Cannabis activists grow tired of sluggish pace of cannabis decriminalisation

by Curlan Campbell 

• Call for Grenada to adopt Caricom’s recommendations regarding cannabis decriminalisation in 2020
• Grenada Government created Grenada Cannabis Commission in November 2022
• No feedback from Grenada Cannabis Regulation Policy presented to previous committee

What is causing the delay in the implementation of marijuana decriminalisation laws? Care Academy Grenada is posing this question to the newly reconstituted Grenada Cannabis Commission. Bevon Findley, founder, and Syisha Williams, a cannabis activist, are growing tired of the bureaucratic process that continues to delay what they believe is a promising industry for Grenada’s economy.

In 2020, there was a call for Grenada to adopt Caricom’s recommendations regarding the issue of cannabis decriminalisation. The Grenada Government answered this call by creating the Grenada Cannabis Commission in November 2022. The commission, then led by Rolanda McQueen, was tasked with conducting consultations and providing guidance on the best approach towards legalising and regulating marijuana by the end of 2023.

This effort towards decriminalising marijuana was warmly welcomed by Care Academy Grenada, a local organisation that strives to equip its graduates with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to become leaders in their community. They engage in a range of activities, such as conducting innovative research, promoting sustainable farming practices, and exploring technological solutions.

Findley and Williams presented the “Grenada Cannabis Regulation Policy” to the previous commission and has engaged the committee for over 2 years, however, they are yet to receive feedback on their recommendations.

“To me, personally, it looks like is the good old boy’s system that exists in the United States. People who are in power here in Grenada are the ones who are on the committee. And they’re not listening to what we people say we want,” Findley said.

The Grenada Cannabis Regulation Policy, drafted by Care Academy Grenada, is a comprehensive framework for regulating the production, distribution, sale, possession, and use of medicinal cannabis in Grenada. The policy draft sent to the Grenada Cannabis Commission in the summer of 2023, recommended the establishment of the Grenada Cannabis Authority (GCA), which would be responsible for overseeing all aspects of medical cannabis in Grenada. The authority’s responsibilities would include licencing, compliance and enforcement, as well as regulation, development and implementation.

Care Academy Grenada has since updated the policy document which is available on its community website, https://www.mimea.co/policy. The organisation has also released a list of potential jobs on its website at www.caregrenada.com/jobs/.

“We updated the policy and released it on our website so that we can hold the government accountable,” he said.

Government has since appointed new members to the working committee, which includes Anslem Clouden as Chairman, Dr Shawn Charles as Chief Medical Officer, ACP Vannie Curwen of the Royal Grenada Police Force, Tonja Alexanda (Priest Ben-Hail), and Betty Ann Lazarus, the Communications Coordinator at the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Forestry and Marine Resources.

Williams wants the new committee to acknowledge receipt of their recommendations and to be transparent and open about the consultative process. “The reason again we’re advocating is that if the people do not get involved in the writing of this bill, those who are involved in it will not write them into law. They will write them out of the law. That will be a sad day for Grenada if all we get out of this, for the majority of our people, is a job. I would like ownership wealth transfer, generational wealth transfer, but to be able to do that, the law has to recognise you.”

“What we want is a holistic bill that addresses recreational marijuana, medical and industrial usage. What we want is the ability for every Grenadian citizen to be able to have ownership in this industry. It should not be a situation where foreigners owning the industry,” Williams continued.

The Care Academy Grenada is requesting the new committee answer several questions that have arisen due to its formation. The organisation is particularly interested in knowing the fate of the recommendations that were sent to the Attorney General by the previous committee. Additionally, they are asking why Government found it necessary to create another committee that duplicates the mandates of the previous committee. Moreover, there is a notion that the revenue generated from the sales of cannabis should be allocated towards communities that have suffered from the adverse effects of drug enforcement policies for several decades. With Government adopting a more relaxed attitude towards cannabis, there are concerns raised about whether local entrepreneurs in Grenada will be given equitable opportunities to venture into the cannabis industry, compared to foreign investors.

The organisation is also advising Government to avoid replicating models used by other countries in crafting the bill, which mainly focuses on medicinal marijuana. The organisation believes that these models have had mixed success in achieving public health goals and justice reform. Williams is of the view that this approach is flawed.

Another issue that troubles Williams is not knowing Government’s stance on the issue of ensuring that those convicted of non-violent offences related to cannabis trafficking have their records expunged.

“It should be the state’s responsibility to make sure that they go through the records and find every single human being and erase every single one of those that did not have a violent offence involved in the commitment of crime,” Williams said. “When it comes to cannabis, this must be done to be able to level the playing field for a lot of people because they wouldn’t be able to get a job or get into the industry.”

NOW Grenada conveyed the concerns raised by the Care Academy Grenada about the legalisation of cannabis to the Grenada Cannabis Commission via email. However, we are yet to receive an official response. Lazarus, who sits on the committee, informed our newsdesk via WhatsApp that the committee plans to hold a press conference to address issues related to cannabis decriminalisation.

Meanwhile, the members of the Care Academy Grenada are preparing to invest in the marijuana industry once the laws are revised. On 20 April 2024, also known as 420, the organisation convened a meeting with its members to explore the various opportunities in the cannabis industry and strategise on how to gain a competitive edge.