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The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) are a tropical paradise in the Caribbean, known for their luxurious resorts, gorgeous natural landscapes, turquoise water… and perhaps, soon, legal marijuana to accompany it all.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. called the legislature into an exceptional session on Wednesday, Dec. 18, to consider an amendment regarding the legalization of cannabis in the USVI. The bill would expand the islands’ existing medical marijuana program, which was signed into law earlier this year as one of Bryan’s very first acts as governor. Now, he seeks to go even further with this new bill, which is accompanied by an act planning the expungement of any prior convictions for possession of less than one pound of cannabis. USVI senators voted to reconvene for further consideration, and Bryan expressed confidence that the bill will pass.
A Marijuana Retreat for American Tourists
The USVI legalization bill does not actually refer to it as “recreational marijuana” but as “non-prescribed marijuana,” which is a trick to enable additional income from tourism. Under the new bill, marijuana would not be sold freely, but rather only to people 21 and older and possessing a license. This license would cost $10 apiece for one day, and it would be easily purchased without a burdensome load of paperwork. The target is clear: American tourists from states where marijuana is still illegal.
“On our high points, we get 2.1 million tourists,” Bryan explained during a press conference presenting the project. “You come off the cruise ship; you buy a $10 pass for the day. Conservatively, it is estimated that 13-15% of Americans regularly enjoy cannabis products. Let’s say 10% of the people who come here smoke; that’s $2 million in just passes alone. The market really isn’t here, the market is abroad. When people come here, that’s when we really make our money.”
While it will be illegal to bring the purchased “non-prescribed” marijuana off the islands, it will be allowed to consume it anywhere within the territory. It is meant as a way to enhance a relaxing vacation, building upon the existing offerings of the local tourism industry.
The bill is mainly thought of as supplemental income for the islands, Bryan readily admits. Saving the Virgin Islands’ Government Employees Retirement System (GERS)—which suffers from severe funding issues—is one of the governor’s top priorities, and one of the key promises of the platform that got him elected. Marijuana legalization is a mean to this end.
“Seventy-five percent of all the revenue that will be generated as a result of this act will be dedicated to the GERS,” Bryan announced. “There is a 30% tax on all cannabis sales in the territory, so that would generate revenue. We envision that we will attract cannabis research centers from the states and then charge franchise fees anywhere that product is sold in the U.S. We expect to see, at its peak, at least $20 million a year generated from this new piece of legislation,” which would cover a large portion of the islands’ GERS deficit.
Although the original motivation to legalize marijuana is purely capitalistic, it does not detract from the social justice and increased freedom granted by the act. Additionally, the legal marijuana industry created by Bryan’s bill would be designed to be protected from external actors in order to boost business for residents. Local, small farms “will provide 70% of all the cannabis that is sold,” Bryan assured, promising “a really local-owned industry.”
“[The bill] allows for the recognition of Rastafari and the sacrament of cannabis in their culture and religion. It is also a great boon for our tourism industry. The use of medicinal cannabis is becoming widespread throughout the Caribbean as well as the nation,” he concluded.
Cannabis Reform Agreed Upon in the Caribbean
If the bill passes, it would make the USVI the third American territory to legalize medical marijuana, after Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. In Puerto Rico, only medical marijuana is legal, while cannabis is still fully banned in American Samoa, where it carries an exceptionally heavy sentence.
Cannabis is still illegal in most of the Caribbean—including in Jamaica—but a trend is picking up speed to loosen regulations in the region. For instance, a decriminalization bill made its way through Trinidad and Tobago’s Parliament in this past November, preceded by a decriminalization bill passed in St. Kitts and Nevis, among others.
This comes after the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)—the union of 15 nations and dependencies in the region—agreed upon the need for widespread marijuana reform. In its final report, the CARICOM Regional Commission on Marijuana concluded that “there is considerable evidence to suggest that [marijuana prohibition] was due to cynical motives to quash competition with the merging alcohol industry [...]. This resulted in the draconian legal regime existing today.” The commission then urged Caribbean nations to declassify cannabis as a “dangerous drug,” calling for the “complete and immediate removal of all prohibitive legal provisions, thereby rendering cannabis a legal substance.”
The Caribbean is home to the Rastafarian religion, which uses marijuana as a religious sacrament, making legalization a particularly hot-button issue in that region. This USVI bill—along with CARICOM’s efforts to bring about change while addressing the nefarious effects of the criminalization of marijuana—amount to a first stride in the right direction for the local populations.
