The Bahamas is home to an emerging legal medical cannabis industry that is based on a framework rooted in scientific and public policy research and modeled after the findings of the Caribbean Community Secretariat’s 2018 report on cannabis.

“We have studied how our peers in Jamaica, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Canada have successfully regulated cannabis. This ensures that our legislation is in line with international best practices and tailored to our unique cultural and legal context.” writes the Bahamas Cannabis Authority on its website. The Authority is a board-managed corporation.

Provisions contained in a 2023 cannabis regulatory bill outline how the Bahamas’ cannabis industry will be governed, including quality assurance protocols, monitoring systems, and education efforts and resources. Provisions of the bill also call for:

• A maximum permissible THC concentration in a single dose
• Requirements for medical practitioners who can prescribe cannabis
• Cannabis dispensation limits
• Allowing Rastafarian sacrament distribution during religious ceremonies

The Bahamas’ cannabis industry reached a major milestone recently, with the Cannabis Authority confirming that a long-awaited industry licensing platform is complete and ready for the next phase of rollout.

“The platform is finished, it’s ready. The cannabis authority’s office has already been paid for, we have already gotten possession of it. We’re just waiting for the right ministry to come and furnish it. This will happen after the general election and depending on the direction the election lands.” said Lynwood Brown, chairman of the Bahamas Cannabis Authority, according to local reporting by The Nassau Guardian.

“The platform will manage the entire “seed-to-sale” tracking system, host medical e-prescriptions, and process all license applications. The authority will regulate cannabis for medical, scientific, and religious purposes. However, cannabis for recreational use remains prohibited.” the outlet also reported.

Cannabis Authority officials are responsible for developing policies, procedures, and guidelines to regulate cannabis for medical, scientific, and religious use in The Bahamas. The Authority’s board consists of nine members, including the Chief Medical Officer or their appointee. The Bahamas Minister of Health appoints individuals representing faith-based organizations, civil society, and one person each from the fields of banking, law, agriculture, scientific research, pharmacy, and medicine.