Cayman Islands to ask voters whether to ease marijuana laws

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Cayman Islands plans to hold a referendum on whether to turn possession of small amounts of marijuana into a minor offense.

Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said there is widespread support among legislators to hold a public vote, which he announced on Wednesday. “This government is committed to hearing the will of the people because this subject is more about changing lives than changing laws,” he said at a news conference.

If the measure is approved by voters, possession of small amounts of marijuana would be treated like a minor offence, “similar to getting a traffic ticket” and leading to no criminal record, Bryan said. The proposed amount has not yet been decided.

The Cayman Islands legalized medical marijuana in May 2017, but recreational use remains illegal. Local laws dictate a prison sentence of up to a year for possession of up to 12 grams of marijuana for a first offense.

The referendum is scheduled for next year, coinciding with general elections.

If the measure is approved, the Cayman Islands would join several nations across the socially conservative Caribbean region that have relaxed their cannabis laws.

Antigua decriminalized marijuana use for the general public. Jamaica also decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, while the U.S. Virgin Islands recently authorized its recreational and sacramental use.