Kingston, 16 Apr (Prensa Latina) The University of Technology,
Jamaica (UTech) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) will be the
first two educational institutions to be issued with licences to grow
marijuana for research purposes under the new provisions of the
Dangerous Drugs Act, which took effect yesterday.
Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell
made the announcement yesterday in his presentation in the 2015/16
Sectoral Debate in Gordon House according to Jamaica Observer.
He said that, as the country moves to build an industry for medicinal
ganja, it is crucial for research institutions such as these to have the
required authority to cultivate the plant. "If Jamaica wants to
establish itself as a centre of excellence for research in ganja, this
should be the home of research and development in ganja," he said.
Paulwell pointed out that, as it stands now, institutions are allowed
to use marijuana for research, but under the auspices of the police.
The science and technology minister stressed that the licences come
with strict conditions. "It's not a free-for-all... or to promote
smoking of ganja, it is to recognise that this product has tremendous
value," he said.
He also sought to allay apprehension about who
would benefit from a local medical ganja industry, stating that the
market was large enough to accommodate small and large farmers and urged
cooperation and sharing of information to allow sharing of the expected
benefits.
The licence will be for a specified period and
subject to monitoring of the research activities to ensure that they are
in keeping with what was approved.
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