Medicinal Cannabis Authority Strengthens Public Awareness and Establishes Committee to Address Substance Misuse in Schools
The Antigua and Barbuda Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA) is reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding public health, upholding regulatory standards, and ensuring the responsible development of Antigua and Barbuda’s medicinal cannabis industry. On 20 November 2025, the Board of the Medicinal Cannabis Authority convened its statutory meeting.
During its deliberations, the Board expressed deep concern regarding increasing reports of substance misuse within schools across Antigua and Barbuda. In recognition of the urgent need for coordinated intervention, the Board invited a delegation of teachers to share firsthand accounts of the challenges faced within the education system.
Following these engagements, the Board resolved to establish an Ad Hoc Committee on School-Based Interventions on Substance Misuse for 2026. The committee is tasked with developing a comprehensive programme of activities to support targeted outreach in schools for the upcoming academic term and designing and coordinating a national intervention strategy for the MCA. Planned initiatives include school and PTA visits, public education activities, and strengthened community engagement.
Speaking on the Board’s decision, the Chairman, Ambassador Daven Joseph, stated: “We all understand the role that the Medicinal Cannabis Authority Board has to play in helping to solve this problem.”
The Committee will be chaired by Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr. Chambers, Head of the Narcotics Department, and other members will include: Dr. Kamaria De Castro, Chief Medical Officer, Mr. Ika Fergus, Agricultural Representative on the MCA Board, Ms. Jeniece St. Romain, Crown Counsel and Executive Secretary of the MCA Board, Mr. Regis Burton, Chief Executive Officer, MCA; and Ms. St. Bernard, teacher at Princess Margaret School.
The MCA emphasises that the Committee’s mandate is to support, complement, and strengthen existing programmes through targeted interventions aligned with the MCA’s public health and regulatory responsibilities.
The MCA already has ongoing collaborations with the Office of National Drug Control Policy, as well as the Substance Abuse Prevention Unit within the Ministry of Social Transformation, and in order to ensure national coherence and avoid duplication of ongoing efforts, this Committee will work in close collaboration with existing Government departments and civil society partners already engaged in substance-abuse prevention and youth outreach.
The Committee will begin its work immediately, and the MCA will continue to update the general public as this important initiative progresses. For further information, please contact: Medicinal Cannabis Authority, St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda
The MCA is the statutory body responsible for regulating and controlling the medicinal cannabis industry in Antigua and Barbuda. Its mandate includes issuing licenses, ensuring compliance with national legislation, and promoting the development of a safe, secure, and economically viable medicinal cannabis sector.
