Four of the global cannabis industry’s most brilliant minds will deliver the keynote speeches at the fifth edition of the CanEx Jamaica Business Conference and Expo.

The event takes place from September 15-17 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

For the first time in the conference’s history, all of the keynote speakers will be women — cell biologist Dr Anabelle Menalo-Morgan, president and CEO of Marijuana Policy Project Toi Hutchinson, co-founder and CEO of Simply Pure Wanda James, as well as cannabis consultant and businesswoman Jamie Pearson.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer, the speakers said they were excited because they believe in the potential of the Jamaican and regional cannabis industry.

“The Caribbean cannabis industry is so young with the opportunity to evolve as one of the foundations of cannabis globally. Prior to the “business” of cannabis, in my mind, the Caribbean, especially Jamaica — has been known to have culturally, spiritually and medically used and represented the plant,” Dr Anabelle Menalo-Morgan said.

“My husband Gramps Morgan and the Morgan Heritage family are from the beautiful hills of St Thomas, Jamaica, which can grow incredible organic cannabis, so Jamaica is very dear to me…Cannabis is global and we need to come together and talk. CanEx provides us with that platform.”

Dr Anabelle’s linkage to cannabis goes beyond her distinguished career as a cell biologist.

When her son, Macario, had 38% of his brain removed as a 5-week-old baby, medical experts predicted that he would never function on his own.

A cannabis-based medicine that she created specifically for her son, called Masaya CBD changed all of that.

Today, at six years old, he has no developmental deficits.

The experience inspired her to continue advancing the medicinal potential of the plant, seeking to bridge the gap between natural science and modern medicine.

CanEx’s second feature speaker, Toi Hutchinson, is a former member of the Illinois senate who champions human rights issues like the protection of women and children, tax reform and cannabis legalisation.

She’s the first woman president and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project, an organisation dedicated to ending marijuana prohibition.

“While woefully underrepresented in corporate leadership, women have brought passion and skills from other fields into the emerging cannabis industry in droves. We are crafting policy, running companies and leading the fight for equity-centred legalisation that mitigates the harm of cannabis prohibition. The industry needs more of us. Cannabis is growing rapidly, and we must fight for equity at all levels,” she said.

Like Hutchinson, CanEx’s third feature speaker Wanda James is a fierce advocate of ending cannabis prohibition.

As the co-founder and CEO of Simply Pure — a Denver-based cannabis dispensary — Wanda James and her husband were the first African Americans to own a legally-licensed cannabis dispensary and cultivation and edible company.

James’ work led her to be recognised by High Times magazine as one of the Top 50 women in cannabis and one of the 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis.

She said she sees CanEx as a representation of the potential that the Caribbean cannabis market possesses.

“The scope of what the cannabis industry can be in the Caribbean and what it can mean to the people of the Caribbean is huge. With many tourists coming to all of the islands combined with the fact that they are on vacation, have disposable income, and many of them prefer cannabis edibles to alcohol, it makes critical sense for the Caribbean to legalise and be able to tax and sell cannabis. It is my true desire and hopes that Jamaica, and all of the Caribbean, find wealth through Cannabis,” she said.

“The most obvious reason to come to CanEx Jamaica is to connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs in the industry. You can’t grow your business without connections.”

CanEx’s final keynote speaker is considered one of the most influential women in cannabis, Jamie L Pearson.

Pearson recently spent four years as a director, then three years as the President and CEO of Bhang Inc — one of the world’s most recognised cannabis brands.

She lauded the quality and diversity of CanEx’s 2022 speaker lineup.

“Douglas Gordon and I had a meeting where he broke down the history, goals and accomplishments of CanEx over the years. Once I understood what he had set out to accomplish and what he’s getting done in terms of moving the industry forward in a very international environment, I knew I had to be part of it,” she said.

“You’ll have outstanding content and fun downtime events where the networking magic happens. The Who’s Who of the industry to network with, and all set in a beautiful location that has a burgeoning cannabis market, which makes the intensive work of participating whole-heartedly in a conference both more enjoyable and also incredibly productive.”

Three questions with CanEx keynote speaker Dr Anabelle Menalo-Morgan, cell biologist

Sunday Observer (SO): What attracted you to CanEx? What do you believe is the importance of informed players and experts in the industry, like yourself, sharing their knowledge with those interested in playing a role in the industry?

Dr Anabelle Menalo-Morgan (AMM): I’ve always wanted to contribute to cannabis research in the Caribbean. My husband Gramps Morgan and the Morgan Heritage family are from the beautiful hills of St. Thomas Jamaica which has the ability to grow incredible organic cannabis, so Jamaica is very dear to me. I have always heard about Canex bringing experts in from all over the world to share their knowledge. That collaborative effort that Canex works hard to portray is what helps drive this industry forward. Cannabis is global and we need to come together and talk. Canex provides us with that platform!

SO: Why should Caribbean and global businesses invest in the regional cannabis industry? What is the scope of the opportunity that awaits?

AMM: The Caribbean is low-hanging fruit and as the global cannabis industry becomes more experienced and educated, the world expects places like Jamaica to be a powerhouse in

Cannabis. Investors can appreciate the early opportunity for cannabis to get researched for

medicinal purposes and as a recreational hub for tourists. My husband Gramps Morgan took

part in the first ceremonies of cannabis legalization in Jamaica and we’ve watched the regional

industry bloom into a very interesting and positive model. Cannabis is at home in Jamaica and

like reggae, many countries can do it beautifully but there is something special and unique

about it coming from the root.

SO: Why should people take notice of CanEx? And why should they come and partake in the experience?

AMM: Canex stands out because it is in Jamaica where again, the plant has such a significant role in more ways than one. Jamaicans haven’t been afraid to share Cannabis with the world, the plant is not a new conversation here, and it is perhaps the most abundant home of Rasta and reggae whom have preached about the plant for decades. Canex is brilliant because it brings people together who love the plant for a diversity of reasons to essentially, the home of the ganja plant!

Three questions with CanEx keynote speaker Toi Hutchinson,

President & CEO of Marijuana Policy Project

SO: Why should Caribbean and global businesses invest in the regional cannabis industry? What is the scope of the opportunity that awaits?

Toi Hutchinson (TH): Cannabis has a lengthy history of cultivation and usage in the Caribbean. The islands have the potential to become world leaders and must work together to reap the benefits of legalization, a topic that I will explore during my keynote address. Creating an integrated regional system will allow Caribbean nations to divide the key industry functions strategically, including processing, retail, tourism, medical and adult use. The burgeoning cannabis industry holds the promise of financial opportunity, health equity, and the potential to mitigate the harms of prohibition and the racism-fueled war on drugs exported from the United States. It can help eradicate poverty, promote sustainability, improve health outcomes, boost tourism, and so much more. The opportunity is transformative as long as the Caribbean works together to embrace the untapped potential of cannabis.

SO: Why should people take notice of CanEx? And why should they come and partake in the experience?

TH: CanEx offers an unparalleled opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and advocates to shape the future of cannabis legalization in the Caribbean and beyond. Anyone looking to advance the growing cannabis movement in the region and worldwide should attend to learn, connect, and grow.

SO: All four keynote speakers at CanEx 2022 are women. What do you think of the role women are playing in the global cannabis industry?

TH: While woefully underrepresented in corporate leadership, women have brought passion and skills from other fields into the emerging cannabis industry in droves. We are crafting policy, running companies, and leading the fight for equity-centered legalization that mitigates the harm of cannabis prohibition. The industry needs more of us. Cannabis is growing rapidly, and we must fight for equity at all levels to make this the first industry that offers opportunity, access, and healing to everyone, not just a privileged few.

Three questions with CanEx keynote speaker Jamie Pearson, consultant, speaker, CEO & president

SO: Why should Caribbean and global businesses invest in the regional cannabis industry? What is the scope of the opportunity that awaits?

Jamie Pearson (JP): The scope is mind-boggling and every estimate is far short of what will actually happen. If you look historically at all market predictions, they end up being low and getting blown out of the water by reality. There is pent-up demand for people to come out in the open and do legally what they’ve been doing for years in private. It’s difficult to measure the number of people who are consuming cannabis in private because the illegal nature of cannabis has required people to keep it a secret. Just look at the patterns that have emerged from the more mature markets and it’s easy to predict this region has the potential to develop a thriving and lucrative industry. The important thing will be for government officials to learn from the successes and failures of other, similar markets and allow the industry to blossom to its fullest potential without the fear-mongering and misinformation that often comes with legalization.

SO: What do you believe is the potential of the Caribbean Cannabis Industry?

JP: Like many parts of the world, the Caribbean people have a rich and storied tradition of cultivating and using cannabis for medicinal, spiritual, and recreational purposes. I believe this part of the world has the potential to offer incredible depth to the industry, unique cultivars, excellent product through export, education, tourism, and a wealth of experience. Legalization is sweeping the Caribbean and it will be an important area to watch.

SO: Why should people take notice of CanEx? And why should they come and partake in the experience?

JP: The incredible quality of both education and experience. You’ll have outstanding content, fun downtime events where the networking magic happens, The Who’s Who of the industry to network with, and all set in a beautiful location that has a burgeoning cannabis market which makes the intensive work of participating wholeheartedly in a conference both more enjoyable and also incredibly productive. When you invest precious resources (ie time and money) to attend an event like CanEx, getting so much out of these four days is awesome!

Three questions with CanEx keynote speaker Wanda James, co-founder and CEO of Simply Pure

SO: All four keynote speakers at CanEx 2022 are women. What do you think of the role women are playing in the global cannabis industry?

Wanda James (WJ): There has never been a doubt in my mind about the power of women in business, or the power of women in this industry. The fact that the keynotes happen to be all women is more of a testament to the professionalism, political awareness, and business acumen of the leaders, of any gender, who have been asked to speak.

SO: What attracted you to CanEx? What do you believe is the importance of informed players and experts in the industry, like yourself, sharing their knowledge with those interested in playing a role in the industry?

WJ: It gives me great pleasure to bring the world to Jamaica to hear about the cannabis industry, the potential for wealth, and the potential Job creation. It gives me great pleasure to invite the mostly white legal industry to a Black country. I believe Canex Jamaica is an amazing intersection of how large the industry can become, and the exploration and education of the culture of ganja.

SO: Why should Caribbean and global businesses invest in the regional cannabis industry? What is the scope of the opportunity that awaits?

WJ: The scope of what the cannabis industry can be in the Caribbean and what it can mean to the people of the Caribbean is huge. With many tourists coming to all of the islands combined with the fact that they are on vacation, have disposable income, and many of them prefer cannabis edibles to alcohol, it makes critical sense for the Caribbean to legalize and be able to tax and sell cannabis. It is my true desire and hopes that Jamaica, and all of the Caribbean, find wealth through Cannabis.