Strategy for the cannabis industry

WQ.288/2024

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT

BY DEPUTY H.L. JEUNE OF ST. JOHN, ST. LAWRENCE AND TRINITY QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 16th SEPTEMBER 2024 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER 2024

Question

"In respect of Jersey's Cannabis Industry (the Industry'), will the Minister advise –

1. what plans, if any, exist to develop a strategy for the Industry;
2. the annual amount of funding, if any, allocated to and spent on supporting the Industry since 2022 and the amount proposed for 2025;
3. the estimated annual revenue of the Industry to the Island since 2022 to date;
4. what key benefits to the Island were agreed by the Government when the development of the Industry started, and what evidence the Government holds that these benefits are being delivered;
5. what aspects of the Industry, in terms of policy and legislation, fall under the remit of other Ministers; and
6. how much Cannabis is grown in Jersey, how much, if any, of it is prescribed locally and how much is exported?"

Answer

1. Owing to resource constraints, there are no plans to develop a strategy for the cannabis industry at this time. However, in line with good practice and owing to a change in personnel, I have asked officers in the Department of Economy to carry out an economic programmes review, from first principles, during quarter 4.
2. Since 2022 officer time has been used to establish the MOU with the UK Home Office and engage and support industry. Independent advice and expertise has also been provided through consultancy services and the total spend on this to date is estimated at £100,000.

Regulatory activity within the Department for Health and Community Services to issue licenses is undertaken by the Chief Pharmacist however it is not possible to separate these costs incurred from the rest of the Chief Pharmacist's role.

The Economy Department is also providing £100,000 for 2024 and £300,000 for 2025 to support the regulation of the industry which is administered by the Chief Pharmacist.

3. & d) The objective of the then Government in seeking to foster a medicinal cannabis industry was to generate economic growth and attract inward investment.

Access to data on revenue may be limited due to its commercial nature though available data will be collated and assessed as part of the economic programmes review later this year.

5. Whilst economic development and export policy sits with the Minister for Sustainable Economic Development. Matters relating to the licensing of cannabis cultivation, the management of cannabis as a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Law (1978) and as a medicinal product under the Medicines Law 1995 rest with the Minister for Health and Social Services. Additional responsibilities for policing and planning fall to the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs and Minister for Environment respectively.

6. No-one in Jersey currently holds a manufacturing licence to manufacture a medicinal product in a final dosage form. This means that no cannabis cultivated on Island will be able to be directly supplied to pharmacies to dispense to patients who have been prescribed a CBPM

locally. However, some product is exported for further processing by manufacturers – and this product may then be imported back to Jersey – but there is no way to identify how much this is.

It has not been possible to collate data on the total quantity of cannabis in the time allocated due to the complex way this data are measured. It is held in different forms including the number of plants, wet weight, dry weight produced, amount destroyed, and the purpose of cultivation. I have asked officers to review the available data to explore the best way to quantify the island's total cannabis production.