Jersey’s Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel’s review of the regulations for the licence application, production and export of medicinal cannabis in Jersey is to be extended, with a full report to be presented in due course.
The Panel say that they have made ‘significant progress’ on the review since launching it earlier this year; however, additional research has raised several complex issues which require further consideration. As a result, the Panel is holding a public hearing at 12pm this Friday with the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Senator Lyndon Farnham, the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf, and Chief Pharmacist, Paul McCabe, during which the Panel will seek to address some of these issues.
In the interim, the Panel has issued a comments paper in response to the Minister for Treasury and Resources’ proposed regulations on the taxation of cannabis companies, which the States Assembly will debate during the States Meeting commencing 23rd November.
Chair of the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel, Deputy David Johnson, said: “A number of additional concerns have been brought to our attention in the draft stage of compiling our report and it is crucial we consider these before concluding our review on this important topic.
“We look forward to receiving further clarification from the Ministers at our public hearing on Friday following which we aim to publish our report as soon as possible.”
The Panel’s Terms of Reference for the review are as follows:
- To examine and benchmark the Regulations establishing the terms of licensing for the cultivation, import and export of medicinal cannabis and the comparison with other relevant jurisdictions.
- To examine the merits to the Island of requiring applicants to obtain EU/Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification.
- To evaluate the projected economic benefit to the Island of this sector, including identifying any inherent costs to the taxpayer of associated regulation and administration.
- To identify and evaluate the full scope of the tax regime associated with the sector.
- To examine any potential impact, positive or negative, on the international reputation of the Island in establishing an industry based on the cultivation, import and export of medicinal cannabis.
