The Caribbean is known for its amazing beaches, warm weather year-round, and friendly and helpful people.

Just about everything you want to find when going on vacation, right?

Well, maybe they’re a few extra details that some of us want to get ready before hitting the Caribbean.

For example, “Can I smoke weed in there?”

Because the Caribbean has a lot to discover, we want to take you on a ride today. Let’s see what the Caribbean has to offer cannabis-wise.

So, where’s the Caribbean?

Many of us have heard about the Caribbean, but it’s a totally different thing when it comes to explaining where the Caribbean is.

But finding it is pretty easy once you understand where it is located.

The Caribbean, as its name states, is the area that comprises the Caribbean Sea, as well as the continental shores, islands, and countries surrounding it. All this territory is known as the Caribbean region, and it occupies well over 2.763.800 km2.

Geographically speaking, the Caribbean region takes Northamerica’s southeast, Central America’s east, and South America’s north. Surrounded by around 700 islands, the Caribbean is a vast territory, full of different cultures dating way back to America’s colonization.

The Caribbean is also divided into two large regions: the Continental Caribbean and the Insular Caribbean. 

The Continental Caribbean comprises the countries with coasts, reefs, and cays that border the Caribbean sea. Countries like Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia are some of them.

The Insular Caribbean comprises all the islands located in the Caribbean sea. Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico are just a few of the hundreds of islands located in the Caribbean region.

Cannabis and the Caribbean countries

With all those beaches, cool music, hip movement, and relaxed, happy, and fun people, the Caribbean must be the place to go to enjoy, have fun, and smoke pot, right?

Even though it is said Caribbeans are heavy pot smokers, the numbers show otherwise. As a matter of fact, it turns out that only Bermuda has a spot in the top 10 smoking weed countries around the world.

This may strike as a surprise until you find out that the truth is that in most Caribbean countries cannabis is still illegal to plant, use, buy, or sell. Many Caribbean islands allow people to carry up to 14 grams of cannabis without committing a felony, although this is an extra official sort of thing.

This means that even if there is heavy cannabis use in most Caribbean countries, the data to back it up is inexistent because the majority of people don’t report their cannabis use due to social stigma or fear of the authorities.

Nevertheless, there is an open secret about the use of cannabis in most Caribbean countries. According to some research, South America and the Caribbean are some of the places to find cannabis at the lowest prices in the world.

The contrast is quite impressive. The Caribbean has countries with the highest cannabis farming, sale, and consumption. Yet in most of them, this plant is illegal and seen by politicians, authorities, and many people as a potentially dangerous and addictive drug, something that research has shown time and time again is not correct.

But regardless of this incongruity, there are still many great destinations to visit in the Caribbean if you want to enjoy some cannabis tourism.

Weed-friendly Caribbean countries

Looking for beautiful views, good weather all the time, and just chill with your loved ones or by yourself? The Caribbean is the place to go. Want to add some weed to the equation? No problem. Let’s review some Caribbean countries where you can enjoy a joint out in the open.

Jamaica

For many, when mentioning cannabis and Jamaica, Bob Marley comes to mind. Some others are aware of the deep relationship that cannabis has with Jamaica because of Rastafarianism, a widely spread Jamaican religion that has become very popular over the world.

Cannabis, most commonly known as ganjah in Jamaica, is much more than just a simple recreational plant to pop giggles and feel in a good mood.

In Rastafarianism, cannabis is a sacred plant used to facilitate the I and I principle, which is the God manifestation within each individual. It also has a special meaning because it is said King Salomon had a stash on his grave.

In Jamaica, Rastafarians can use cannabis freely for sacramental purposes, like ceremonies or rituals.

But regardless of the seemingly intrinsic relationship between cannabis and Jamaica here’s a funny fact: it wasn’t until 2015 when Jamaica decriminalized the use of cannabis, under certain circumstances.

That’s right my friend. If you thought cannabis was fully legal in Jamaica, you have another thing coming.

Jamaicans, as well as foreigners, can have up to 56 grams for personal use only, and they can have up to 5 plants, also only for personal use. Cannabis use is completely legal in a personal residence, as well as inside dispensaries, but any open use of cannabis is illegal and it’s fined 500 Jamaican dollars, which is around $5 US.

Medical, therapeutical, and scientific cannabis use is legal. All cannabis use is legal only for people over 18 years old.

Panama

Panama legalized the medical use of cannabis in October 2021.

This means that any therapeutic, medical, or scientific use of cannabis is allowed, which opens the possibility of Panama becoming a national and international supplier of cannabis-based products for people suffering from chronic pain, anxiety, and other physical and psychological discomforts.

In fact, they are planning to do exactly so. According to Laurentino Cortizo, parliament president, they will supply all the internal demand in the medium-term, and will be able to become a part of the world cannabis trade in the long run. Having the Panama Canal, the possibilities are endless.

Colombia

Very well known for its cannabis quality, Colombia is a country where discussions about legalization are taking place.

Colombian president Gustavo Petro said on August 2022 he intends to fully legalize cannabis.

At the moment, the medical use, production, and research of cannabis is legal in the country since 2016, but the buying or selling for creational use is punishable by law. Nevertheless, personal use, keeping up to 20 grams of weed, or having plants at home is decriminalized.

This makes Colombia a place tourists see as weed-friendly, even if it is off the record. Add to the mix the fact that Colombia is one of the countries with the cheapest cannabis in the world at only $2.20 per gram and you have the perfect place to enjoy paradisiac locations, beautiful beaches, fun nighttimes, smoke a duby, and make your money last.

Puerto Rico

It may shock you to know that Puerto Rico is a vanguardist when it comes to cannabis decriminalization.

It was 1971 when the Controlled Substances Act was approved. This law “authorizes and promotes research on the health benefits of medicinal cannabis, complying with the federal regulatory scheme”.

This law didn’t make cannabis legal, though. It only encouraged research and experiments using cannabis under very strict conditions.

On July 09, 2017, a law that regulates the use of medical cannabis was passed and approved by the then Governor, Ricardo Rosello.

After the passing of this law, any medical, therapeutic, and scientific use of cannabis is legal for citizens and visitors, which has, of course, increased the number of tourists visiting this already attractive island every year.

Cannabis personal use is decriminalized within the person’s private home, as well as in other private spaces with the owner’s authorization. Buying, selling, or using cannabis in public is punishable by law.

Mexico

It was in 2015 when Mexico started talking about legalizing the use of cannabis in the country.

In 2017, medical, therapeutic, and scientific use of cannabis was decriminalized in Mexico, opening a new era for patients all over the country. Then, in June 2021 recreational cannabis was decriminalized for personal use.

Or so they thought.

Although medical and recreational cannabis is legal in Mexico, there isn’t any regulation on the matter just yet. This means people can’t use it in public, grow it, buy it, sell it, or pretty much do anything with it, so…

Is something “legal”. That yet, you can’t use.

By the end of 2021, a new set of regulations for the use of cannabis was approved, although dispensaries and other kinds of health cannabis establishments can’t legally operate just yet.

At the moment, and even though cannabis use is legal, people must acquire pot in unsafe, illegal ways for recreation or health purposes.

Regardless of this -really- short list, there is more to come.

It may seem hard for you to see this list and not find many of the amazing islands with clear water, sunny days, amazing cocktails, and chilling music you expect to visit when traveling to the Caribbean.

As I told you before, there is a contradiction between the Caribbean laws and their compliance.

Many Caribbean lands -especially the islands- have a mixed population of cannabis activists and enemies. In this particular situation, where cannabis is a plant deeply rooted in many people’s rituals and habits, and at the same time demonized by a large Christian and Catholic Caribbean community, the Caribbean governments and authorities have come up with a temporary solution to try to please everybody.

Although in almost all the Caribbean nations cannabis is illegal, many Caribbean islands have made having cannabis a petty offense when carrying less than 15 grams. On some other islands, like Barbados or Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, people can plant cannabis for personal use.

This has turned many of these Caribbean islands into the perfect place to enjoy the so-called “ganjah tours”: paradisiac places to get tanned, get a drink, puff, and pass high-quality, safe-to-use marijuana.

But don’t get so comfy just yet. You can forget about getting outside, sit on a bench and turn on your joint. The laws in these islands can be a little confusing, and you could end up paying high fines or spending an unpleasant time with the police.

Even though you won’t go to jail or pay a fine for holding small amounts of weed, smoking, buying, or selling in public is prohibited, which can be quite a challenge and make anyone a little paranoid when is time to smoke.

What about Cuba and cannabis?

We couldn’t really talk about the Caribbean if we don’t talk about Cuba. An enigmatic and complex country, Cuba is one of the countries with the toughest anti-cannabis laws in all of America.

Cuba considers cannabis a hard drug, capable of changing one person’s personality and behavior. Meaning any recreational or medical use or tenancy is against the law, punishable with up to 8 years of jail, and up to 500 installments, which I don’t know how much money it means, but seems quite serious to me.

Cuba also has a very wide concept of what trafficking is. Any person with plants, seeds, stems, flowers, leaves, or any part of the plant, fresh or dry, can be considered a drug dealer, and face up to 30-year jail time or even the death penalty.

Quite a shame for a country with perfect conditions to enter the cannabis race.

The best cannabis touristic places in the Caribbean

Just in case you’re thinking about hitting the Caribbean, here’s a list of some of the safest places to enjoy a 420 moment:

• Bermuda
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Jamaica
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• Barbados (medical cannabis)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (medical cannabis)
• Puerto Rico (medical cannabis)
• Belize
• Mexico (medical cannabis)

Cannabis is not only a cool plant to get high. In many countries of the Caribbean, is a part of their culture, a magic plant that helps them get through the day and even connect with ancestors and gods. Let’s just hope more and more countries keep getting rid of their stigmas and give ganjah the place it deserves.