unity administration will also table the Drugs (Prevention

& Abatement of the Misuse and Abuse of Drugs) (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which

makes it a ticketable offence for possession of up to 56 grams of cannabis or

up to 15 grams of cannabis resin.

Attorney

General, Vincent Byron will also move the second reading of the Criminal

Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, dealing with the

expungement of records for persons convicted for the possession of small

amounts of marijuana.

The

government said that the new legislation takes into account the unanimous

recommendations of the National Marijuana Commission, which presented its

report after a near two-year period.