Photo: ABC Online Media/Curtis Eduarda

THE BOTTOM- The Saba Island Council last week sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice and Security (J & V) in The Hague to ask for an exploration in the Caribbean Netherlands to harmonize the soft drugs policy and regulations so they are in line with the rest of the Netherlands.

The Opium Act BES is an old law that dates back to the 1960s and was never modernized, also not after Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba became part of the Netherlands in 2010. This outdated law forms the basis of several prosecution and criminal guidelines, and result in considerably higher penalties for soft drugs on the three islands compared to the Netherlands. Contrary to the Netherlands, the law and the associated guidelines applicable to the Caribbean Netherlands leave no room for tolerance policy with regard to the cultivation and sale of hemp and weed.

Assuming that policies, laws and regulations would be similar to those in the Netherlands after becoming a part of the Netherlands in 2010, including relaxer policy and regulations with regard to hemp and weed, Saba residents started to grow hemp plants at home. According to the letter sent to the Ministry of JenV, this has created strange situations whereby hemp plants were confiscated and people were prosecuted, while people thought that being part of the Netherlands meant that growing hemp and weed was tolerated.

Divided

“Opinions seem to be divided in our community. Some residents are in favor of a policy of tolerance, or even legalization, of hemp and weed, while others are not. Our request to you is that your Ministry conducts an exploration into the possibility of achieving a further harmonization of the soft drugs policy and regulations between the Caribbean Netherlands and the rest of the Netherlands” according to the letter sent to The Hague.

The Island council notes that they understand that similar sounds can be heard on sister islands Bonaire and St. Eustatius.