THE makeup of the new States Assembly and potential “continuity” with the soon-to-be-formed government has left a pro-cannabis campaign group optimistic that reform of Jersey’s approach to regulating the drug will be achieved this political term.
End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey co-ordinator Simon Harrison noted that, overall, there appeared to be “a majority in the Assembly that are at least open-minded to cannabis reform”.
Mr Harrison acknowledged that it was yet to be decided who would hold ministerial roles and Scrutiny positions, but also highlighted that Senator Lyndon Farnham is set to continue as Chief Minister.
He described Senator Farnham, as well as several other Senators who appeared poised to serve in the new government – including Tom Binet, Helen Miles and Sir Mark Boleat – as “pragmatic in their approach to cannabis”.
A proposition brought forward by Senator Binet during his time as Health Minister would have seen Members consider several potential routes for the future regulation of the drug, including the option of ceasing prosecution for offences stemming from personal possession and associated cultivation of small quantities.
But the then-Deputy withdrew the proposition in January, citing a need for “further refinement” of the options alongside “time of scrutiny and consideration of the wider impacts of these changes” in the wake of feedback.
Mr Harrison said: “With it being a continuity government with the same Chief Minister, potentially the same Health Minister, likely a supportive Home Affairs Minister, that looks very good for the return of P.116 [the proposition] and so hopefully that will come back later in the year or next year.”
He pointed out that ECPJ’s primary goal “is that people are not criminalised for the personal possession of cannabis”.
“Hopefully we can achieve that in the coming years and have a sensible discussion about how we proceed from there,” Mr Harrison added.
“Because once you remove the criminalisation of possession that allows people to speak openly, whereas I think there’s a lot of people that shy away from providing an honest response.”
