Is Marijuana Legal In Jamaica? What You Should Know.
Is Marijuana Legal In Jamaica?
A lot of people traveling to Jamaica want to know, “Is marijuana legal in Jamaica.” Yes, you see “ganga” everywhere there (people offer to sell it to you along the sidewalks outside the airport as soon as you step off the plane), so it is easy to think that it’s legal, right? Jamaica did decriminalize marijuana on Bob Marley’s birthday on Feb 6, 2015. However, even though it’s been decriminalized for those using it for medical, spiritual, and scientific use, it’s still not technically legal.
It just means that anyone that has less than 2 ounces of marijuana on their person, or growing up to 5 cannabis plants, are issued a fixed-penalty civil fine, instead of a criminal charge. Also, note that Jamaica has not relaxed its laws on drug trafficking, so importation and exportation are strictly prohibited, and a person caught doing so will be imprisoned by law. It is also still illegal to grow and trade marijuana in large quantities. The prime minister of Jamaica said that the steps taken in the United States to decriminalize cannabis helped influence their decision. Many are relieved, as decriminalization will unclog the courts and free up police time.
Kingston has the best price on bud, while you will pay premium prices at the airport. Make sure you bargain for a lower price! You can sometimes buy it in Jamaica for less than $5 an ounce. Jamaica is considered to be the spiritual home of marijuana (used heavily by Rastafarians), and, of course, Bob Marley had one of the biggest influences on that. No other country supposedly has a higher consumption of cannabis than Jamaica. Estimates have shown that 60-70% of the population occasionally use cannabis. Even locals who are strongly opposed to smoking ganga often drink the ganga tea. It is widely known for its medicinal purposes and is said to be a good remedy for stress.
So, to answer your question,”Is marijuana legal in Jamaica?” If you are caught in possession of ganja weighing two ounces or less, you will not be arrested but you will be ticketed and required to pay a fine. You will not be brought before a criminal court or attract a criminal record.
photo credit: Reggae – Rare Music Video via photopin (license)
About Author
I am very excited to travel to Jamaica now that it’s “legal”
Thank you for your post, I always thought it was 100% legal not just decriminalized.
Thank you for the information! Wew, I always thought it was legal there!
Learning that the substance is not entirely legal will be important for tourists reading your article. Your note on importation and imprisonment is just as important.
Thank you for such a valuable post that you have shared. Several travelers and tourists probably think marijuana is legal in Jamaica due to its extensive usage and availability that is mostly televised. This post is definitely going to clear up the misconception and help people avert any fine.