University of the West Indies (UWI) Principal Professor Archibald McDonald yesterday scolded the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) for the slow pace in which he says it is issuing licences for legal operation in the cannabis industry.

McDonald, who was speaking at MEDICANJA’s introduction of six new cannabis products to the pharmaceutical market, said three years after the Dangerous Drugs Act was amended the CLA has only issued two licences.

“It has been a hard journey. We have had the amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act three years ago and it has been a difficult journey; a very difficult journey.

“It has been much too slow and some people say we have already missed the boat, but if we have missed it, Minister [Andrew Wheatley] we have to catch it. We have to swim and do all we have to do to catch the boat,” McDonald told the launch at the Savannah Suite of Eden Gardens in St Andrew.

He said while the United States has been putting pressure on countries, including Jamaica, to refrain from exploring the industry, 21 American states have legalised cannabis and some have approved cannabis for recreational uses.

“They have some of the largest ganja farms in the world in California and Kentucky, run and funded by the Federal Government of the United States. They have registered patents on products. Therefore, we need not be afraid of the United States. The truth is that even as they make some noise and drug enforcements, the fact is nothing will happen to us in Jamaica,” he stressed.

He called on the CLA to end bureaucratic practices that he believes are hindering the development of the cannabis industry in Jamaica as the global marijuana market is expected to reach a value of US$56 billion by 2025.

The CLA, which is an agency of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, was created in 2015 under the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act, to establish and regulate Jamaica’s legal marijuana and hemp industry. It has so far received 236 applications for licences.

“The University of the West Indies has no licence… the University of Technology, to my knowledge, also has no licence to do research on cannabis, MEDICANJA has no licence,” McDonald said.

“…Cannabis is in the same category as heroin and cocaine. That is what is driving it [slow pace], as well as culture,” McDonald insisted.

Science and Technology Minister Dr Andrew Wheatley, who also spoke at the launch, urged the CLA to be cautious in its approach in handling the issuance of licences.

The minister said while looking at the legal side, the CLA must also examine the medical research side.

“We must remember that research doesn’t wait on us. I appreciate and respect the fact that we have our international obligations relative to the treaties that we have signed and I support that [but] until we are able to skip over that hurdle we cannot allow the research component to die.

“So we must simultaneously see how best we can address our international obligations from a legalistic perspective, but ensure that we encourage the medical research component. And if we are not able to accomplish both at the same time, then the boat has already sailed,” he said.

“…I urge the powers at the CLA to start to appreciate the scientific component. Too many of the persons there are lawyers and while we appreciate the need for lawyers we have to ensure that we have enough scientists in the process,” said Wheatley.