Dame Sandra noted that pursuing these matters is a waste of the police and the court’s time. She said it has led to the conviction and incarceration of scores of young people that resulted in the loss of their jobs, reputation, opportunity to travel, and subjected to stigma over “miniscule quantities of marijuana” that on the street would be called “a roach” or “a spliff”. The Governor General acknowledged that the personal use of marijuana was one that required compassion, understanding, empathy and the intervention of Government. Governor General Dame Sandra Mason, during her Throne Speech, disclosed that Government will soon be amending the Drug Abuse (Prevention And Control Act). A conviction for failing to pay a ticket will form part of the offender’s criminal record.” The offender is required to attend Magistrates Court and may be ordered to do community service or pay a fine of $1,000. It will be an offence to fail to pay a ticket for smoking in public or for possession of half an ounce or more. The Police may issue a ticket to that person, who will have 30 days to pay the ticket. A person who smokes cannabis in public will not be arrested or detained. She continued: “A person in possession of half an ounce or less and who is under 18 years, or who is 18 years or older and appears to the police to be dependent on cannabis, will be referred to the National Council on Drug Abuse for counselling, in addition to paying the ticket. The ticket will be called a ‘fixed penalty notice’.” The Governor General noted that a referendum on the recreational use of marijuana had been promised and it was Government’s intention to honour that promise.ĭame Sandra stated: “The police may issue a ticket to a person in possession of half an ounce or less of cannabis, similar to a traffic ticket, and the person has 30 days to pay a fine of $200.00. Governor General Dame Sandra Mason spoke of this change while delivering the Throne Speech at the Opening of the Second Session of Parliament, held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Tuesday.ĭame Sandra pointed out that the possession would still be unlawful and punishable, but there would be a new approach to how the offender is treated. Government will soon be amending the Drug Abuse (Prevention And Control Act) to allow for persons arrested for possession of 14 grammes or half an ounce or less of cannabis to be ticketed, instead of appearing in the Magistrates’ Court. ![]() Governor General Dame Sandra Mason pointed out that the possession of cannabis would still be unlawful and punishable, but there would be a new approach to how the offender is treated.
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