Caribbean cannabis news
Legislative changes, dispensary openings, enforcement updates, and industry developments across the Caribbean.
St. Kitts: Cannabis System Will Track the Money, Not Just the Plants
St. Kitts and Nevis has built financial-transaction tracking into its national cannabis database, recording every payment alongside every plant before the first commercial licence is issued.
St. Kitts & Nevis Jamaica: NCDA Puts Ganja Potency at 15 to 20 Percent
Eleven years after decriminalization, Jamaica's National Council on Drug Abuse puts cannabis potency at 15 to 20 percent, up from 4 percent in the 1990s.
Jamaica French Caribbean: Cannabis Use Fine Cleared to Rise to 500 Euros
France's Conseil constitutionnel cleared the loi RIPOST on 14 August 2026, leaving intact a provision that raises the on-the-spot fine for cannabis use from 200 to 500 euros. It is not in force yet.
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Saint Martin Jamaica: Customs Credits Scanners and Dogs for Record Port Seizure
Jamaica Customs credits scanners, targeting, and new canine teams for its biggest 2026 seizure: two tonnes of cocaine and 256 pounds of ganja.
Jamaica Caribbean Cruises: US Hemp THC Ban Pushed to 11 December
The US Senate delayed a federal ban on hemp THC products to 11 December 2026. What that changes for Caribbean cruise passengers, and what it does not.
Puerto Rico Saint Lucia: Hilaire says cannabis law is almost at the finish line
Deputy Prime Minister Ernest Hilaire says Saint Lucia's cannabis framework is close, after Rastafari leaders said the law is moving too slowly.
Saint Lucia St. Kitts: cannabis tracking system signed, still no licence issued
St. Kitts and Nevis has contracted a seed-to-sale tracking system for medicinal cannabis, but the Authority has still not issued a commercial licence.
St. Kitts & Nevis Jamaica: CLA Waits on US Scheduling for Banking and a Stock Listing
Jamaica's Cannabis Licensing Authority says banking access, farmer grants, and a first local stock market listing hinge on the US scheduling decision.
Jamaica Jamaica: CLA Puts Licensed Retailer Count at 110
Jamaica's Cannabis Licensing Authority says 110 retailers are now registered islandwide, and its CEO is open to a legal ganja experience for tourists.
Jamaica Jamaica: CLA says pre-storm harvest kept licensed supply stocked
The Cannabis Licensing Authority says emergency harvest protocols kept Jamaica's licensed cannabis supply stocked through Hurricane Melissa.
Jamaica Jamaica: CLA Cuts Ganja Farmer Registration Fee to US$150
Jamaica's Cannabis Licensing Authority has cut the registration fee for traditional ganja farmers from US$3,000 to US$150 under its transitional permit.
Jamaica Jamaica: CLA Holds Ganja Import Freeze, Concedes Trade Runs Both Ways
Jamaica has admitted no licensed foreign cannabis since 2023. The CLA says the import freeze holds, but trade reciprocity will force the question.
Jamaica Barbados: Judge Sets Out Why Rastafari Cannabis Challenge Failed
Justice Michelle Weekes has set out why she dismissed the Rastafari cannabis challenge, finding Barbados' restrictions justified on public health grounds.
Barbados Jamaica: CLA Says Group Sign-Ups Are Not Licence Applications
The Cannabis Licensing Authority told traditional ganja farmers that registering with a community group or intermediary is not a licence application.
Jamaica Barbados: CCJ Overturns Jail Term for Small Cannabis Offence
The Caribbean Court of Justice quashed a three-month sentence for a small-quantity cannabis offence in Barbados and substituted a good behaviour bond.
Barbados Jamaica: Minister Cools Talk of a Ganja Amnesty for Unlicensed Farmers
Industry Minister Aubyn Hill declined to back an amnesty for Jamaica's unlicensed ganja farmers, citing Schedule 1 status and exposure to US trade rules.
Jamaica Bahamas: Cannabis Authority Misses Its Own Licensing Deadline
The Bahamas Cannabis Authority missed an end-June target to open licence applications. Pharmacists say the regulator has no office and no phone line.
Bahamas Bermuda: Perinchief Targets Q4 2026 for Cannabis Frameworks
Bermuda's National Security Minister has set a Q4 2026 target for hemp and medical cannabis frameworks. Adult-use reform stays on a longer track.
Bermuda Puerto Rico: Senate Cannabis Review Puts Patient Count at 110,548
Data filed under Senate Resolution 319 shows 110,548 active medical cannabis patients, down 11.3% from the 2022 peak, alongside $345,000 in fines.
Puerto Rico Jamaica: Permit Drive Risks Outrunning Cannabis Processing Capacity
A CLA board member told the Authority's own permit road tour that Jamaica lacks the extraction capacity to absorb what new licensed growers will produce.
Jamaica Jamaica: Ministers Weigh Moving Sacramental Cannabis Oversight to Culture Ministry
Cabinet ministers met at the Ministry of Justice on 20 July 2026 to review Jamaica's Rastafari sacramental cannabis framework and consider new oversight.
Jamaica Puerto Rico: Dispensary Licensing Reopens in 60 of 78 Municipalities
Resolution 2026-001 partially lifted Puerto Rico's dispensary licensing freeze for the first time since 2022, while 18 saturated municipalities stay closed to new applicants.
Puerto Rico Bermuda: New Security Minister Silent on Cannabis in Maiden Speech
Two weeks after naming cannabis reform an immediate priority, Bermuda's Ryan Robinson Perinchief delivered a maiden Senate speech that did not mention it.
Bermuda Jamaica: CLA opens new headquarters, issues 200th license
The Cannabis Licensing Authority moved into a permanent home on 17 July and marked the milestone with its 200th license, awarded to a Montego Bay herb house.
Jamaica St. Kitts brings in SVG's Saboto Caesar to build cannabis banking
SKN's Medicinal Cannabis Authority hired former SVG Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar to build a banking framework. He arrives in Basseterre on 19 July.
St. Kitts & Nevis Jamaica: Growers Report Four Raids a Day as CLA Opens New Offices
The Ganja Growers Association says police raided St Elizabeth and Westmoreland farms up to four times a day, said at the CLA's headquarters opening.
Jamaica Puerto Rico: DEA Rescheduling Hearing Record Closed as Scheduled
Chief ALJ Julius closed the DEA marijuana rescheduling hearing record on 15 July 2026. Puerto Rico's dispensaries wait on his recommended decision.
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico: Senate Presses Cannabis Labs After Fine Cut to $440,000
A testing lab suspended over quality-control failures is operating again with its penalty cut from over $700,000, and senators say there is room to improve.
Puerto Rico Jamaica: Cannabis Road Tour Launches in St. Elizabeth
State Minister Delano Seiveright launched a CLA road tour at Newell High School in St. Elizabeth, framing the small-permit rollout as people-friendly.
Jamaica Jamaica: Negril Advances Zanzibar Twinning, Puts Ganja Farming on the Table
The mayor of Savanna-la-Mar says paperwork for a Negril-Zanzibar twinning is with lawyers, with cannabis named among the farming subsectors for exchange.
Jamaica Cayman Islands: Bar Association Urges Public Input on Cannabis Reform
The Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners' Association wants Caymanians to comment on the Law Reform Commission's cannabis paper before the September 1 deadline.
Cayman Islands Puerto Rico: DEA Rescheduling Hearing Wraps This Week
The DEA's rescheduling hearing closes by 15 July, with Puerto Rico's dispensaries watching whether Schedule III expands beyond the partial April order.
Puerto Rico Jamaica: Two Ex-CLA Officers Face Integrity Commission Charges
Two former Cannabis Licensing Authority officers will be charged under the Integrity Commission Act for failing to file 2023 statutory declarations.
Jamaica Jamaica: GGPAJ Community Permit Push Reaches Clarendon Growers
The Ganja Growers and Producers Association took the CLA's zero-fee community permit pitch to small farmers in May Pen, Clarendon, in July 2026.
Jamaica Barbados: High Court Rejects Rastafari Challenge to Sacramental Cannabis Act
Justice Michelle Weekes dismissed Ras Simba Rock's constitutional challenge to the Sacramental Cannabis Act on 4 July 2026. An appeal is expected within 28 days.
Barbados Cayman Islands: 69-Page Cannabis Reform Paper Out for Public Comment
The Law Reform Commission published its long-awaited cannabis discussion paper on 2 July, opening a public consultation that closes 1 September.
Cayman Islands Caribbean: FDA Calls Cannabis Safer Than Alcohol as DEA Hearing Opens
At the DEA's opening rescheduling hearing on 29 June, the FDA testified that cannabis carries lower day-to-day harms than alcohol and opioids.
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St. Vincent & the Grenadines Saint Lucia Bermuda Puerto Rico: DEA Hearing Day 2 Puts FDA Marijuana Analysis Under Fire
Day two of the DEA rescheduling hearing turned on a 2023 FDA methodology change. What it means for Puerto Rico's 325 licensed dispensaries.
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico: DEA Backs Medical Benefits Ahead of June 29 Hearing
DEA's pre-hearing filing names a Dartmouth pain physician and an FDA official to defend cannabis rescheduling at Monday's hearing, with Puerto Rico watching.
Puerto Rico Jamaica: JACANA Folds Medical Cannabis Into Caribbean Wellness Platform Launch
JACANA's new four-pillar Caribbean Wellness Platform puts medical cannabis alongside botanicals, farm retreats, and apothecary retail.
Jamaica Jamaica: Western Parishes Hold 31% of Seizures, Youth Referrals Climb
Western Jamaica accounted for 31% of national ganja seizures in 2026 so far, and the NCDA says cannabis is driving more than half of minor referrals.
Jamaica Antigua: Cannabis Authority Distances Pares Bust From Rastafari Sacramental Licensees
Antigua's Medicinal Cannabis Authority confirms the Pares cultivation site held no Sacramental Authorization or Medicinal Cannabis Licence.
Antigua & Barbuda Puerto Rico: DEA Names Only Reform Opponents for June 29 Hearing
The DEA picked only rescheduling opponents for its June 29 hearing, leaving Puerto Rico's 325 licensed dispensaries waiting on a broader Schedule III move.
Puerto Rico St. Kitts: Cannabis Authority Launches Responsible Use Campaign on ZIZ Radio
On 10 June 2026 the SKN Medicinal Cannabis Authority opened a four-pillar national education campaign, the first sustained public push since the regulator's 2025 launch.
St. Kitts & Nevis Jamaica: Hundreds of Westmoreland Ganja Farmers Register Under New CLA Permits
Hundreds of Westmoreland ganja farmers registered in Orange Hill, the first mass sign-up reported under Jamaica's new zero-fee CLA community permit.
Jamaica Bahamas: Banks Warn Cannabis Sector Will Hit US Correspondent Wall
On 4 June 2026 the Clearing Banks Association warned Bahamian banks cannot service cannabis firms under existing US correspondent-banking rules.
Bahamas Antigua: Cannabis Authority Briefs 60 Police Recruits on Legal vs. Illegal Cannabis
The Antigua and Barbuda Medicinal Cannabis Authority trained nearly 60 police recruits in May 2026 on the legal split between licit and illicit cannabis.
Antigua & Barbuda Antigua: MCA Cuts Licence Fees 80% for Citizen-Owned Cultivation Groups
The Medicinal Cannabis Authority's new Collaborative Grow Licence gives an 80% discount and a five-year term to companies owned by five or more Antiguan and Barbudan citizens.
Antigua & Barbuda Jamaica: Kaya Becomes First Major Chain to Launch Cannabis Delivery
Kaya Herb House, Jamaica's pioneering cannabis dispensary chain, is rolling out a delivery service after the CLA's April rule change opened the door.
Jamaica St. Vincent: MCA Calls Traditional Cultivators to Georgetown Meeting
The Medicinal Cannabis Authority is hosting a consultation with traditional cultivators in Georgetown on 22 May 2026, focused on industry updates and grower-level challenges.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines Bermuda: Weeks Outlines Medical-Only Cannabis Framework
Bermuda's Minister of National Security told the House of Assembly the government will pursue a prescription-based medical cannabis pathway.
Bermuda Bahamas: Cannabis Authority's Licensing Platform Is Built, Portal Still Closed
The Bahamas Cannabis Authority says its seed-to-sale licensing platform is finished, with applications waiting on the post-election government.
Bahamas Caribbean Cannabis: Schedule III Eases Banking Fears Region-Wide
The US move of medical cannabis to Schedule III is easing banking fears across the Caribbean, opening doors for licensed operators.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines Barbados Jamaica Puerto Rico Saint Lucia Puerto Rico: 325 Licensed Dispensaries Face New Reality as DEA Registration Portal Opens
The DEA portal for Schedule III cannabis registration opens April 29, directly affecting Puerto Rico's 325 licensed medical dispensaries.
Puerto Rico Jamaica: Ganja Growers Eye Opportunities After US Cannabis Rescheduling
Jamaican cannabis growers and officials react to the US DOJ's Schedule III move, weighing export potential against global competition.
Jamaica Jamaica: Legal Cannabis Industry Hits J$10 Billion Despite Hurricane Melissa
Jamaica's CLA reports the legal cannabis sector grew 63% in 2025 to US$63M, with four exports and a post-hurricane rebound underway.
Jamaica Saint Lucia: RSA Selects GrowerIQ for National Cannabis Traceability
Saint Lucia picks GrowerIQ to build its seed-to-sale cannabis tracking platform, becoming the second Caribbean nation to adopt the system.
Saint Lucia Barbados: BMCLA Presses Banks After US Cannabis Rescheduling
Barbados's cannabis regulator urges commercial banks to serve the industry after the US moved medical marijuana to Schedule III.
Barbados Antigua: 3rd Annual Cannabis Festival Underway Through April 20
Antigua and Barbuda's cabinet-endorsed ABC Festival 2026 runs April 17-20, blending cannabis education, trade, and wellness tourism.
Antigua & Barbuda Jamaica: CLA Launches Zero-Fee Permits for Small Cannabis Farmers
Jamaica's Cannabis Licensing Authority introduces two new special permit programmes with no application fees, opening the legal market to traditional ganja growers.
Jamaica Kaya Herb House Posts J$550M in Sales for 2025
Jamaica's pioneering cannabis dispensary chain reports J$550 million in revenue from ganja, mushrooms, and pizza across its locations.
Jamaica Grenada Passes Landmark Cannabis Decriminalization Law
Grenada's Parliament approves the Drug Abuse Amendment Act 2026, decriminalizing up to 56 grams of cannabis for adults 21 and older.
Grenada USVI Cannabis Dispensaries Begin Opening Phase in 2026
The U.S. Virgin Islands' first licensed adult-use cannabis dispensaries enter the opening phase across St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John.
U.S. Virgin Islands Puerto Rico Medical Cannabis Market Tops 325 Licensed Dispensaries
Puerto Rico has 325 licensed medical cannabis dispensaries, per the Department of Health registry.
Puerto Rico Cayman Islands Voters Approve Cannabis Decriminalization Referendum
55% of Cayman Islands voters back decriminalizing consumption and possession of small amounts of cannabis in the 2025 referendum.
Cayman Islands St. Kitts & Nevis Launches Medicinal Cannabis Authority
The government of St. Kitts and Nevis officially launches the Medicinal Cannabis Authority in April 2025, opening permit and licence applications.
St. Kitts & Nevis Saint Lucia Drafts Comprehensive Cannabis and Hemp Bill
Saint Lucia releases a draft cannabis law that would regulate both marijuana and industrial hemp farming, processing, and sales.
Saint Lucia Bahamas Introduces Comprehensive Cannabis Bill
The Bahamas government unveils the Cannabis Bill 2024, proposing medical legalization, religious use protections, and decriminalization of 30 grams.
Bahamas Caribbean cannabis news, every week
New dispensaries, law changes, enforcement shifts — summarized so you don't have to scan a dozen local papers.
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