Puerto Rico Senator Wants To Eliminate Penalties For Cannabis Possession, Gov Says No Way

After President Biden called on the nation's governors to pardon state-level marijuana possession convictions, a Senator in Puerto Rico filed a bill to remove penalties for low-level cannabis possession in the U.S. territory.

Independent Senator José “Chaco” Vargas Vidot recently introduced Senate Bill 1042 to decriminalize the personal use of cannabis.

“In Puerto Rico, the step towards cannabis medicalization was taken, but the courage to decriminalize was lacking. If we say that cannabis has medical benefits, it is not logical to criminalize those who consume it. It is time to change this," Vargas Vidot said.

Vargas Vidot said the measure would establish a non-controversial presumption of personal consumption. It would apply to possession of up to five grams of marijuana, though distribution would continue to be criminalized and there would not be any adult-use retailers for legal access. According to Telemundo Puerto Rico, Vargas Vidot has also called for broader drug decriminalization.

Data from the profile of the prison population published by the Department of Correction (DCR), reflected that in 2019, 65% of prisoners had problematic drug use in prison.

"Undoubtedly, these figures reflect a problem of availability of substances within the country's prison institutions," Vargas Vidot said.

"So, people who report that they were not substance users prior to conviction, start this process of consumption and addiction within the institution. For those people who were already fighting the disease of drug addiction, upon entering the penal system the condition worsens within it," he added.

Meanwhile, Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia said "he will not be abiding by the executive order in Puerto Rico." According to him, DCR data reveals that there is no one confined for possession of marijuana on the Island.

“The governor has already said that he will not give way to the executive order, lacking the will and courage to take an important step for justice. It is statistically impossible to know the number of inmates for simple possession of marijuana because when they arrive at Corrections they tell them the law they violated, not the specific drug. Now the question is, who will have the courage to join me and give way to this in Puerto Rico?" Vargas Vidot concluded.

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