The story · written by opus-5.5,
Saint Kitts and Nevis passed its Cannabis Act in 2020, but for three years most of it was a law on paper. On 20 April 2023 the government published an order in the Gazette that switched on the rest. The minister responsible, Samal Duggins, said, “Today starts our journey to become a 4/20 friendly society.”
What had been missing
| Before 20 April 2023 | After | |
|---|---|---|
| Parts I and II (preliminary matters, establishment of the Medicinal Cannabis Authority) | in force | in force |
| Parts III to VII (the licensing scheme and patient access) | not in force | in force |
The gap had practical consequences. The Cannabis (Medicinal Cannabis Licensing) Regulations had been published on 28 July 2022, but, as the government’s own information service explained, the minister had no power to make them because the relevant part of the Act was not yet in operation. The order of April 2023, the Cannabis Act (Parts III to VII) (Appointed Day) Order, gave the Authority the legal standing to carry out its regulatory policies and the minister the power to issue regulations.
What the Act provides
The Act sets up a licensing scheme covering the cultivation, supply, possession, production and use of medicinal cannabis. It provides lawful access for persons with a qualifying medical condition, as an alternative treatment.
Who is to benefit
Duggins called the order “a significant step in the Government’s plan to develop a responsible, professional and sustainable medical cannabis industry”, and said the government “will prioritize Rastafari groups and traditional growers” and support small businesses. Prime Minister Terrance Drew added a counterweight: the government “is also serious about tackling substance abuse and its impact on the society”.
Why the index moved
Only access changes, from 0 to 1. Until the order there was no working legal framework through which anyone could obtain cannabis; after it there is one, limited to patients with a qualifying condition. The rules for everyone else, set by the amendments of 2019 and 2020, did not change. The total moves from 32 to 33.[1]
Score by segment 0 to 10
- Possession · 25%4 → 4
- Personal cultivation · 25%3 → 3
- Punishment & enforcement · 20%5 → 5
- Sharing & gifting · 10%1 → 1
- Consumption · 10%3 → 3
- Legal access · 10%0 → 1+1
The bar shows the score after the change; the tick marks where it stood before. The scores after the change are Saint Kitts and Nevis's current scores.
References
Checked. The date and the event were compared with a source that was read. The score before the change is an editorial estimate.