For many eco travelers the motivation to travel off the beaten track is to immerse themselves in local culture and customs. Cannabis culture is inseparable from Jamaican history, Rastafari and reggae music. Ganja use has always been wide spread in Jamaica but until recently it’s use wasn’t legal. This blog post gives a brief overview of the new laws. Now visitors to Camp Cabarita are free to smoke marijuana, eat ganja cake or some of our awesome Ganja butter.

On April 18th 2015, Jamaica’s Parliament recently legalized recreational marijuana Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act, 2015 aka the ‘Ganja Bill’.  Cannabis use has been prevalent in Jamaican culture and closely associated with the Rastafari movement.
Marijuana is legal for medical, personal and religious uses. The legislative process started with a proposed bill in parliament several years ago and became law in April. (what was the date) Individuals can possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana (ganja) and also legally grow up to 3 plants.  The new legislation takes effect about 15 years after the National Commission on Ganja (a parliment appointed committee) made the recommendation to legalize cannabis. Real the Commission’s report here.

Parliament also created a 16 person Cannabis Licensing Authority to regulate and issue licensed for industrial hemp, large scale cultivation and medical research. The legalization movement received broad support from academia, public figures, politicians, Rastafarians, medical professionals, and the tourism sector. Jamaica has an excellent climate for marijuana cultivation and the potential to export cannabis products may be a way to combat Jamaica’s large trade deficit. Legalization for personal use is also a way to grow Tourism as a whole which is Jamaica’s largest export.

How well will Jamaica capitalize on the export opportunities for marijuana and hemp products?

Does industrial hemp have a viable future in Jamaica?

Potential for Jamaican Medical Marijuana Extracts and Concentrates Domestically and Abroad