Across the Caribbean, cannabis reform is starting to look like a row of dominoes. One island loosens its laws, the next one starts talking about it, and suddenly the region looks like it’s edging toward a greener future.
But there’s one big catch: some of those islands still answer to London.
The latest spark came from Grenada, which decriminalized cannabis in January and set the legal consumption age at 21. The move added momentum to a broader regional shift as Caribbean governments rethink decades of prohibition and the economic opportunities tied to cannabis.
Reform advocates are already looking toward Bermuda as a potential next domino. But Bermuda isn’t just another island nation—it’s a British Overseas Territory. That means any major policy shift can run straight into a political wall in the United Kingdom.
Bermuda has already taken small steps. Medical cannabis was introduced in 2016, and possession of small amounts—up to seven grams—was decriminalized the following year. Lawmakers later proposed broader legalization through the Cannabis Licensing Act, which would have allowed a regulated adult-use market.
But the plan hit a brick wall in 2022 when the British government stepped in. Acting on instructions from the UK’s foreign secretary, Bermuda’s governor refused to grant royal assent to the bill, arguing it conflicted with international drug treaties the UK must follow.
The decision set off a political firestorm on the island, with local leaders warning that blocking legislation passed by Bermuda’s elected government could strain the territory’s relationship with Britain. At one point, the dispute even flirted with constitutional-crisis territory.
The result is a strange situation: cannabis reform is spreading across the Caribbean, but some islands are discovering that their path to legalization still runs through Westminster.
In other words, the Caribbean may be ready to go green—but in places like Bermuda, the final decision might still be made thousands of miles away.
Dabbin-Dad Newsroom
