Cannabis: CLA says door still closed on edibles

With a desire to see the Jamaican medical ganja industry up and running, some aspirants have sought product approvals and registrations from the Ministry of Health.

While the Ministry of Health is responsible for approving products under the Food and Drugs Act, the approval of a product by the Ministry of Health allows the holder of such approval to make the product available for consumption based on the medicinal or other benefits claimed. Such approvals by itself however, are not sufficient to commence business operations within Jamaica’s budding cannabis industry.

According to Greg Douglas, CEO of the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) “All activities which are pursued in compliance with the medical system, also require a licence issued by the CLA, otherwise those activities are essentially illegal” The CLA is responsible for all matters pertaining to the cultivation, transportation, processing, retail and research and development, each of which requires a licence to participate.

Recently the CLA issued a press release outlining how the closed-loop legal medicinal system operates in Jamaica. In the current legal framework, each licensee is required to conduct transactions only with those who are also in possession of a licence. “We are all eager to see the industry grow and we are all working together to make this happen as expeditiously and responsibly as possible.” Douglas concluded.

Notes to Editors: About the Cannabis Licensing Authority: The CLA, which was created by the Dangerous Drug Act, has powers to make and oversee the implementation of regulations for licences, permits and other authorizations for the cultivation, processing, distributionn, sale and transportation of ganja, for medicinal, scientific and therapeutic purposes.