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Belize GG assents to legislation allowing for decriminalisation of marijuana
Political parties gave it bi-partisan support
Jamaica Observer (Jamaica)
Saturday, November 4, 2017
One week after the Belize Senate gave the green light to the passage of legislation decriminalising 10 grams or less of marijuana, Governor General Sir Colville Young has assented to the bill. The Dean Barrow government had successfully piloted the amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act that also provides for monetary and non-recordable penalties for possession on school premises and in specified circumstances make smoking on private premises no longer an offence. Despite opposition from the churches, legislators voted in favour of the measures but Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte is warning that it is still very much a crime to grow and retail marijuana. (See also: The politics and business of marijuana) -
Belize
Overview of drug policy, drug law and legislative trends in Belize
The Belizean government has traditionally taken a zero-tolerance approach towards the cultivation, sale, possession, and consumption of all recreational illicit substances. In November 2017, one week after the Belize Senate gave the green light to the passage of legislation decriminalising 10 grams or less of marijuana, Governor General Sir Colville Young has assented to the bill. The government had successfully piloted the amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act that also provides for monetary and non-recordable penalties for possession on school premises and in specified circumstances make smoking on private premises no longer an offence.1. What are the trends in drug matters in Belize?
2. What are the current drug laws in Belize?
3. What reform proposals and reforms to the drug laws have recently occurred in the country?
4. How have drug laws impacted the prison situation in the country?
5. What does the law say about consumption? Is drug consumption a crime in the country?
6. What provisions does the law make for problem drug users? Does the law guarantee that their rights will be respected?
7. How does Belize position itself in the international debate on drug policy?
8. What role has civil society played in the debate on drugs?
9. Relevant drug laws and policy documents in the countryFor the latest news on drug law reform in Belize click here
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