News Americas, New York, NY, October 1, 2024: The countdown is on to a Caribbean Cannabis festival, set for next month in the Eastern Caribbean.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is set to host its first-ever Cannabis Expo, the CannaBliss SVG Festival, from November 1-3, 2024, at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex. This groundbreaking three-day event will focus on promoting medicinal cannabis and will highlight the cultural significance of cannabis, particularly within the Rastafari community.
At the festival’s launch, Dr. Gerald Thompson, CEO of the Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA), emphasized the importance of educating the public on medicinal cannabis and addressing misconceptions. Dr. Thompson noted that by the end of 2024, nearly all English-speaking Caribbean nations would have decriminalized or legalized medicinal cannabis. He highlighted the discovery of the endocannabinoid system in the 1990s, which has broadened the medical understanding of cannabis’ health benefits.
The CannaBliss SVG Festival will feature a high-level lecture series with international, regional, and local experts, aiming to dispel myths and provide accurate information about cannabis. Additionally, the festival will include a traditional cultivators’ village, where local farmers can showcase their cannabis products, and bus tours will offer visitors a firsthand look at the quality of cannabis cultivation across the island.
In addition to educational events, the festival will feature performances by local and regional musical artists, celebrating the cultural aspects of cannabis.
Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves spoke about the transformation of cannabis’ role in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, from being demonized to being embraced as a valuable asset in medicine, culture, tourism, science, and trade. He praised the local cultivators for their efforts in positioning the country as a world-leading producer of cannabis.
Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar announced that the government has allocated $250,000 in direct support for traditional cultivators and Rastafari cannabis producers who were impacted by Hurricane Beryl. In the coming days, officials from the MCA and the Ministry of Agriculture will meet with these cultivators to provide assistance.
