By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday hit back at the Official Opposition over its criticisms of government’s handling of research geared toward the decriminalisation of marijuana.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Dr Minnis said the previous Christie administration had done nothing when it had the chance to support marijuana reform.

A day after a version of the Bahamas National Marijuana Commission’s preliminary report was leaked last month, Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis criticised some of the recommendations, saying more work needed to be done by the commission before the nation moves to decriminalise the drug.

Mr Davis also noted that the country needed to take a “responsible approach” to the decriminalisation of marijuana.

Dr Minnis said: “Regrettably, an incomplete version of this report was leaked. We now have a full report. The leader of the opposition knows full well and ought to know that protecting the integrity of an ongoing and incomplete inquiry is the proper way a government should function and is in no way an attempt to avoid transparency.

“Indeed the commission’s official findings will be made public and the report will be discussed in the public domain. We welcome the input of Bahamians as we make these long need changes to our marijuana laws.

“There are those who say they support marijuana reform,” he continued. “When they were in office they did nothing. Yet, they have all manner of big talk despite their glaring failures to act when they had the opportunity to help those burdened by criminal convictions for small amounts of marijuana possession.

“The work of social justice is about action not about endless and empty talk from those who failed to act decisively when last in office. My government will make changes guided by this document and the views of Bahamians.

“We will bring relief and hope to many Bahamians. The time has come.”

The leaked report recommended the legalisation of medicinal marijuana and the decriminalisation for possession of up to one ounce of the drug.

It also recommended that recreational cannabis be permitted for adults over 21 years and medicinal cannabis for adults over 18; that a committee of people with knowledge of medicine determine who can cultivate cannabis for medicinal use; and those permitted would be allowed to cultivate up to five mature plants.

Other recommendations noted in the leaked report included a national educational campaign on the use of marijuana, the expungement of all police records regarding the possession of small amounts of cannabis and predominant Bahamian ownership in the cannabis industry.

The report presented to the nation’s leader yesterday was not made public. Officials said it will first be presented to Cabinet and then tabled in the House of Assembly next week.