BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts, April 28, 2025 (SKNIS) – The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis, through the Ministry of Agriculture, launched the Medicinal Cannabis Authority on Friday, April 25, 2025 – marking a significant step in the development of a comprehensive, well-regulated medicinal cannabis industry in the Federation.
While delivering remarks at the launch event on Princes Street, Basseterre, Attorney General, the Honourable Garth Wilkin, stated that since taking office in August 2022, the government embarked on a deliberate journey to address the cultural, religious, and legal dimensions of cannabis use, moving the Federation closer to a sustainable monetisation structure for cannabis.
In the initial stages, the administration prioritised protecting the religious rights of the Rastafari community. This was achieved through the passage of the Rastafari Rights Recognition Act in 2023, giving legal recognition to the right, affirmed by the Court in the landmark Sankofa decision, for Rastafarians to use cannabis as a religious sacrament.
The government further solidified the constitutional right to freedom of conscience through the Freedom of Conscience Act of 2023, allowing citizens to legally use cannabis oils, smoke cannabis, or otherwise utilise cannabis as an expression of their beliefs.
In addition, the formal decriminalisation of cannabis for general use was enacted, permitting individuals to possess small quantities and cultivate up to five plants without facing criminal sanctions. These reforms followed the recommendations of the Cannabis Board, which conducted extensive research on the matter.
The latest and most significant step has been the establishment of a formal medicinal cannabis regime. With the enactment of the Cannabis Act in late 2023 and the operationalisation of the Medicinal Cannabis Authority, Attorney General Wilkin said Saint Kitts and Nevis has moved beyond legislation to practical implementation.
Honourable Wilkin emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring a responsible, mature, and internationally compliant industry. “The entire regime is now set for us. The table is set. It’s for us to be responsible and to take advantage and to make an industry and to create jobs, to create economic opportunities,” the attorney general stated.
The licensing system established by the Medicinal Cannabis Authority is pivotal in ensuring that medicinal cannabis is of the highest quality for end users, particularly patients holding authorised prescriptions. Legal sales of cannabis will only be permitted through licensed entities, with new opportunities emerging for the establishment of cannabis lounges similar to those already operating in countries like Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Antigua and Barbuda.
Attorney General Wilkin cautioned that while progress has been made, strict adherence to the regulatory framework is essential. Unauthorised sales of cannabis remain illegal and subject to enforcement by law enforcement agencies.
“The old way of buying a bag of weed and not knowing what is in it, those days are done. The police can still deal with that, and I want to make that clear,” Attorney General Wilkin said. “Today is not a sanction to be selling cannabis without going through the legal realm. There is a legal pathway. There is now a regulatory regime to ensure the quality of the product which you are purchasing, and so we need to follow the rules and the laws carefully.”
The government calls on all stakeholders to engage responsibly with the new framework and to work together towards a prosperous and innovative future for Saint Kitts and Nevis.
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