By Saskia Warrick | September 25, 2024
The Guyana Police Force has been advised against arresting individuals for possessing small quantities of marijuana.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall highlighted that such actions are illegal, following amendments to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act.
Under the revised legislation, possession of 1 to 15 grams of marijuana now requires counseling, while possession of 15 to 30 grams mandates community service, with no prison time involved.
Despite this, a recent incident in Region 1 involved the arrest of a man named Coconiah Jupiter, who was found with 4.5 grams of marijuana.
Jupiter claimed the substance was for medicinal use, yet he was still detained as investigations continued.
In response to this situation, Attorney General Nandlall reiterated the legal protections in place to prevent wrongful detentions and urged the police force to adhere strictly to the law.
The amendments made in November 2022 eliminated custodial sentences for minor possession offenses, reinforcing the need for law enforcement to act within these new legal parameters.