Minister of Health, Dr Christopher Tufton, says that there is no issue between his ministry and the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) when it comes to the licensing of local ganja (cannabis) businesses.

Tufton, who was off the island when the most recent issue surrounding the actions of foreign companies claiming to be licensed Jamaican cannabis (ganja) traders hit the media last week, attributes the problem to investors seeking to gain mileage from claiming access to local cannabis or the Jamaican market.

“It has nothing to do with the CLA. It is just an attempt by some companies who see some advantage to be gained from making these claims,” he added.

However, he sees these responses to Jamaica’s efforts to position itself to benefit from what is expected to eventually grow into a very lucrative business, as a sign that the Jamaican product is heavily in demand, internationally.

“It is a good sign, because it shows that Jamaica has a brand that is highly respected, internationally,” Tufton stated.

On Monday, the Ministry of Health in a release stated that nine medicinal cannabis products have already been registered with the Ministry of Health, three of which have been approved since June 2017.

“Guidelines have been implemented to allow for a smooth registration process for products manufactured, both locally and overseas, and applications are currently being accepted by the Medicinal Cannabis Unit for medicinal cannabis,” the ministry’s release said.

The ministry stated that, through its Medicinal Cannabis Unit (MCU), it is responsible for the registration and regulation of all cannabis and cannabis-related products (including hemp); and all precursor products that are manufactured for medicinal cannabis use, produced both locally, and imported for use in Jamaica.

It said that the MCU is also responsible for issuing and regulating all licenses/permits for medicinal cannabis and medicinal cannabis products locally.

This is a point that could give the foreign investors some assurance that, having registered with the Ministry, they are free to go ahead with the marketing and trading of their cannabis-based medical products in Jamaica.

But Tufton says that is unlikely, because the ministry has a representative on the CLA board, in Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry, Dr Winston de La Haye, indicating that the health ministry accepts that its decisions are subject to a final decision from the CLA in terms of granting licences for marketing and trading the products.

A Caymanian investor in a company known as Lion Garden claimed that they were close to inking a deal with the Ministry of Health which would allow them to trade in Jamaican cannabis-based medicines in Cayman.

However, de La Haye said that while he was aware of the proposal for a cannabis-related clinical trials at the government-owned Hope Institute, it was not accepted.

But, even if the company had been registered with the Ministry of Health, it would still need a licence from the CLA to trade and market the drug here.

In July, another foreign company, Colorado-based United Cannabis Corporation, claimed that they too had been approved by the Ministry of Health, for their “Prana P5 Hemp Bio Nutrient Capsules”, “Aromatherapy Roll-On” and “Sublingual Drops”, in partnership with Caribbean Research & Development Limited.

In that case the CLA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Greg Douglas, quickly issued a release pointing out that only the CLA, which was created under the Dangerous Drug Act, has powers “to make and oversee the implementation of regulations for licences, permits and other authorisations for the cultivation, processing, distribution, sale and transportation of ganja, for medicinal, scientific and therapeutic purposes”.