“We’ve been waiting a very long time for this,” said Catherine Kean, as the VI Cannabis Advisory Board approved a list of proposed rules and regulations to govern the recreational use of cannabis in the territory.
The approval represents major progress in implementing the law passed in 2022 which legalized the use of cannabis for recreational purposes. Now that this hurdle has been cleared, board members say they expect to see some movement on the issue in the days and weeks to come. A 30-day public comment period, the next stage of the process, is expected to open soon.
The board is also working to complete a list of those convicted of simple cannabis possession who are eligible to have their records expunged. That list will be forwarded to lawmakers and the judiciary within the coming weeks, according to board member Positive Nelson.
Medicinal and sacramental users of cannabis are expected to be allowed to register in April, although the vaunted registry which was supposed to have opened for practitioners and sacramental organizations in January currently appears to be offline, with visitors who follow the link from the Office of Cannabis Regulations website presented with a blank page as of press time.
Hannah Carty, executive director of the Office of Cannabis Regulations, noted that cannabis businesses are expected to be able to register by mid-year, but licenses for cultivation and manufacturing operations may not be granted before the end of 2024. “A lot of things are not within our control,” she explained.
Despite the delays and setbacks, the advisory board was pleased that progress, albeit slow, is being steadily made on creating a legal framework for cannabis use in the territory. “The train is ready to leave the station,” said board member Richard Evangelista.
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