A little over a year back it became legal to buy pot in Colorado and most recently DC legalized it too. (It’s also legal in Alaska and Oregon.) Will other states or parts of the U.S. soon follow? Many other states have decriminalized marijuana.

In a not so surprising move, a Caribbean country also decriminalized small amounts of pot.

That country would be Jamaica….

Prior to visiting Jamaica in late December, I would’ve assumed that pot was legal there.

The island seems like the place where it would (should?) be legal especially since a big part of the country’s identity is about smoking up.

When walking around Jamaica, we were probably offered the opportunity to buy pot at least a few times per day. However, Kim and I are not smokers and actually hate all forms of smoke. We (obviously) declined buying any each time.

According to the AP, “Jamaica’s Parliament gave final legislative approval to an act decriminalizing small amounts of pot and establishing a licensing agency to regulate a lawful medical marijuana industry.”

Here are some of Jamaica’s new rules: (from the AP)

“The act makes possession of up to 2 ounces of marijuana a petty offense that could result in a ticket but not in a criminal record. Cultivation of five or fewer plants on any premises will be permitted. And tourists who are prescribed medical marijuana abroad will soon be able to apply for permits authorizing them to legally buy small amounts of Jamaican weed“…

So how will this affect locals and tourists in Jamaica? I haven’t a clue at all. According to the locals we chatted with during our time in Jamaica, we were told that pretty much nobody gets in trouble or are bothered for smoking up. So maybe not much changes?

Find out more about pot being decriminalized in Jamaica here.