Marijuana plants for the adult recreational market are watered in a greenhouse at Hepworth Farms in Milton, New York, on July 15, 2022. A federal judge Thursday, November 10, 2022, has temporarily blocked the state from issuing its first marijuana dispensary licenses in Brooklyn and parts of upstate New York while a challenge to the state's selection process is being considered. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
December 8, 2022
Cayman Islands to hold referendum on decriminalising pot
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Lawmakers in the Cayman Islands have voted to hold a referendum on whether to decriminalise small amounts of marijuana and create a national lottery following a decades-long debate.
The government expects to hold the referendum next year following Wednesday’s vote, but it hasn’t set a date yet nor discussed what would constitute “small amounts.”
If approved, the Cayman Islands would join others in the region that have decriminalised marijuana or allowed it for medical use, including Puerto Rico, Dominica, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Cayman Islands’ Parliament approved the referendum with 16 votes in favor, one abstention and one absentee.