The Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) was established by the 2015 amendment to Jamaica Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA). The CLA is the only government agency authorized by law to issue license to carryout legal ganja business in Jamaica. It is an agency under the management of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries.
The Cannabis Licensing Authority has a management board of eleven (11) persons. The first Schedule of the Act state that each Ministry of Government with a direct links to the cannabis industry be represented on the Board. This include the Ministry of: Agriculture, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Health, Industry and Commerce, Justice, National Security, Science and Technology, as well as representation from academia, the Attorney General’s Chambers, civil society, non-governmental or community-based organizations and Rastafari organization.
The Cannabis Licensing Authority oversee the regulation of the cannabis industry for medical, therapeutic and scientific purposes.
Types of Cannabis Licenses Issued by the Cannabis Licensing Authority:
- Cultivator’s License – There are four categories of this license that allows for the cultivation of cannabis in Jamaica for medical, scientific, and therapeutic purposes.
- Processing License – This allows for the processing of cannabis and the manufacture of cannabis based products.
- Transport License – Allows for the transportation of cannabis and cannabis-based products between two licensed premises.
- Retail License – This license allows eligible applicants to sell cannabis products for medical, scientific, and therapeutic purposes with or without a space for immediate consumption by consumers.
- Research and Development License – Allows eligible applicants to assess, study, research, develop, and test cannabis and cannabis based products
Export – This license type allow for the export of flower or oil or other value added products.
