Cave Hill Granted Cannabis License
24 January 2024
BMCLA CEO Shanica Roberts-Odle; Principal of The UWI Cave Hill Campus, Prof. Clive Landis, and Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dr Damian Cohall
The inaugural licence to conduct research and development into cannabis in Barbados has been granted to The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus.
The licence was presented to campus Principal, Professor Clive Landis by Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Authority (BMCLA), Shanika Roberts-Odle, at a ceremony held at the 3Ws Pavilion on Friday, January 19, 2024.
At an event held under the theme ‘Licensed to Thrive’, marking the third anniversary of the BMCLA, the presentation brought to 30, the number of licences approved by the BMCLA to participate in the marijuana industry. The licences are held by 11 entities who have received the go-ahead to participate in the medicinal cannabis industry.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Nutrition and Food Security, Terry Bascombe, spoke highly of the campus’ achievement: “It is worth celebrating when one considers that the value of the global medicinal cannabis market is projected to reach US $65.8 billion by 2025. This growing demand for medicinal cannabis products coupled with the growing trend of legalization, has led to a surge in R&D investments in the cannabis space,” he stated.
Landis told the audience that with the receipt of an R & D licence, Cave Hill is now poised to reap the benefits of applied research, and also pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.
“Globally there is significant interest in the field of medicinal cannabis research; however, the number of universities capable of conducting such research remains legally restricted. Our status as a research university, issued with the necessary licence and banking permissions to conduct cannabis research now propels us to the forefront of the field,” Landis said.
Congratulating Cave Hill on its accomplishment, Roberts-Odle said: “This research and development license will allow the university to conduct experiments and testing as it relates to every form and derivative of cannabis, that’s including live plants, dried materials, seeds, oils, wax, you name it. The University of the West Indies can go ahead for research and development on that particular aspect of it. And with that license also comes a complimentary import and export license that allows and facilitates them to get in depth with what they are doing.”
Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dr Damian Cohall, a pharmacologist who has done extensive plant research, highlighted new opportunities for Cave Hill to tap into the growing and transformative cannabis industry in the region and globally.
“The current scope of this license allows The UWI to pursue drug discovery and other important pharmacological research on cannabinoid compounds inclusive of phytocannabinoids, synthetic cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and other related phytochemicals from the Cannabis plant. These research opportunities are endless within our current research facilities which include over 2,000 square feet of generalised bench research area, a cell culture laboratory, and animal testing facilities,” Cohall said.
Return to all news