KINGSTOWN (CMC):
St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is now the first member state of the subregional grouping – the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) – to be granted permission for the export of medicinal cannabis.
On Friday, the government announced that the island would export its first shipment of medicinal cannabis to Europe.
The announcement follows the recent approval of the first export certificate for medicinal cannabis.
The export permission was granted to Caribbean Cannabis Company, trading as Medicinal.
The company already has several products marketed locally and has worked with traditional cultivators in building out their supply chain.
The granting of permission to export came after an import certificate was issued by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices for the product to legally enter Germany.
According to Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar, the jurisdiction has worked over the last three years, with international agencies, friendly governments and local public and private-sector stakeholders, to make this a reality.
“St Vincent and the Grenadines is ready for global business in the medicinal wellness industry space. We invite the world to participate! The SVG has opened a significant global opportunity for collaboration among member states of the OECS wishing to participate in the international medical cannabis industry” Caesar said.
“I therefore invite all member states of the OECS with the established medicinal cannabis policy frameworks to join forces for the sustainable development of what can become a world competitive subregional medicinal wellness ecosystem,” the agriculture minister added.
The government has also announced that it is also working to establish a diversified medicinal wellness platform, which will include traditional medicines and the emerging psychedelics doctor-assisted treatment initiative.