Senate Passes Cannabis Decriminalisation Bill

December 13, 2017

After passing in the House of Assembly, the Bill to remove criminal sanctions for possessing under 7 grams of cannabis passed in the Senate today [Dec 13] with support from all sides.

The Bill — officially titled the Misuse of Drugs [Decriminalisation of Cannabis] Amendment Act 2017 — states, ”This Bill amends the Misuse of Drugs Act 1972 to remove criminal sanctions for the possession by any person of cannabis that does not exceed the specified statutory amount.

“Clause 2 amends section 6 of the principal Act to decriminalise the possession of cannabis lower than the statutory amount where criminal sanctions will not apply, and makes savings provision for prosecution for intent to supply.

“Clause 3 inserts a new section 25A empowering the police to seize cannabis in the possession of any person and also provides for drug education or drug treatment.

“Clause 4 inserts a new Schedule 8 that specifies the amount of cannabis below which criminal sanctions will not apply.”

The Misuse of Drugs  [Decriminalisation of Cannabis] Amendment Act 2017 follows below [PDF here]

click here Bermuda cannabis decriminalization

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Comments (18)

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  1. Kevin says:

    They pass a bill without any checks and balances ….mercy they all should get a medal…..lets see… its decriminalized but no one is sure of the rules
    dont laugh you elected them

    • sage says:

      The OBA passed it too didn’t they? They are all jokers, both parties, this is a real slap in the face to otherwise law-abiding folk who use a beneficial plant that is far safer than the two legal options which top the (science based) list of harmful drugs. The trampling of peoples rights and this blatant, unfounded discrimination will continue until they remove cannabis from the ridiculous drug schedule and return it to its rightful place amongst all other plant species, completely free from seizure, forced treatment or criminal sanction. Where is the Centre for “Justice”on this? Not a peep. Cherry picking causes?

  2. George says:

    More dopey Bermudians then. Guess it can’t get any worse

    • sage says:

      Dopey like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Barack Obama, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Hunter S. Thompson, Stephen King, Shakespear, or Carl Sagan who said, and I quote, ” The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.”? His smoking partner. Lester Grinspoon who is Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and senior psychiatrist at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston for 40+ years. said Carl smoked every day too, so put that in your pipe and smoke it, your ignorance is showing genius.

  3. Marlyn says:

    They need their weed to numb the pain from the PLP government keep em high keep em high

  4. Whistling Frog says:

    Now let’s get the dispensers up and running and the government can get to regulating and taxing the best for medicinal use. I can’t wait to get cooking and juicing mines. smoking it is just a waste.

    • sage says:

      Governments should be paying renumeration, freeing prisoners and giving full pardons to the victims of their indefensible actions, they have no right to tax herb that they to this day treat as if it is more dangerous than alcohol and cigarettes. They should have no more control or regulations than what exists for any other plant ( other than age and anti- corporate takeover rules). I can’t believe the stupidity of people asking to be taxed for using a harmless plant you can grow for free. You are like birds in a cage who won’t fly away when the door is opened. No permits, no licenses, no limits and ganja smokers are not going to bail out the government after decades of unjust human rights atrocities, tax the 1%ers.

  5. Yaboy SoNSo says:

    Discrimination on weed smokers is a fight needing to be faught. So many intelligent, capable, and willing people have had jobs reject them because of the use of this plant.

  6. Paradise Reclaimed says:

    So, now it’s a substance that is illegal to buy or sell, but legal to possess. The organizations importing and distributing the substance, duty-free and unhindered by any regulation whatsoever, win big.

    Regulations, taxation and control of distribution only comes with legalization. High-time to stop kicking this can down the road, blindly supporting the black market.

    Colorado has increased tourism – And this just in – teen drug use has DECREASED since legalization. Bermuda should be studying Colorado closely.

    Just legalize!

    • Thank you PR … couldn’t have said it better myself.
      Don’t forget it is legal to possess small amounts but the cops can still take it from you … ?… even tho it’s legal … having a hard time wrapping my head around that one. Also, it seems even tho it’s ‘legal’ the Govt can force you to ‘education class’….
      Politicians Lying to the People giveth and taketh …. but mostly taketh…

    • sage says:

      Stop parroting the US model, just say no to taxes and any government meddling, you have a right to grow and utilize a plant without corrupt governments seeking a piece of the action. they owe us, big time. All I see here is the greedy rubbing their hands together waiting to take over and capitalize, and people are so brainwashed they encourage it as if there is no other way. Cottage industry is the best model.

  7. JUNK YARD DOG says:

    That is the thin end of the wedge.
    Children will get used to the smell early in life.
    20 M.P.H. or 35 K is the thin end of the wedge .
    Land tax was the thin end of the wedge.
    Has the islands to the south increased their tourism business ?
    What is the import duty on the stuff ?

  8. Wisdom says:

    It is against our human rights that it is illegal to start with. It is a laughable joke that it should be illegal to start with. It is the only plant on earth which can kill cancer, treat over 300 diseases, and even cure other diseases which afflict millions globally. The governments of the world knew it killed cancer in the 70s from tests, and did their own research on it while leaving it illegal. The ad campaigns to “Find a Cure for Cancer”, and the billions of dollars that still go to that, are an insult to the fact they had the cure here the whole time. Cannabis also replenishes ozone and removes toxic metals and chemicals from the soil. It literally purifies earth. Mankind has used cannabis since the stone age, we all ‘evolved’ alongside it for hundreds of thousands of years. It is also the only plant which can replace many industries which afflict and pillage earth, since hemp fiber to make endless materials, even fuel. Cannabis is also one of the only plants which contain virtually all amino acids which humans require in their diet. Cannabis also is the only plant on earth which can display virtually every scent and taste chemical profile found on earth – from cheese, blueberry, pine, – any scent compound you can imagine. What other plant can taste like anything we eat? Government tests globally proved cannabis is not addictive and does not destroy your brain or cause brain diseases or ailments like schizophrenia etc, it actually unifies the two hemispheres – which is why it enhances creativity – it stimulates your immune system, and tests proved it actually increased your brain cells, by a rare process in nature where brain cells actually grow and multiply. With a plethora of facts like this, the world should have never made it illegal. You only further create criminals, gangs, and gang activity by having it illegal. If it was legal, it would be cheap, and use would decline, as proven by many global studies.

  9. Disappointment says:

    All this achieves is to reduce the number of people being placed on a banned list. It will not address the underworld illegality of how drugs are 1) arriving to Bermuda, 2) being distributed and 3) being consumed.

    Legalization of weed would provide a revenue generative business opportunity, provide tax revenue and control the product. This might also help address the smuggling and drug rings that must be on the island and left to their own devices.

    Decriminalization should be a phased approach to legalization of this substance.

  10. James says:

    The drug dealers must be rubbing their hands with glee. Their customer base just increased massively. Just legalise it and take the dealers out of the picture.

  11. Real Deal says:

    thank you PLP. still more work to be done. next step bring back 60-40 law for any business having to do with cannabis or any of its by products.

    and make a law where all business have to make their local – foreign workforce numbers public. this way Bermuda will know who and what they are supporting when they shop.

  12. ROGER LAMBERT says:

    I wish they would work on MAKING LAW THE REAL NATURAL MARIJUANA FOR MEDICINAL USE HERE, INCLUDING ITS OILS, NOT ONLY HAVE THAT SYNTHETIC STUFF. Sure restrictions would be placed (BDA is famous for restrictions anyway) but it could still help people. We could be using BDA grown marijuana also. Another industry. Reestablishing Bermuda Green.

    • dual says:

      It already is. This happened a couple years back and was agreed by both OBA and PLP. You have to have a prescription, and get a license from the Chief Medical Officer, but then you can import medical cannabis. Oil with <1% THC in it (called hemp oil) is now available over the counter, the legislation passed two weeks ago.