summaryPossession of cannabis is a crimeCannabis possession, supply, cultivation and courts have imposed heavy finesuse are offences. Two 2020 laws, one licensingThe House passed medical cannabis-licensing and one expunging old minor possession convictionsrecord-clearing bills in 2020, passed the House of Assembly but havean official July 2026 review still not receivedreported both awaiting assent after. In 2023 the UK raised concerns about drug traffickingpremier proposed a route for doctors under existing legislation.
segments › possession › textPossessionPossessing cannabis is an offence under the Drugs (Prevention, and more than 50 g of Misuse) Actcannabis or resin creates a rebuttable presumption of possession for supply.[@law] The ordinary possession offence also applies below that threshold.[@law] In a reported June 2015 case, a Road Town magistratevisitor was fined a man $5,000 for 15.2 g, payable immediately or six months in prison. A 2020 amendment that would have expunged some historic convictions for up to 50 g of cannabis or 10 g of resin has not received assent.[@fine]
segments › possession › sourcesvino15law, lrcfine
segments › cultivation › textGrowing any cannabis plant is an offenceprohibited, subject to regulations authorising activities under the Act.[@law] The Cannabis Licensing Act 2020 would have licensedlicensing bill proposed a regulated cultivation for medical purposessystem, but the July 2026 legal review still reported it has not receivedawaiting assent.[@bill, lrc]
segments › cultivation › sourceslaw, bill, lrc
segments › enforcement › textSmall possession cases end inThe Act provides imprisonment and fines, with prison if the fine is not paid for possession and cultivation; its schedules classify cannabis and resin as Class B drugs.[@law] The UK cited a significant scale of drug trafficking through the territory, including a seizure of more than reported 2015 fine for 15.2,300 kg of cocaine g included six months in November 2020, when it held back the reform billsprison in default of immediate payment.[@fine]
segments › enforcement › sourcesvino15law, lrcfine
segments › sharing › textSupplying cannabis, offering to supply or participating in supply of controlled drugs is an offence, with no exception for sharing without paymentsubject to authorised exceptions.[@law] The Act defines supply to include distribution.[@law]
segments › sharing › sourceslrclaw
segments › consumption › textUse is dealt with through the possessionThe Act expressly makes smoking or otherwise using a controlled drug an offence. No place exists where it is tolerated[@law] It also penalises occupiers or managers who knowingly allow specified cannabis preparation or smoking on premises.[@law]
segments › consumption › sourcesvino15law
segments › access › textNo legal source. The UK Home Office remains the licensing authorityAct provides powers for narcotics, including medical ones,ministerial licences and the medical cannabis regime of the 2020 Act has not come into forceregulations authorising specified activities.[@law] In January 2023 the Premier said the government and the UK had found a way forward, focused on licensing local doctorsWheatley proposed using existing legislation to administerarrange medical cannabis, without a timelineadministration by doctors.[@premier] The broader 2020 licensing bill still lacked assent in the July 2026 official review.[@lrc]
segments › access › sourceslrclaw, vino23premier, lrc
context › production › textNo licensedCannabis cultivation and production require authorisation under the drug law.[@law] The Cannabis Licensing Actpublished 2020 would have set upbill proposed a territoriallicensing authority to licensecovering cultivation, processing, testing, import, export and sale for medical purposes, taking over from the Home Officedistribution.[@bill] The July 2026 review recorded that bill as still unassented.[@lrc]
context › production › sourceslaw, bill, lrc
context › products › textNo legal cannabis productsCannabis and resin are listed as Class B controlled drugs.[@law] The published 2020 Act would have allowed up to 1 g to be dispensed onbill proposed dispensary sales with different requirements for proof of age and up to 50 g on, a self-declaration, without of therapeutic use or a prescription, which in effect would have permitted recreational salesmedical document.[@bill] The July 2026 review still reported the bill awaiting assent.[@lrc]
context › products › sourceslaw, bill, lrc
context › medical › textNo medical cannabis programme operates. In December 2020The Act gives the Governor said the Home Officeminister powers to regulate authorised controlled-drug activities, including professional medical and the territory hadpharmacy handling, subject to agree preliminary steps before he could assent to the licensing lawspecified restrictions. In 2023 the[@law] Premier notedWheatley said in 2023 that existing law lets the health minister make regulations allowing cannabiswork remained on arrangements for doctors to be administered legallyadminister medical cannabis.[@premier] The 2020 licensing bill still lacked assent in the July 2026 review.[@lrc]
context › medical › sourceslrclaw, vino23premier, lrc
context › consequences › textProgress on both 2020 bills was interrupted by political turmoil, including a CommissionThe law permits forfeiture of Inquiry into corruptiondrugs and the arrest of Premier Andrew Fahie in the United States onproperty connected with offences, with special rules for conveyances used or intended for drug trafficking and money laundering chargesprocedures for owners to seek restoration. As of[@law] A 2020 bill proposed clearing some historic cannabis convictions, but it remained unassented in the July 2026 neither had received assentreview.[@lrc]
context › consequences › sourceslaw, lrc
context › clubs › textNoSupplying cannabis clubs are known. Supply is controlled by the drug law, and occupiers or managers can commit an offence by knowingly permitting specified production, supply or smoking activities.[@law]
context › clubs › sourceslrclaw
context › visitors › textThere is no legal supply for anyoneImporting controlled drugs requires an applicable exception or a ministerial licence. In[@law] A visitor arriving from the US Virgin Islands in 2015 case the man finedadmitted possessing cannabis found by customs officers in his luggage and received a $5,000 had brought the cannabis from the US Virgin Islandsfine.[@fine]
context › visitors › sourcesvino15law, fine
sourcesVirgin Islands — Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act, revised to 1 January 2020
BVI Government — Published Cannabis Licensing Bill 2020
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