Gov’t Working To Overhaul Cannabis Regulations

State Minister for Industry, Investment and Commerce, Dr. the Hon. Norman Dunn, says that the Government is working quickly to overhaul the interim regulations governing the cannabis industry.

He said that 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 contended.

“We will not be able to compete adequately in this multimillion-dollar global industry,” he added.

Dr. Dunn was speaking at a webinar hosted by the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) on Wednesday (June 2) on the topic ‘Candid Conversations on Cannabis: Jamaica’s Place in the Multibillion-Dollar Growth Industry’.

The State Minister said that when the regulations were enacted some 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 noted, stressing that “how we position ourselves will better enable Jamaica to tap into the multimillion-dollar global industry”.

Dr. 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 noted.

He argued, 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 conditions”.