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But, possession of more than 10 grammes, or ten grammes or less in a school is still a crime. It leaves police in a grey area - where previously it was all just black and white. And, it seems there's quite a learning curve - and that curve hasn't reached Belize City yet, where most of the possession charges originate. Today the Southside Commander said he hadn't gotten the memo - and the man in charge of training the police hadn't reached the city yet:...

Sr. Supt, Marco Vidal, Commander - Southside
"I am not that familiar in terms of the entire way of this act. This act will be enacted. We are still in a process of education for all police officers so that when we are encountering these situations we know how to deal with them, but for the time being we will be seeking advice in terms of how to deal with these matters as we encounter them."

Sr. Supt. Bart Jones, Police Legal Advisor - Media Relations
"To be honest I've not covered the entire country in terms of the police formations and units. Left with the south remains and precincts on Southside Belize City."

But, Jones has been to other parts of the country, and he explained how police have been made to understand the law:...

Sr. Supt. Bart Jones, Police Legal Advisor - Media Relations
"In terms of possession on the street, it is decriminalizes. So then for example I have my 10 grams on the street and this is 10 grams by the way. Meaning that the police cannot take it away from me. However, if I am found with the 10 grams in the school or an education institution and basically it means from the pre-school to the confines on the school from pre-school to UB, then in the first instance I get a warning and in subsequence instances I get a violation ticket."

"You can have it on the streets. You cannot smoke on the street. Whereas it is decriminalize the smoking in your private residence. So then that if you want to smoke in your yard and you want to invite Jules and Isani to smoke as well in your premises then that is decriminalize. However if you step out of the confines of your yard then you will be committing the offence of smoking."

But, it's not going to be that simple for police - because how do they even determine what is ten grammes? Senior Superintendent Jones says they will know:..

Sr. Supt. Bart Jones, Police Legal Advisor - Media Relations
"But what we have been telling police officers across the country that this provision is before us and it is for us to be professionals at all times and Jules made the point, for those persons who we may have been wanting to get after, because of their perhaps suspected criminal involvement, the police should not be spiteful and so. If what they are found with is less than 10 grams, then we will not be charging those persons and we will not expect police officers across the country to be unprofessional in relation to these issues. The officers who are working the street, and those who will be patrolling in these vehicles - they can more or less judge when in fact it might be less than 10 grams. So there will be no need to take the person in. So where the officer would be perhaps in doubt, that whether this in fact is 10 grams or less, then that person will be taken to the nearest station where it is weighed and if it is determine that it is less than 10 grams the person will not be charged and will be released."

Jones says that the AG's office will release the regulations this week.