Sacramental Authorization
The Medicinal Cannabis Authority of Antigua and Barbuda in March of 2023 became the first Caribbean nation to grant Rastafari official sacramental authorization to grow and use marijuana for religious purposes.
Three Sacramental Authorizations were issued to the following Rastafari Communities:
- Nyabinghi Theocracy Church Inc. – Creekside
- Rasfreeman Foundation for Unification of Rastafari – Liberta Village
- Wan Love Chant – Bendals Village
Permitted use of Cannabis for religious purposes.
- A person who is an adherent of a religious body, including, but not limited to, the Rastafari faith, or an organization comprising of such persons, may register with the Authority to-
- Cultivate more than 4 cannabis plants, which is to be less than or equal to such amount as may be specified by the Authority or Minister by Order, for use solely for religious purposes as a sacrament in adherence to a religious practice of the religious body, on lands designated by Order of the Minster;
- Posses more than 15 grams of cannabis, which is to be less than or equal to such amount as may be specified by the Authority or Minister by Order, to be used solely for religious purposes as a sacrament in adherence to a religious practice of the religious body;
- Transport more than 15 grams of cannabis which is cultivated for a religious purpose, to a place of worship or pursuant to section 10, at an event declared by Order of the Minister to be an exempt event for the purposes of this Act, in compliance with such guidelines as may be issued by the Minister by Notice published in the Gazette, for use as a sacrament in adherence to a religious practice of a religious body; or
- Dispense cannabis solely for religious purposes as a sacrament in adherence to a religious practice of the religious body, at a sacramental dispensary designated and approved by Order of the Minister;
Application for Sacramental Authorization
- A person, organization of persons or religious group, who is a member or are members of a religion which proposes to use cannabis for religious purposes, a s a sacrament in adherence to a religious practice of the religion, shall apply to the Minister, in the prescribed manner, to be authorized to cultivate cannabis for religious purposes, to authorize a sacramental dispensary or to have the proposes place of worship authorized for the purposes of this Act.
- An application under subsection (1) shall include, but not be limited to–
- The name, address and contact information of the person, group or organization that is applying;
- The name, address and contact information of the persons appointed as leaders of the religious body;
- The address of the place of worship of the religion;
- a survey plan of the land which cannabis for use in accordance with this Act is to be cultivated;
- the proposed arrangements for the transportation of the cannabis from the land o which it is proposed to be cultivated, to the place of worship or to the sacramental dispensary; and
- any other requirement or information as specified by the Regulations made pursuant to the Act.
- Cultivation of cannabis under Sacramental Authorization
- A religious body shall cultivate the quantity of cannabis authorized by the Authority, in the prescribed manner, and the lands upon which the cannabis is cultivated shall be subject to such inspections and recommendations, as the Minister may consider necessary, so as to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act or Regulations made by the applicant.
- Sacramental cultivation operations may not be mandated to utilize the Antigua and Barbuda Tracking System, but shall be authorized by the Authority to cultivate a specific number of plants and shall have a Division Inspector present atperiods of harvest and processing for ensuring compliance and for data input by the Division Inspector in to the Antigua and Barbuda Cannabis Tracking System.
- Possession of cannabis authorized for religious use
- Anyone who has been authorized to possess cannabis for religious use, is not liable to arrest, detention or prosecution for any offence, or any other penalty as regards to 15 grams or less of cannabis being transported to, or which is possessed, or used at the place of worship, private dwelling or exempt event.
- A person in possession in any public place or transporting in any vehicle an amount of cannabis exceeding 15 grams shall be authorized by the Authority and will be subject to such conditions as may be prescribed.’
- The individual may possess or transport any amount of cannabis exceeding 15 grams
- Anyone who does not have sacramental authorization and attempts to possess or transport more than 15 grams of cannabis commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ($10, 000.00) or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both a fine and imprisonment.