ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) — A senior public servant says efforts are being made to establish a national cannabis regulatory commission noting that the medicinal cannabis industry can greatly change the agricultural landscape in Dominica.

He said that legislation to create a medicinal cannabis industry is being developed.

“Governments across continents are embracing cannabis legislation, unlocking its power to create jobs, foster economic diversification and drive innovation,” the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Ryan Anselm, told a cannabis stakeholders working group forum.

“Cannabis is far more than just a crop, so we have to look at cannabis as not medicinal, not for cosmetic, but how we drive and put in the necessary legislative framework and policies in place to make cannabis one of our leading economic crops.”

Anselm told the forum that during the 1970s and ’80s, Dominica relied on the banana industry “and we are convinced in the Ministry of Agriculture that cannabis, I don’t like to say a mono crop, but in an integrated productive system, we believe cannabis provide that opportunity for us…the nation”.

He said beyond the medicinal application cannabis is a resource for industrial products, beauty and skin care lines, wellness solutions and much more.

“So for Dominica to capitalise on that we need the legislative framework in place and the potential benefits to establish a robust medicinal cannabis industry in Dominica multi-dimensional and far reaching.”

Anselm said a national cannabis regulatory commission will be established, noting that the industry can contribute to more than 30 per cent of the financial output of the agricultural sector.

“The regulatory framework will have a well-defined system where you can have a license to plant cannabis and that is what we are looking at and we want to empower our farmers…and the markets required.

“So, the Ministry of Agriculture is fully endorsing the roadmap to develop a robust cannabis industry.  But for the industry to be successful, the policy framework is extremely important and that is why the ministry is in an advanced process of drafting a comprehensive legislation to establish a national cannabis regulatory commission.

“This commission will oversee licensing, compliance and the implementation of regulations and prioritise both safety and efficiency,” Anslem added.