Priest calls on government to ‘respect and protect’ sacramental right to marijuanaPosted by On


High Priest Rithmond McKinney.

High Priest Rithmond McKinney.

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

WITH legislation for marijuana legalisation near completion, Rastafarian priest Rithmond McKinney is urging the government to “respect and protect” his community’s sacramental right of cannabis possession.

After assuming office, the Davis administration promised to present the marijuana legalisation to Parliament before the end of 2022, but that deadline was missed.

Earlier this month, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said legislation for marijuana legalisation is nearly completed, however, he was unable to provide a timeline as to when it will be presented to Parliament.

He said there were several matters with the proposed legislation that the government was addressing based on recommendations it received from health officials and other stakeholders.

Mr Pinder had previously said that the government intended to advance comprehensive legislation to regulate a medical cannabis industry and a separate framework for industrial hemp.

As the Rastafarian community still faces ongoing legal changes to have the criminal records of its members expunged for what they believe are wrongful cannabis convictions, Mr McKinney called on the Bahamian government to do what is right not only for his community, but the country at large.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Mr McKinney, of…

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