More than 60% of voters in the Cayman Islands have approved a referendum to decriminalize marijuana possession.
The referendum gives the government a clear mandate to move forward with legislation that would reclassify minor marijuana possession as a non-criminal offense. Under the proposed framework, possessing small quantities of marijuana would be treated similarly to a traffic violation—resulting in a fine rather than jail time or a criminal record.
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan, who was the first to announce the referendum, said the measure is about “changing lives more than changing laws.” He noted that the current penalties—up to one year in prison for possessing as little as 12 grams—have had lasting consequences on individuals, particularly young people.
The specifics of the forthcoming legislation, including the amount of marijuana that would be considered a minor offense, have yet to be finalized. However, the public vote makes clear that a strong majority of Caymanians support reforming the territory’s cannabis laws.
The move aligns the Cayman Islands with a broader regional trend. Several neighboring nations, including Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have already adopted reforms to decriminalize or legalize marijuana in some form.
The 2025 vote follows the territory’s earlier decision in 2017 to legalize medical marijuana.
