A WITHDRAWN proposition that could have triggered major reform of Jersey’s approach to controlling personal cannabis use will return “in due course”, the Health Minister has confirmed.
Senator Tom Binet told States Members that there was “still a little bit of work to be done” on the proposition, which was initially lodged in December.
If approved, it would have seen debate over 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.
It could also have led to plans for “a trial of government-controlled production and sale of non-medical cannabis” being developed, to “understand and evidence whether safe and responsible regulation delivers public health benefits”.
But the proposition was withdrawn the following month, with then-Deputy Binet stating at the time that “further refinement” of the options was needed, as well as “time for scrutiny and consideration of the wider impacts of these changes”.
During this week’s States sitting, Deputy Tom Coles asked Senator Binet to outline his intention to return to the Assembly with the refined proposals.
The Health Minister said this would happen “in due course”, but noted that “there is still a little bit of work to be done before that happens”.
Asked what had caused the delay – and what was being done to resolve it – Senator Binet added: “The principal cause of delay is the workload that we have with the people that are doing the work.
“They are undertaking a lot of work in a lot of different areas and they are not able to get through it as quickly as we would like, notwithstanding the fact that they are putting in an enormous amount of effort.”
Speaking to the JEP afterwards, End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey co-ordinator Simon Harrison said it was “great to get confirmation” that the revised proposition would return to the Assembly, “presumably later in the year or if not, early next year”.
