Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Oct 17, 2025

Govt's medical marijuana initiative all ‘hype with no substance’ - Opposition

Govt's medical marijuana initiative all ‘hype with no substance’ - Opposition

Members of the Opposition have said they believe the government has done a poor job of providing the public with critical information for their proposed medicinal marijuana initiative.

Opposition Leader Marlon Penn also pointed out that despite all the proverbial ‘hype’, the requisite legislation is not yet in place to decriminalise the drug in the British Virgin Islands.

“There is really a lot of hype with no substance behind the whole plan and the whole issue of medical marijuana in general,” Penn told members of the media during a press conference on Thursday.

He continued: “Marijuana is illegal in the BVI, and we are yet to see any legislation or hear any discussion or any draft to talk about the decriminalisation of marijuana.”

The Opposition Leader was also concerned about the banking aspect of the industry.

“We are out there talking about a 100 farmers … and the basic foundation of what needs to happen has not happened as yet. The biggest challenge with this industry is the banking of funds. You are asking our banks, which they will not do to bank funds. If they do bank these funds for medical marijuana, they have a risk of losing their licenses with correspondent banking. There is no plan, just a lot of smoking mirrors, a lot of sensationalisation for our young people who want these things, who want to hear of these things and there is no substance on how they are going to benefit from these things,” Penn further said.


People need answers

Third District Representative Julian Fraser said he had been approached by members of the public on how they can be part of the initiative. However, Fraser said he is also seeking answers.

“I too would like to know about this medical marijuana, but I can tell you something right now, it is popular. It is something that is catchy right now, and there has been talk about it before this government came in, and I was surprised by the vigour in which they took it on. But, like everything else, the programmes that the government has, the background and the details don’t filter down to the Opposition, and I am not saying that they are hiding it from us,” Fraser said.

When asked if he would support the initiative, Fraser replied: “It is impossible to support something that you don’t know about. I need to know more about it so I can see exactly what it is so I can make an intelligent decision on whether or not I would support it.”

Also adding his voice to the matter, Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull said he shared those sentiments.

What Government has said

Notably, Premier Andrew Fahie, who appears to be leading the charge on the new initiative said approximately 100 locals would each receive a half-acre plot of land from Government for the cultivation and production of their medicinal marijuana initiative in Paraquita Bay, Tortola.

He said his administration is hoping to have the programme started in May.

The Premier further said the undertaking will also facilitate additional career opportunities available for BVIslanders in the areas of product development, processing, and marketing and research which, are all being explored.

As for legislation, Agriculture Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley said plans are underway to relax the marijuana laws in the territory.

“Even before this current administration led by Premier Andrew Fahie, there was a discussion about cannabis. Perhaps it was a little quieter discussion but … there is actually a draft bill on the legalisation of marijuana that I am currently reviewing. It was done by the last administration,” the minister said at second annual Hemp Fest last year.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
Australia Faces Demographic Risk as Fertility Falls to Record Low
California County Reinstates Mask Mandate in Health Facilities as Respiratory Illness Risk Rises
Israel and Hamas Agree to First Phase of Trump-Brokered Gaza Truce, Hostages to Be Freed
French Political Turmoil Elevates Marine Le Pen as Rassemblement National Poised for Power
China Unveils Sweeping Rare Earth Export Controls to Shield ‘National Security’
The Davos Set in Decline: Why the World Economic Forum’s Power Must Be Challenged
France: Less Than a Month After His Appointment, the New French Prime Minister Resigns
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Sarah Mullally Becomes First Woman Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
US Prosecutors Gained Legal Approval to Hack Telegram Servers
Macron Faces Intensifying Pressure to Resign or Trigger New Elections Amid France’s Political Turmoil
Standard Chartered Names Roberto Hoornweg as Sole Head of Corporate & Investment Banking
UK Asylum Housing Firm Faces Backlash Over £187 Million Profits and Poor Living Conditions
UK Police Crack Major Gang in Smuggling of up to 40,000 Stolen Phones to China
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Trump Proposes Farm Bailout from Tariff Revenues Amid Backlash from Other Industries
FIFA Accuses Malaysia of Forging Citizenship Documents, Suspends Seven Footballers
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
×