Antigua and Barbuda opens first cannabis dispensary

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Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne takes in the aroma of a cannabis strain during visit to Grow Antigua

Prime Minister Gaston Browne yesterday visited the country’s first licensed cannabis dispensary – Grow Antigua and Barbuda Medicinal Dispensary and Retail Store – which is located at Redcliffe Quay.

History was made when the cannabis dispensary, retail store and smoke shop opened on 15th August.

The store sells a variety of cannabis related paraphernalia and growing supplies.

Presently, applications are being accepted for Grow’s Member Waiting List which allows customers to apply for a medical cannabis user licence.

So far, over 200 people have signed up.

Minister Browne said he wished to see first-hand the operations of the dis- pensary, to hear of the challenges the operators may be facing and get their feedback on how the government may be able to re- solve some of these issues.

The prime minister said he was “quite impressed” with what he saw during his visit. (POINTE XPRESS)

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49 COMMENTS

  1. Rastafari got four trees and 14 grams so those persons in the photo could do their Grow! Massa Day never done.

  2. How is this going to work, you are only allowed to have possession in your home, so if you go there and purchase it as soon as you step outside police can arrest you?

  3. So basically they open their own gates to sell their weed. Corner the market. Put money in the rich n wealthy pockets. The normal man has no rights to be selling weed. Clamp down the port and post office and have the monopoly to sell weed in Antigua. Bunch a bull spit.

    • You Agree NOW
      It’s LEGAL
      We ALWAYS knew it’s MEDICINAL
      Vital to Survival via Colonial
      You agree the CALMER
      You NOW Call it MEDICAL
      Having Made ” weed”
      Contraband Denial

    • @From The Sideline…Gaston Browne and the present band of ABLP #Renegades are selling their own People, as Slaves and Indentured Servants just like some of the African Chiefs during the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade of the 15th Century to the Present Day!

      #Shape_Shifting won’t help them when the Hades Hounds come calling for their #souls.

    • All is not Lost Brethren.
      They Who Seem to Flourish
      Will do so All the while
      While they are Torn Apart Inside.
      Jekyl vs Hyde

  5. Them make sure to corner the market with a legal gates the poor man can’t sell no weed in his country but those with money can

  6. This optic says a lot. A first in Antigua (not Barbuda) and not one black Antiguan in sight.

    The entry or should I say colour barriers evidently were not designed with us in mind.

    • Anyone in that picture ever had their dreads pulled, and was beaten? Is the Antigua and Barbuda Government a shareholder? The rastafari community should be encouraged in some form or another to get a piece of the pie.

      • Don’t worry the Rastafarian community is co-owner of the company. That was a carveout that the visionary Gaston Browne made.

        • Oh please.
          Rasta men, headed by the late King Frank i and sagy i foo sell out the local industry, and every other cannabis user who does not have locks on their head or running behind some ghost call Selassie I, for a foot in the door, according to the late King Frank I.

          Who won the foot in the door when the people who own the house can continuously slam the door shut on your foot, while you’re waiting to get inside the house out of the fields where you’re relegated to growing cannabis under the disguise of a partnership.

          Several years ago Mr Brown could be heard on the radio calling people who use cannabis zombies. And this sellout rastafari clan allowed, The narrative and the conversation to be controlled by Mr Brown and his new monied interests. All the while people are still getting locked up for cannabis.
          A burning shame and disgrace. But it’s purported that antigens sold Marcus Garvey for a bag a rice?

  8. As I always said, weed will remain illegal until it is taxable. So all dem man inna 1735 for lickle herb can come out or wha ?

    • That happened all over the world where it is legalized. Look at the great USA. Many black men are still in jail for that. Barack Obama pardoned many but not enough.

  10. I never thought I would witness an Antiguan Prime Minister in my lifetime – or anytime – doing business with clear skin people to grow and sell cannabis in Antigua.

    How has this been allowed to happen? Is this another of Gaston Browne’s “self-enrichment” schemes? I hope Not!

    Who really benefits/profits from this?

    How is it, that when the clear skin man speaks with forked tongue to our Prime Minister he rolls over like a dog, so these people can scratch he belly and line he pocket?

    And the Indigenous Antiguan has to continuously jump through hoops for the bare bones?

    CALL THE ELECTION NOW GASSY … YOU TURN WE ‘TOMACH BOSS!!!

    • Didn’t know you kept such racial thoughts. I wonder why you have that name “Brixtonian”. Sounds very British to me. But being Antiguan and Barbudan has nothing to do with the color of your skin. They are born Antiguans.

  11. My fellow people it’s time to step out from in the circle and look at the bigger picture. I smell something really bad and I never thought that Mr. Mouthstach would every put his thoughts there, then again I’m sorry for the fellow boys and young boys because not only they seems to make it look pretty behind this all the cocaine that has been led into the country where you think it’s going, in their cannabis. 3 months down the line people are goin to start acting very crazy and strange. I’m sorry this is what I see in the spirit.

  12. He looks right at home. He sniffing the cannabis as though he knows plenty about herb. Is that why so much shit comes out of his mouth? We go pay the price when all the young people start walking around high and end up at Clare View. This is the only foreign investment he can attract.

    • He grew up in the ghettos. Why do you think he would not know about it? The fact is even though he lived amongst them he never smoked. He doesn’t even drink. I wish I had that constraint and determination in my life.
      At university in my days, the flower power years a spliff was the order of the day.

  13. All of these people are antiguan and invested their money in many buisnesss in Antigua. Regardless of their light appearance they actually do work. The father worked so hard he had a heart attack trying to launch this business. What this really comes down to is all of you “know it all people” who probably don’t do much of anything well in life so you’re bad minded and want no one else to do well .

    Haters will always hate

  14. What a bunch of racist, uneducated degenerates in this comments section, smdh, jealousy is a terrible thing, you all hate to see people do well in life and work hard to get to where they are in life, I bet almost all of you here in this comments sections are not doing too much in your life to be proud of, maybe stop being so jealous of others and get off your lazy bums and go do some hard work instead so you can actually get somewhere in life, FACTS 😝

    • @ Ivan Joseph.
      From your comment, it is obvious that you did not study the history of the Triangular Trade and the history of white domination.

      Too bad. If you do not know your history you will repeat the mistakes of the past.

      I know many hard working people who died because of hard work.
      I know of many hard working Antiguans who would never get the brakes that white people get.

      You see, most of the population has lived it .
      Perhaps you are one of the privileged few who would do anything to maintain the status quo!

    • To @ Ivan Joseph and @ Jackson Browne,

      I don’t know about the other commentators on this particular ANR thread if they are struggling or not in the game of life.

      But what I can tell from your presumptuous comments is that YOU BOTH believe that anyone that comments on the wealth of others are jealous or lazy. Utter nonsense!

      I have enjoyed the fruits of my labour and been a businessman for quite a few years now and I wouldn’t change it for the world!

      I encourage Antiguans to try and do the same.

      However, the point that you both seem to be missing (and I’m assuming that you are both Caucasians), is that many Antiguans believe that Prime Minister Gaston Browne doesn’t give the indigenous population a fair deal when it comes to running a business – the barriers and red tape are DOUBLY immense for us.

      All we want is a level playing field for ALL entrepreneurs.

      PLEASE STOP PATRONISING US WITH YOUR MUSINGS ABOUT LAZINESS – YOU SAY THIS ALL THE TIME ABOUT PEOPLE COLOUR …

  15. Antiguans and Barbudans,pool your resources and formed LLC’S. Get into the medicinal marijuana business. There is not a need to denigrate anyone based on their skin colors. I were one of the first to invest my funds with my business partners in Colorado. We were very successful and then we sold that business for a few cents. We laughed all the way to the Banks, and still laughing to this day.

  18. @Brixtonian, well from what I can see there are plenty of black people owing and running successful businesses in Antigua so your point that Gaston doesn’t encourage black people in business is total rubbish and simply an excuse. Btw, it’s also racist of you to make assumptions that I am white, you make yourself sound more and more moronic every time you spew out your nonsense on this site.

    • Hospitality and selling fruit and vegetables at the roadside … ah, okay boss!

      You made me smile though 😁

    • Why bother with the Gaston hater. He thinks what he wants to think because of his hatred for Gaston. Nothing else. He doesn’t stand on any principle whatsoever. As long as it is against Gaston Browne he is there.
      But don’t sweat. As soon as the election is called, we will take them out of their misery for another five years.

  19. @brix

    Ty. !! Not one positive comment , not one wow great for these guys and girls who started a business. Clearly a lot of jealous haters around that spend time complaining about what
    Other people received and what they didn’t get . Maybe they tried. I doubt it.

    Am I wrong. Maybe. But hating is hating no matter what colour and no matter which way it goes. A lot of haters it seems love to post .

    Also I am sure until the Chinese come in full there are more brown and black kin people with businesses then all the other colours combined.

    • I’m no hater @ Jackson Brown, however, what I do detest are self-enrichment and duplicitous politicians, ANR commentators who haven’t a clue how to debate or accept opposing viewpoints, oh, and I almost forgot, the UK Monarchy with all its entitlement because of their bloodlines. Tarl!

      I firmly believe in a meritocracy that rewards hardworking citizens.

      I hope this helps you when you try to second guess about Antiguan patriots who comment on ANR … 🤜🤛

  20. @Brixtonian, lol, you have to be the loudest mouth on this site in the comments but the joke is your comments only show us who you truly are, a loudmouth blowing lots of hot air with little common sense. As another person above said, I also see lots and lots of black people in Antigua with very successful businesses making plenty money so you honestly have no point in saying Gaston only favors white people. Looking at his life, his wife is black, his kids are black, his cabinet is mostly black, so obviously he is not only for white people as you say. So if you are going to try and come with this non sensible argument then at least make it make sense before you put it out there

  23. This is truly one of the greatest accomplishments of the Gaston Browne and his ABLP Govt. Aka renegades called members of Parliament
    Let this caption be added to
    the ABLP picture book of list of accomplishments with a
    Prime Minister sniffing ie sampling Grass./ Weed .
    I guess he knows the good the bad and the ugly. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words. The Tourist can pick up.their prescription legal or illegal and head back.to the Ship. Big Money a Roll.
    Ganga trade big in Antigua.
    With the country going in Wrong Direction. IS THIS THE BEST YOU CAN DO. Mr. PM OPEN UP THE MARIJUANA TRADE IN DE HEART OF ST. JOHNS. SHAMEFUL

    • Jesus was also accused of liming with the wine bibbers and the wreck of society. We know Gaston was born and lived in the Ghetto. And unlike many of us. He has been there and has worked his way out of that up to the top of this country. Holding the highest position of the land. Having been admitted to the hospital as a young boy for mall-nutrition. having experienced hunger. There is no other among us that knows firsthand what it means to be poor. I certainly don’t. I have never ever seen poverty to the point of having no food to eat, or no clothes or shoes to wear. Gaston has experienced all of that. That is why he is there by divine intervention. Fighting for the poor. Championing their cause. Every step of the way. Yet they want to label him as an elite. Elites! Let’s look at Mr. JQ Harold Lovell. Always in designer clothes, like Armani, Versage or Boss. Never ever known poverty and never ever will. Portraying himself always like the ladies’ man. When the Minister of Government travelled all over the world, never with his wife. While Gaston Brown always tries to travel with his wife and were possible children. Gaston takes regular family vacations, something that good husbands and fathers do. When have you heard Lovell did such a thing? Lovell talks on the radio about how he had a woman leaving his hotel room at 3:00AM. making certain insinuations. Things little boys do and men that cannot grow up. Browne would not go that low. Therefore, Browne is a better and acceptable leader as a role model for our country than Lovell is. Give me Browne any time over Lovell as to represent me and my country. Browne stands up for Antigua and Barbuda in any and every forum, regional and international. Without fear. A leader many in the region wished to be their own.

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