San Juan, Aug 25 (AP) The government of the Bahamas has unveiled several bills aimed at legalising marijuana for medical and religious purposes, joining other Caribbean nations that have taken similar steps.

Officials said licenses for cultivation, retail, transport and religious use would only be granted to companies that are entirely Bahamian owned. Licenses for research, testing and manufacturing would be awarded to companies that are at least 30 per cent Bahamian owned.

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Attorney General Ryan Pinder told reporters Thursday that marijuana for religious purposes could only be smoked on the premises of a licensed organisation.

The government envisions creating a Cannabis Authority to regulate the industry.

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Public hearings on the issue are scheduled for September, and legislation could be approved before next year.

Other Caribbean nations have relaxed their marijuana laws. Antigua decriminalized marijuana use for the general public. Jamaica also decriminalised small amounts of marijuana, while the US Virgin Islands recently authorised its recreational and sacramental use. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)