CLA Issues 44 Licences and 288 Conditional Approvals
The Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) has issued 44 ganja licences and 288 conditional approvals since its establishment in 2015.
President of the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Diane Edwards, in making the disclosure, said that the licences granted include 21 for cultivation, 13 for retail, six for processing, three for research and development, and one for transportation.
She noted that the licences at the conditional approval stage are awaiting actions from applicants.
“Some of those actions include readiness for pre-licence, site inspection requirements, and funding to satisfy infrastructure development and/or other approvals,” Ms. Edwards explained.
She noted that the Authority has received 658 applications from 287 applicants to date.
Ms. Edwards was speaking at the media launch of the CanEx Jamaica Business Conference and Expo on Tuesday (September 4), at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.
The JAMPRO President, during her address, said that Jamaica is poised to capitalise on the multibillion-dollar global medical cannabis industry.
“Medical cannabis is set to be a disrupter in the consumer goods space. More and more, we are finding CBD [Cannabidiol] infused products globally – in packaged food, beverages, beauty and personal care products and consumer health products,” she noted.
She said that as the industry evolves “understanding the future and placing the appropriate bets will determine the ultimate winners of the expanding and dynamic space”.
In the meanwhile, she commended the founder of CanEx, Douglas Gordon, for his commitment and contribution to the cannabis industry.
“JAMPRO supports conferences like CanEx, where, through consistent delivery of a high-value product you are able to attract world-class keynote speakers/presenters and subject matter experts and a high calibre of participants who are serious about the growth and development of the cannabis industry in Jamaica,” Ms. Edwards said.
The fourth staging of the CanEx conference and expo will take place from September 26 to 28, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James.
The event will feature experts from more than 30 countries as well as several international speakers and panellists, discussing a range of topics, including health, wellness, legal, regulatory, and investment opportunities in the cannabis industry.
SOURCE: JIS
