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.
From decriminalization to regulation
Saint Lucia is moving beyond its 2021 decriminalization of 30 grams with a comprehensive draft cannabis law. Released for public consultation in January 2025, the bill would establish a full regulatory framework for both marijuana and industrial hemp — covering farming, processing, and sales.
Commerce Minister Emma Hippolyte indicated the bill was expected to reach Parliament by the end of Q1 2025, barring pushback during the public consultation period.
What the draft covers
The legislation maps out regulations for commercial cultivation, processing facilities, retail sales, and hemp products. It would create a regulated industry from seed to sale — a significant step up from the current situation where possession is decriminalized but there’s no legal supply chain.
What This Means
Saint Lucia could become one of the first Eastern Caribbean nations to establish a fully regulated cannabis market. For tourists, this would eventually mean legal retail access — a major upgrade from the current gray zone where possession is fine but buying isn’t.
The timing aligns with broader Caribbean trends: Grenada’s 2026 decriminalization, St. Kitts’s medicinal authority, and the Bahamas’s cannabis bill. The Eastern Caribbean is clearly moving together on reform.
Source: www.slbs.org