MCA Chief Urges Calm Over Dispensary Safety After Creek Side Double Killing
The Medicinal Cannabis Authority says licensed dispensaries remain secure after two people were killed at a Rastafari sacramental community in Creek Side.
Cannabis Authority Defends Dispensary Security Following Creek Side Deaths
The Medicinal Cannabis Authority (MCA) has moved to reassure the public about the safety of licensed cannabis dispensaries in Antigua, following the killing of two people at an authorised Rastafari sacramental community in Creek Side, the Antigua Observer reports.
MCA Chief Executive Officer Regis Burton said the attack was especially troubling because it occurred inside the community's private compound. "We do know that it is within the community and I think that's why it's such a tragic and saddening incident to see that people went within their space and within their private compound to do such a thing," Burton told Observer Media.
Burton extended the MCA's condolences to the bereaved family and to the wider Rastafari community — both locally and across the Caribbean and the world — noting that the authority had developed a close relationship with the community and had observed its development over time. He described the MCA's function as a bridge between the sacramental community and the Government, adding that Rastafari representatives hold seats on the MCA board and contribute to shaping the industry's direction.
On the question of safety, Burton drew a clear distinction between sacramental spaces and licensed medicinal dispensaries. Access to the latter is restricted to registered patients, who must present a patient card and pass identity checks. "It's less likely for an incident like this to happen at a medicinal dispensary in comparison to a sacramental community, a church, where a church is more accessible to everyone," he said.
Every licensed premises is required to meet minimum security standards, including camera systems, secure product storage and trained staff. Operators are free to put additional measures in place at their own discretion.
Burton acknowledged that a thriving cannabis industry can attract criminal elements, and said operators must stay alert and actively manage risk within the legal market. Following the Creek Side incident, the MCA contacted its licensees and the affected community to review current security arrangements and introduce more advanced, confidential measures without delay.
He nonetheless conceded that no regulatory body could offer an absolute guarantee. "We can't say that, notwithstanding our increased security protocols, that someone can't attempt to break into an establishment," Burton said.
He also argued that the regulated cannabis industry provides consumers with greater safety than the illicit market, where buying cannabis on the street carries additional physical and health risks.
Burton urged the public to refrain from speculating about the motive or circumstances surrounding the killings, and encouraged anyone with relevant information to contact the police to assist the ongoing investigation.
Source: Antigua Observer