KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica government says it is working towards overhauling the interim regulations governing the cannabis industry.
State Minister for Industry, Investment and Commerce, Dr. Norman Dunn, says the measures, enacted in 2015, are no longer appropriate for the fast-growing industry.
“They require a complete rework and we are now set at the Ministry to work assiduously to change this. If we don’t change it and everywhere opens up apart from us, we are going to be completely left behind,” he said, adding “we will not be able to compete adequately in this multimillion-dollar global industry”.
Dunn, who was speaking at a webinar hosted by the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), said that when the regulations were enacted six years ago they were appropriate at the time, as “the government had to move cautiously in how it rolled out the new industry.
“But the world is moving very fast as far as the opening up of this industry is concerned and, therefore, we have to now change gear,” he said, adding that “how we position ourselves will better enable Jamaica to tap into the multimillion-dollar global industry”.
Dunn said that JANAAC has a critical role to play by giving the stamp of approval to the country’s world-class farms and manufacturing facilities.
“Your assessment and validation will enhance the ability of the products from Jamaica… to compete worldwide,” he said, noting further, that “opening up the industry in a very controlled and scientific manner will eventually eliminate the illicit trade because persons will not seek to produce in substandard condition
Meanwhile, chairman of the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), LeVaughn Flynn, says the Dangerous Drugs (Cannabis Import and Export Licensing) Regulations 2020 is now in the final stages before promulgation.
“It is now with the Attorney General’s Chambers and only awaits, I believe, my signature, then on to Cabinet before it is gazetted. So, the export regulations are almost complete,” he told the JANAAC webinar on the theme “Candid Conversations on Cannabis: Jamaica’s Place in the Multibillion-Dollar Growth Industry”.
He said as the industry awaits promulgation of the regulations, the CLA has put interim measures in place for the importation and exportation of cannabis.
Flynn said the CLA has been facilitating exports by licensees using these protocols, with 26 exports being processed since 2019.
“All licensees, once they receive an import permit from the receiving country and they meet all the local requirements, we have been issuing ‘No Objection’ letters, which allow licensees to export both ganja flour and ganja oil, and when we have the regulations on board that will further solidify our export industry,” he said.
The CLA is an authority under the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce that was established in 2015 under the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act with a specific role to establish and regulate Jamaica’s legal cannabis and hemp industry.
JANAAC chief executive officer, Sharonmae Shirley, is encouraging stakeholders in the cannabis industry to seek accreditation of their products, as this is critical in removing technical barriers to trade.
“If your company wants to demonstrate expertise in conducting scientific research and the development of medicinal cannabis products for clients in Jamaica and the rest of the world, accreditation is important to you, because accreditation will attest to the competence of your team and the quality of the product,” Mrs. Shirley told the webinar.
She said among the benefits of accreditation is that it precludes stakeholders from incurring additional costs associated with retesting when products are shipped to international ports.
Accreditation is particularly important in the medicinal cannabis products industry, she noted, as it ensures that persons who rely on these products are getting the right dosage.
She said such assurance can only be guaranteed through the use of competent analytical services provided by accredited conformity assessment (testing laboratories or inspection) bodies.
“For inspection bodies, we recognize that accreditation is also an excellent resource for you because it assures that the product that is grown contains the right strains of the marijuana product that is important for the output that you desire,” she added.
The JANAAC official said that the entity’s team of experts stand ready to assist players in the cannabis industry to select the accreditation model that best suits their business model.
“If you are a manufacturer, exporter, retailer of cannabis products, or own and operate testing laboratories, accreditation is important,” she said.
