Bankrupt Cannabis Board Prevents DLCA from Adjusting Retail Sales Regulations for Cannabis Products

While the Bureau of Marijuana Regulation is slowly implementing a legal framework to allow adult Virgin Islands residents to legally use marijuana, local businesses face harsh consequences for selling cannabis products for human consumption.

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs currently allows the sale of certain hemp-derived products under a Hemp Retailers License. On Monday, the DLCA issued a press release reminding the business community that some products were It is not allowed to selleven by those with a valid license. The restrictions will be strictly enforced, the DLCA said, and the consequences will be severe – including confiscation of prohibited items and suspension or revocation of licenses.

On Tuesday, DLCA Commissioner Natalie Hodge clarified the issue. “That was the law when these licensees signed the agreement,” she explained during a meeting of the Cannabis Advisory Board. “The law has changed since then,” Hodge acknowledged. But despite the charter change and the introduction of the OCR, cannabis products are still governed by the Cannabis Advisory Board, which operates under the umbrella of the Department of Agriculture. That board is currently defunct, said Cannabis Advisory Board member Positive Nelson, a former agriculture commissioner. “We’ve been stagnant for a while now, but if Mr. Joseph joins us, we should see meetings again,” he continued, referring to Clifford Joseph Jr., who was recently appointed chairman.

‌Until those meetings begin taking place, the DLCA is hamstrung by a defunct Hemp Board that is unable to change any aspect of the retail cannabis licensing regulations to reflect the more permissive environment provided for in the territory’s new cannabis laws. “We can’t do anything without the approval of the Hemp Board,” Ms. Hodge said.

Mr. Nelson expressed hope that “there might be some kind of collaboration or merger in the future” between the Hemp Board and OCR. For now, however, officials are determined to enforce the current laws governing the sale of hemp products in the territory.