Cannabis and other illegal narcotics are prohibited in The Bahamas, and anyone who does so risks receiving harsh penalties, including lengthy prison sentences and substantial fines.
What You Should Know About Medical Marijuana in The Bahamas
Both medical and recreational cannabis are not available in The Bahamas. In the same way, you cannot import it. Even if you have a medical marijuana card, it is advised that you leave your cannabis (including CBD) at home if you are planning a trip to The Bahamas.
Bahamas Marijuana Penalties
The nation’s strong drug enforcement regulations is because of its past reputation as a transit country for traffickers moving cannabis between the US and Jamaica.
People who are caught possessing marijuana could be charged with serious crimes. According to the government’s website, recreational offenders are subject to a fine of $50,000 to $120,000 and a sentence of 5 to 10 years in prison. If they are caught with two or more packets of drugs, you will face a $250,000 – $750,000 fine and up to a whopping 40 years in prison!
What Do Locals in The Bahamas Think About Marijuana?
According to a 2018 survey by the market research firm Public Domain, “71% of Bahamians favor the use of cannabis for medical purposes.” The results of the survey were reflected two years later in a statement made to The Bahamas House Assembly by Prime Minister Herbert Mannis, who is notable for saying that the country’s marijuana regulations are “outdated and must change.”
Additionally, the prime minister said that he is drafting legislation to address the issue of “young people that have been arrested for minor offenses including minimal use of marijuana, and their life has been totally destroyed to such an extent that they cannot obtain proper jobs, they cannot visit the United States, and their futures are destroyed.”
Medical Marijuana Could Become Legal
A measure to legalize medical marijuana in The Bahamas is expected to pass in the upcoming years.
Through this legalization, cannabis for medical purposes would be governed and firms would be permitted to grow, refine, and distribute cannabis products to patients who have been prescribed it by their doctors.
Recreational Marijuana Could Become Legal
The Bahamas may decriminalize the possession of small amounts of recreational marijuana under the same proposed legislation. Additionally, it would permit Rastafarians and other faiths to cultivate cannabis as a sacrament for spiritual purposes.
Can You Grow Cannabis in The Bahamas?
Cannabis cultivation is currently prohibited in The Bahamas.
However, future legislation might enable those who are given a medical marijuana prescription (or their adult carers) to cultivate enough plants to supply the right dosage of the drug to treat their ailment.
Conclusion
Cannabis is currently prohibited in the Bahamas, however this may soon change. Patients with specific medical ailments who require marijuana may soon have access to the plant and legal cannabis products. For the time being, cannabis should not be consumed by visitors or residents of the nation.