Cannabis pilot ends in Anguilla, review to decide the next steps

ANGUILLA--A year-long pilot project that effectively decriminalised small amounts of cannabis for personal use in Anguilla has formally concluded, but operational guidelines that limited arrests will remain in effect while the authorities assess the scheme’s impact. The development was first reported by Anguilla Focus, which has closely followed the pilot and its implications.

Under the policy, which took effect on 1 December 2024, residents were shielded from arrest for cultivating up to four cannabis plants or carrying up to 10 grammes for personal use. Consumption was restricted to private or residential spaces and limited to adults aged 18 and older. Minors remained fully subject to the provisions of the Child Justice Act.

Throughout the pilot year, cannabis technically stayed an illegal substance under Anguillan law. However, the Royal Anguilla Police Force stopped enforcing specific criminal penalties against adults who complied with the defined limits.

On Monday, 1 December, the pilot period came to an end. The police press office told Anguilla Focus that the force will now review “how it worked in an operational setting” and submit its findings to the government, which will decide on any future changes to policy. While that review is pending, officers will continue to follow the same internal guidelines that governed enforcement during the pilot.

The police have not yet indicated when the review will begin, how long it will take, or whether the conclusions will be made public. According to Anguilla Focus, the outlet has requested clarification on these points.

The pilot originated from a long-running national debate. When the scheme began on 2 December 2024, then education minister Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers described cannabis policy as a “highly debated, hotly commented issue” that had occupied public discussions for years. She pointed to community consultations and exchanges in the Anguilla House of Assembly and thanked residents who engaged in the process.

According to Kentish-Rogers, the directive grew out of recommendations from the governor-appointed Drugs Advisory Council, alongside an internal policy framework developed for police officers. She stressed that Anguilla is not in a position to legalise cannabis and that the pilot concerned non-enforcement of existing law, rather than a change in the legal status of the drug.

“That is because there is an international convention on narcotics, a treaty to which the UK is a signatory, and that treaty was extended to Anguilla,” she said at the time.

As the review proceeds, authorities will continue to enforce laws on the sale and trafficking of cannabis. Any child found using or in possession of the drug will be referred to the Child Justice Board and may receive support or intervention from a drugs counsellor.

Residents seeking to import cannabis products for medical purposes can apply through the chief medical officer, who will assess each case individually.

‍