NEAB Opposes Legalized Marijuana in Belize

The National Evangelical Association of Belize is firmly against the legalization of marijuana, as well as a government-sponsored marijuana industry. In a release issued earlier today, NEAB reiterated its position, citing a previous piece of law that was introduced in parliament and failed to get approval in the senate. The statement goes on to say, “if this bill passes, we can expect increasingly serious harm to come to our youth, business, tourism, and international banking relationships”. On the contrary, the Minister of New Growth Industries, points to consultations that have been done across the region. According to Kareem Musa, not only do consumers tend to be at ease transacting in marijuana dispensaries, the legalization will significantly reduce the illegal import of marijuana into the country.

Kareem Musa

Kareem Musa, Minister of New Growth Industries

“People feel more comfortable going into a dispensary and going on the shelf and be able to select what percent T.H.C, indica or sativa, they feel more comfortable in that setting than buying illegal “brick weed, so to speak, that comes in a saran wrap that you don’t know what is actually contained therein. And so, that by itself, the fact that you’re going to be able to go into a dispensary that has packaging, that has labeling, that have safety regulations, I think that’s the kind of thing that’s going to eliminate the illegal trade, not completely. There will always be an illegal trade but at the same time it will lessen, in my opinion, especially since the cost of cannabis will go down since it’s going to be locally produced.”