The Channel Islands are emerging as an unexpected testing ground for cannabis policy reform. Jersey and Guernsey, two crown dependencies that already allow access to medicinal cannabis, are now considering more significant changes to their cannabis regulations. Although their views differ, both islands question the importance of maintaining criminal penalties in a context where therapeutic use is already widespread.

In Jersey, the debate has been going on for several years. On February 3, the Assembly of States will vote on a proposal presented by the Minister of Health, Tom Binet, which sets out three different options for changing the legal treatment of the use of cannabis.

The first option would end lawsuits against people who possess small quantities for personal use. The second goes further, eliminating the criminal offenses of possession under strict conditions and limited home cultivation. The third, the most ambitious, proposes a government-led pilot program to allow the regulated sale of non-medical cannabis to registered island residents, with the aim of evaluating public safety and regulatory outcomes.

For Mr. Binet, the problem is fundamentally a matter of public health rather than repression. “I think if this is handled properly, it’s probably better to do it openly, correct it and regulate it properly,” he said.

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