- The US territory signed a medical cannabis legalization bill into law Jan 22, 2019.
- Patients with a doctor’s recommendation may possess and consume cannabis
- Michael Bloomberg is not a fan of cannabis law reform efforts around the US
The US Virgin Islands became the latest US territory to greenlight medical cannabis. The territory signed a legalization bill into law January 22, 2019.
Residents of the Virgin Islands have voted in past referendums to legalize medical cannabis, voting 56.5% in favor back in 2014.
The new law, the Virgin Islands Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act, allows patients with a doctor’s recommendation to possess and consume cannabis. It also establishes an Office of Cannabis Regulation, which will handle licensing and regulations around dispensaries, cultivation, lab testing, and product manufacturing.
Residents of US Virgin Islands will be able to possess up to four ounces of cannabis flower, while non-resident patients will be able to have up to three ounces.
However, patients must be diagnosed with an applicable condition in order to qualify. Among some of the qualifying conditions are, persistent muscle spasms, seizures, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, HIV and cancer.
With the majority of US states and territories having some medical cannabis laws, the country as a whole is moving towards a greener future. However, prominent public figures are pushing back. Former New York mayor and one-time presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg blasted cannabis law reform efforts, citing Colorado’s pot legalization as “stupid”.
Article By: Fatimah Aminu
Fatimah is an experienced editor at various financial and consumer publishing houses. She obtained a master’s degree in Publishing from NYU, where she earned a bachelor of fine arts degree. She is currently earning a second masters degree at CUNY online in Psychology. Fatimah covers healthcare, cannabis and technology.