KINGSTON, Jamaica — Founder and CEO of Medicanja, the region’s first medical cannabis company, and noted research scientist, Dr Henry Lowe, has sounded a word of caution about local and international ganja scammers.

Speaking at the Cannabis Business and International Investors Conference at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston on Wednesday, Dr Lowe said that there are scammers who simply want to get in quickly and take all they can.

“In the wake of the United States civil war, was the arrival of the carpetbaggers, on the verge of opportunity and reform, promising the quick 40 acres and a mule. I urge you to be wary, be cautious of the scammers who simply want to get in quickly and take all they can,” he told the conference.

“Sometimes they are disguised as one of our own. We must safeguard against this. Again, be cautious. Be wary of bad weeds in the ganja bush,” he commented.

However, Dr Lowe pointed to a wide range of opportunities that could emerge from the move to establish a legal and regulated medical cannabis industry.

He said that health tourism was an avenue which, due to Jamaica’s proximity to the markets and easy access via air travel, is ready for exploration and development.

“In a legal environment, we can invite tourists for treatment of their ailments using medicinal cannabis, in addition to providing the sea, sun and sand tourism we are renowned for,” Dr. Lowe said.

He advised the conference that Medicanja Limited would provide analytical services, and a variety of innovative products to aid in this venture, as well as to meet the demands of the North and Latin American and Caribbean markets.

He also noted that in order to guarantee success in the global cannabis industry there is a need to ensure that Jamaicans position their products under one of the most powerful brands in the world, Jamaica , under a standardised, legally regulated framework.

He also noted that Medicanja already has registered entities in Canada, and the United States and is in the process of setting up franchises and collaborative ventures in other parts of the world.

Medicanja Jamaica Limited, was established in 2013 to market products made from medicinal cannabis (ganja) by parent company Bio-Tech R&D Institute (BTRDI).