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Caribbean cannabis farms thrive amid legal reforms
Antigua's Pineapple Road farm cultivates nine distinct cannabis strains, each tailored for medicinal effects-from pain relief to anxiety reduction-under the guidance of master grower Michaelus Tracey.
The warm climate, abundant sunlight, and high humidity of the Caribbean create ideal conditions for cannabis cultivation, allowing farmers like Tracey to develop varieties with unique scent profiles and therapeutic benefits.
A decade of legal progress
Jamaica decriminalized recreational cannabis use and legalized its medical production a decade ago, inspiring neighboring nations, including Antigua and Barbuda in 2018, to follow suit. Despite cultural associations with the plant, the region's leadership in cannabis innovation remains underrecognized.
Today, legally registered farms and dispensaries operate across the Caribbean, serving both locals and tourists with medical authorization. However, experts argue that further liberalization is needed to unlock the industry's full potential.
Calls for full legalization grow
Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, a cannabis industry expert and former chair of the Caribbean Community's Regional Commission on Marijuana, advocates for regulated legalization over decriminalization.
"Decriminalisation isn't good enough. We should just make it legal but regulated."
Prof. Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, University of the West Indies
Antoine, who leads the University of the West Indies' St. Augustine campus, highlights ongoing research in Antigua into cannabis's potential benefits, including cancer treatment support and soil health improvement. She argues that outdated drug policies have stifled both industry growth and scientific advancement.
US policy shift fuels regional hopes
In December, U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order reclassifying cannabis as a lower-risk drug sparked optimism in the Caribbean. The move downgraded cannabis to Schedule III-on par with codeine-based medications-potentially easing regulatory hurdles.
Alexandra Chong, CEO of Jamaica-based cannabis company Jacana, called the decision "a significant milestone," noting that U.S. policies often influence Caribbean regulations. Previously, cannabis's Schedule I classification alongside heroin had deterred regional authorities from reducing restrictions.
While U.S. federal law still prohibits cannabis imports, 24 states have legalized recreational use. Caribbean producers, including Jamaica and Antigua, are eager to enter the export market, citing their climate advantages and established legal frameworks.
Export ambitions and domestic challenges
Antigua and Barbuda's Medicinal Cannabis Authority is actively developing an export industry, leveraging its geographic location and international airport. CEO Regis Burton told the BBC that Antiguan cannabis could soon reach global markets, citing its novelty appeal.
However, domestic markets face obstacles. High operational costs and medical-only sales rules have left much of the trade in the hands of illegal producers. In Jamaica, Jacana estimates that 90% of the 87 tonnes of cannabis consumed annually comes from illicit sources, despite over 800,000 users-half of them tourists.
Chong criticized "over-regulation" for stifling the industry, noting that few of the 160+ licenses issued by Jamaica's Cannabis Licensing Authority since 2017 remain active. In Antigua, consultant Robert Hill added that legal growers struggle to compete with illegal dealers who avoid overhead costs.
Innovative solutions and social justice
Antigua has taken a novel approach to illegal growers, offering a free six-week course to transition them into the legal market. Regis Burton reported that 22 participants have graduated, with two preparing to launch medicinal businesses.
The region's evolving cannabis policies have also advanced social justice. In 2018, Antigua's Prime Minister Gaston Browne apologized to the Rastafarian community for decades of persecution over cannabis use. Six years later, the government granted Rastafarians sacramental rights to grow the plant and expunged records for minor possession offenses.
High Priest Selah of Antigua's Nyabinghi Rastafarians, who campaigned for decriminalization, recalled past harassment: "The police were always coming and locking us up, destroying our plants."
Future focused on wellness
At Pineapple Road, employees hand-roll joints for the farm's dispensary, each containing a gram of pure cannabis. Burton and Hill emphasize the industry's potential to keep profits within the Caribbean, leveraging the region's climate to reduce costs.
"We're not trying to create an Amsterdam, this is about wellness."
Robert Hill, cannabis industry consultant
