Barbados Today

ROSEAU –– Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says his administration will discuss the issue of medical marijuana in the coming year.

Skerrit who was a guest on a local radio programme on Wednesday said the topic must be discussed in a focused and informed manner, in order to take full advantage of the use of the herb, which many have sworn has saved their lives.

“We have started the conversation. I think we maybe need to put a better structure in place where we can have a more structured, informed dialogue or discussion on medical marijuana, to see how we can take advantage of this.

I think in the New Year you will see a more focused, more structured approach to the discussion . . . I think that if there is a plant in our country which people are swearing by as having saved their lives or assisted them in reducing the pain or managing their ailment, then I think it is important for there to be a very serious discussion about it, and to see how we can go about taking advantage of this development,” the Prime Minister said.

He suggested that Dominica could adopt and tweak measures from other countries that have been successful in the use of medical marijuana.

The Prime Minister said while the government is not opposed to the eventual legalisation of marijuana several things must be carefully considered before such a decision is brought forward.

“It is not something that we are opposed to, but it has to be in a very structured and focused manner — rather than just legalising the herb. I don’t think that is the approach that we should take to the discussion . . .” he stated.

Skerrit said that very serious discussions must take place, before letting “the country decide, at an appropriate time, how we proceed with addressing the issue of marijuana for medicinal purposes.”

The issue of marijuana legalisation has been heavily discussed in Dominica.

In Dominica, marijuana has been classified as a ‘Class B’ drug, as a result, it is illegal to possess, cultivate, or sell the substance.