The use of cannabis in Belize is common and largely tolerated; however, possession can result in fines or imprisonment. Possession or use of 10 grams or less on private premises was decriminalized in November 2017.

History

Belize was until the 1980s the fourth-largest exporter of cannabis to the United States, behind Colombia, Mexico, and Jamaica. But since the mid-1980s, Belize's production has dropped dramatically due to eradication efforts by the Belizean government, supported by the United States. By 1994, Belizean production was at "negligible levels."

Use

According to a 2016 report by the

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC; French: ''Office des Nations unies contre la drogue et le crime'') is a United Nations office that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the ...

approximately 8.5% of all Belizeans use

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...

. Belize was ranked 18th out of all countries in prevalence of cannabis use, higher than both the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

and

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

Decriminalization

In 2012, the Government of Belize announced that it was considering decriminalizing possession of small amounts of cannabis. The US State department claims that "Through the first 10 months of 2014, Belizean authorities eradicated over 100,000 cannabis plants". On October 20, 2017, the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act decriminalizing possession or use of 10 grams or less on private premises. The bill was signed into law in early November by the Governor General, despite objections from the National Evangelical Association of Belize.

Legalization

Although legalization of cannabis has never been officially considered by the government, some prominent public figures in Belize have supported the idea. In 2017, the

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

John Briceño John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

, stated, "It is time for us to stop locking up our young people for a stick of weed. The time has come for us to decriminalize marijuana smoking and prepare the necessary research to move to legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes and in small quantities." In a 2017 op-ed, former Senator

Lisa Shoman Lisa Shoman, SC (born 1964) is a Belizean lawyer and politician and the Foreign Minister of Belize from 2007 to 2008. She was previously the Permanent Representative of Belize to the Organisation of American States and served concurrently as A ...

stated, "There is no rational excuse to refuse to move past decriminalization to legalization of personal use amounts for adults."

Tourism

In 2016, an American tourist off a cruise ship was arrested for purchasing 1.8 grams of cannabis in Belize City. Her charges were dismissed, with the judge noting the cannabis was sold openly to her and she appeared to believe it was legal, and she was cautioned against ever possessing drugs in Belize again.

References

Society of Belize

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...

Politics of Belize

{{cannabis-stub