“The option to grow for oneself is a fundamental right which has been part of legalization in the great majority of the 20 other states which have now taken the historic step of repealing the criminal prohibition of responsible adult marijuana use.”
Category: Legalization
State Question 820 permits adults to legally possess and home-cultivate personal use qualities of cannabis while also establishing a licensed, retail marketplace.
NORML Development Director JM Pedini, said that Tuesday’s vote represented “another stunning failure of leadership on cannabis policy.”
“Today, with the hard work of the members of the 34th Legislature and prior Legislatures and the efforts of my team, we are finally here and finally signing into law the Virgin Islands Cannabis Use Act.”
“A robust, above-ground retail marijuana market is necessary in order to disrupt the unregulated marketplace and to assure that consumers have adequate access to lab-tested, high quality products at competitive prices,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said.
“Once implemented, … the Territory will see an industry that is inclusive and diverse, and most importantly, safe,” said the bill’s sponsor. “It is my hope that the current administration implements [the law] to its full potential, for the benefit of the people of this Territory.”
Under the new law, adults who possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis (and/or up to 12 grams of cannabis concentrates and/or any cannabis product containing up to 750 mgs of THC) are subject to a civil violation, punishable by no more than a $100 fine. Adults will be legally permitted to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis and/or 12 grams of cannabis concentrates with no penalty beginning in July 2023.
Monitoring the Future has released their 2022 findings regarding cannabis use rates for 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. The study found that rates for each cohort were largely unchanged from last year.