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2025.06.24
3.20 Deputy P.F.C. Ozouf of St. Saviour of the Chief Minister regarding the development, performance, and regulation of Jersey's medical cannabis industry (OQ.158/2025):
Given the multiple strands of cross-governmental policy in relation to prescription and manufacture of medicinal cannabis in the Island, will the Chief Minister commit to providing a consolidated update on the industry, including its performance, regulation and oversight: and if so, by when?
Deputy L.J. Farnham of St. Mary , St. Ouen and St. Peter (The Chief Minister):
The Government is committed to providing a report on activities related to medicinal cannabis in Jersey. This will be produced by the end of 2025, as confirmed in my response to Deputy Ozouf 's Written Question 285. The report will include details of action being taken by the relevant Ministers, these include the Minister for Health and Social Services, whose portfolio includes licensing by the chief pharmacist, the Minister for Sustainable Economic Development with regard to the development and growth of the cannabis sector and potential of the biotech industry and the Minister for the Environment, whose involvement relates to independent regulation of cannabis clinics under planning and cannabis cultivation companies.
[12:00]
3.20.1 Deputy P.F.C. Ozouf :
I was grateful, and I genuinely mean grateful, to the Chief Minister for his courteous response to my Written Question after quite a to and fro as to why I wanted to put it to him. I welcome the fact that this report is coming; that is to be welcomed. One does not want to be critical, one wants to be positive but one needs the evidence. I would ask the Chief Minister very politely, I did ask him this question I think in January about whether the report would be provided, we have got the Budget coming up and there may need to be some money for regulation in the Health Department and some decisions. It is 6 months away, I wonder whether he could bring forward that. We have now got the commitment to a report, could he bring it forward so that we can have that informed discussion in advance of the Budget, as I think it might help the Council of Ministers and Back-Benchers?
Deputy L.J. Farnham :
I will certainly discuss the matter with the relevant Ministers. But I would also reiterate that any regulatory costs should be borne by the industry itself, and that is what we would be minded to do when dealing with that issue. But I will speak to the relevant Ministers. I hear where the Deputy is coming from, we do need a report, we do need to take stock across the sector and we are going to do that.