Caribbean cannabis growers eye budding domestic sales and exports

"Rub the leaf and inhale the fragrance, Michaelus Tracey is saying. The musky scent of this cannabis plant is distinctly different from the citrusy aroma of another that he is also holding. To the untrained eye, the neat rows of flowering cannabis crops in front of us are indistinguishable from each other. Yet master cultivator Tracey can identify the separate varieties by their smell and the shape of their leaves."

"Nine strains are being grown here at Pineapple Road, a farm deep in the countryside on the Caribbean island of Antigua. The warm temperatures, abundant sunshine, and high humidity make this prime territory for growing the plants. Intense trials were conducted to produce the various strains, Tracey explains. "We wanted different flavour profiles as well as different effects, but all with a medicinal value - something to help you relax, something to give you more energy, more pain relief, less anxiety.""

"Last year marked a decade since Jamaica decriminalised the recreational use of cannabis and legalised its production and sale for medical reasons. Several other Caribbean nations, including the twin island country Antigua and Barbuda in 2018, have since followed suit. Smoking cannabis is emblematic of Caribbean culture, to the extent it has become a cliche. But while the region's affection for the plant is well documented, its status as a leader in the field is less so."

Master cultivators on Antigua identify cannabis varieties by aroma and leaf shape, growing nine strains at Pineapple Road selected for flavor profiles and differing medicinal effects. Warm temperatures, abundant sunshine, and high humidity create favorable growing conditions, and intensive trials produced strains aimed at relaxation, energy, pain relief, and anxiety reduction. Jamaica decriminalised recreational use and legalised medical production a decade ago, and other Caribbean nations, including Antigua and Barbuda in 2018, have followed. The Caribbean now hosts registered cannabis farms and medicinal dispensaries serving locals and tourists with valid medical authorisations. Experts call for further liberalisation beyond decriminalisation.

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