Regional Commission on Marijuana to host National Consultations

The meeting will be held on November 23 at the Tapir Room of the Best Western Plus, Belize Biltmore Plaza.

These consultations will commence promptly at 9:00 a.m. through to 1:30 p.m.

The Consultations are geared at:

a) Conducting rigorous inquiries into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the Caribbean;

b) Determining whether there should be a change in the current drug classification of marijuana;

c) Recommending, in the event there is a re-classification, the legal and administrative conditions that shall apply to the same and upon completion;

d) Collating the findings and preparing a final report to be submitted to the Heads of CARICOM.

In attendance of these consultations will be the Chair of the Regional Commission on Marijuana along with three other commissioners and two representatives from the CARICOM Secretariat.

Representatives from the following key sectors have also been invited to attend to aid in the discussion.

A.      Law Enforcement

B.      Legal Practitioners

C.      Medicine and allied health practitioners

D.      Health research

E.      Anthropology/Sociology/Culture

F.      Faith Based Organizations

G.      NGO’s

H.      Ethics

I.       Youth

J.       Education

These Consultations will be divided into three Focus Groups and will be held at various times throughout the morning:

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Group A: 9:30 a.m.  – 10:30 a.m.

Education and Youth Sector: Students from secondary and high schools; community colleges; tertiary learning institutions; out-of-school youth; youth leaders and institutions working with youth.

Group B: 11:00 a.m.  – 12:00 p.m.

Faith Based Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations

Group C: 12:30 p.m.  – 1:30 p.m.

Researchers, Medical Practitioners, Practitioners of alternative medicine, Advocates for medicinal use of marijuana, Representatives from the National Drug Council, Law Enforcement and Legal Practitioners.

Kindly note that following the Focus Group Consultations, a Town Hall meeting is scheduled to be held thereafter at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Tapir Room of Best Western Plus, Belize Biltmore Plaza.