Ganja blow!
Epican ordered to destroy 1,000 ganja plants after licence expires
Published:Thursday | August 26, 2021 | 12:10 AMCorey Robinson/Senior Staff Reporter -
Customers of medical marijuana distributor Epican could end up without their fix in coming months after the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) ordered the entity to destroy more than 1,000 plants cultivated after its licence to operate expired at the end of 2020.
The Dangerous Drugs (Cannabis Licensing) (Interim) Regulations, 2016 prohibits the cultivation of new crops during extensions.
A large hole was dug on Wednesday at Epican ganja farms in Guava Ridge, St Andrew, and the heady-smelling stems buried under the watchful eyes of two stern-faced CLA employees.
It represented the end of a steamy fight between Epican executives and CLA representatives, who argued that they were granted a three-month extension to operate by the CLA after the expiration because of delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures.
“This is the CLA’s solution to us not being able to renew our annual licence in a timely manner,” relayed a dejected Epican CEO Karibe McKenzie as his workers, who themselves spent months tending to the plants, snipped at their stems before tossing them into the hole.
“You can only begin the process two months before the expiration, and due to COVID-19 last year and the backlog with various documents that are part of the renewal, like police records for all employees, those governmental departments were shut down,” explained McKenzie.
The destroyed crop represents almost four of their 10 marijuana houses which was earmarked for distribution to the market later this year. ‘
McKenzie said that the CLA was being updated on the operations on the farm every week during the extension and officials inspected the property at least twice.
“At the end of the three months, they are saying any plants we planted January to the end of March must be destroyed although they were notified every week,” he said, referencing the breach.
The issue forced the temporary closure of the facility in June and July.
The state regulator has been criticised by stakeholders in Jamaica’s fledgling medicinal marijuana industry on the pace of licensing and a legislative framework that is viewed as burdensome for small-scale players.
The global legal industry has been estimated at US$8 billion to US$9 billion but is expected to grow sevenfold by 2028.
Missing out on a sliver of that market is disheartening for the Epican CEO, who is pleading for the regulator to find a better solution to the problem.
“Outside of them destroying this investment which is upwards of millions of dollars, we will now have to begin all over again as if we are a new farm. It will have an impact on our supply,” McKenzie said, adding that the licence has now been renewed.
But CLA Chairman LeVaughn Flynn, while conceding the legislation might have to be reviewed, insisted that the regulations must be upheld.
The Authority spent several weeks fully ventilating the issue, said Flynn.
“Having explored all possible options, the Authority was left with no other choice but to advise the licensee of the uncomfortable decision to destroy the ganja,” he told The Gleaner.
“While the Authority has noted areas that could be improved in the Dangerous Drugs (Cannabis Licensing) (Interim) Regulations, 2016, that would make it more facilitatory, the Authority is mandated by law to enforce the interim regulations as is currently written.”
According to Regulation Six of the Dangerous Drugs (Canabis Licensing) (Interim) Regulations 2016, however, the CLA may grant an extension under specified situations, but not inclusive of planting new crops.
“The Authority may, on its own initiative, where there is reasonable cause to do so and after consultation with the licensee, or on the application of the license, amend a licence,” the regulation reads.