BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC) – St Kitts and Nevis government has launched the Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA), which it says is intended to create and manage safe, legal avenues of access to cannabis for adult patients over the age of 21 who suffer from health conditions that may benefit from cannabis treatment.

MCA chairperson Jihan Williams-Knight said the authority’s dual responsibility is to promote access and education while remaining vigilant in preventing cannabis misuse and protecting vulnerable populations.

“It is our job as the Medicinal Cannabis Authority to navigate these legal nuances, address public health concerns, and dispel negative stigmas to ensure that access to medicinal cannabis is clear, transparent, and never unreasonably denied,” she said.

The country’s agriculture minister, Samal Duggins, who has direct oversight for the Medicinal Cannabis Authority, said, “We stand at a truly exciting moment, entering the global medicinal cannabis industry with the advantage of insight, experience, and readiness.

“By learning from others, we have crafted an approach that is thoughtful, strategic, and uniquely our own,” he said, acknowledging the decades-long advocacy of the Rastafarian community, announcing a major policy step in their favour.

“Based on the Rastafari Rights Recognition Act 2023, the authority hasdecided that the licensing fee for Rastas will be waived and will be completely free. This is not just the establishment of an institution—it is a commitment to fairness, respect, and historical acknowledgement,” said Duggins.

The government said that the MCA represents a new era of progressive policymaking, one that is grounded in science, community advocacy, and national development.

“With a regulatory framework tailored to the federation’s unique context, St Kitts and Nevis is positioning itself as a leader in the Caribbean and beyond in the responsible deployment of medicinal cannabis,” it added.